Here is a cheap way of building an VMware ESX and Virtual Center development / demo environment with iSCSI which includes all the Virtual Center high availability functions, including HA, DRS and VCB. You will need to following to build this environment:

1.  2 x VMware ESX servers (obviously:)
2. 1 x Windows 2003 Server (with a fair amount of storage)
3. A valid license from VMware or an eval license for VMware’s Virtual Infrastructure 3.

The following procedure assumes that you have 2 ESX servers built already or have the ability to do so, and that Virtual Center is up and ready.Setting up a Windows 2003 Server as a software iSCSI target.  First, you will need the iSCSI components which comes with ‘Windows Unified Storage Server’ embedded OS. 

Downloading the Microsoft iSCSI target software. 

• Launch a browser and stick this in the address bar http://microsoft.download-ss.com/ESP/thankyou.asp?ordernumber=42472920
• This link will take you to the registration site for Windows Unified Storage Server components, fill in the details as requested.
• Once you receive the email click on the required link, this will take you to the download section, choose the ‘Disk 3, Microsoft iSCSI Software Target and Management.iso’ for either 32bit or 64bit.
• Once this has downloaded, run the setup and install it on your Windows 2003 Server.
• You are now ready to create an iSCSI target disk for your ESX servers to share.

Setting up an iSCSI target disk

• Logon to your Windows 2003 Server
• Navigate to the newly installed iSCSI target program files link

• Create the iSCSI target

• Give it a descriptive name

• Add the iSCSI initiator identifiers (you can find these within Virtual Center if you select the ESX host, choose the configuration tab and then the storage adapters option, I have included both screen shots).
• Ensure you click the advanced button and add the second ESX host’s iSCSI initiator address

(The ESX host’s iSCSI initiator address can be found within Virtual Center)                            

•  Hit next and then review the summary screen and your finished.

Now it is time to setup the actual iSCSI disk

•  Right click on ‘Devices’ and then choose ‘Create virtual disk’.

•  Create the path for the disk (don’t forget the vhd extension)

• Specify the size of the disk (in MB)

•  Add a description

• Next you add the iSCSI target name

• Add the iSCSI targets you created earlier (your ESX server iSCSI initiator addresses)

• Click Next and then Finish to complete the add iSCSI disk wizard

Setting up your ESX hosts 

• Logon to into Virtual Center with the Virtual Infrastructure Client 
• Select the ESX host and then the configuration tab
• Select the storage adapters option
• Right click the iSCSI software initiator and choose properties

• Enable the iSCSI software initiator on both ESX hosts
• Click on the dynamic discovery tab and then add the iSCSI target servers ip address

• Click close

Next you will need to check the ESX servers firewall configuration to ensure the iSCSI software initiator is allowed through.

•  Again, on your ESX hosts, click on the configuration tab and then on the bottom left choose security profile.
• Ensure the iSCSI initiator is selected

• That’s it, if you can - reboot your ESX hosts
• When they come back online, you will have your iSCSI shared disk available for hosting your virtual machines and testing VMotion, HA and DRS etc.  
• You can also add the disk to a windows machine for testing VMware Backup Consolidator but that post is for another day.

Hope I have explained it well enough.

Regards,

Lee Wynne 

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