Dependent hardware iSCSI setup requires several high-level tasks.

You should be familiar with the corresponding command for each task. You can refer to the relevant documentation for each command or run esxcli iscsi --help in the console. Specify one of the options listed in Connection Options for vCLI Host Management Commands in place of <conn_options>.

Prerequisites
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Verify that you are familiar with iSCSI authentication. See Enabling iSCSI Authentication.

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Verify that you are familiar with CHAP. See Setting iSCSI CHAP.

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Verify that you are familiar with iSCSI parameters. See Listing and Setting iSCSI Parameters.

Procedure
1

Determine the iSCSI adapter type and retrieve the iSCSI adapter ID. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter list
2

(Optional) Set the iSCSI name and alias. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter set --adapter <adapter_name> --name=<name>
esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter set --adapter <adapter_name> --alias=<alias>
3

Set up port binding.

a

Identify the VMkernel port of the dependent hardware iSCSI adapter. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi logicalnetworkportal list --adapter=<adapter_name>
b

Connect the dependent hardware iSCSI initiator to the iSCSI VMkernel ports by running the following command for each port. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi networkportal add --nic=<bound_vmknic> --adapter=<iscsi_adapter>
c

Verify that the ports were added to the dependent hardware iSCSI initiator. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi physicalnetworkportal list --adapter=<adapter_name>
4

Add a dynamic discovery address or a static discovery address.

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With dynamic discovery, all storage targets associated with a host name or IP address are discovered. You can run the following command. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget add --address=<ip/dns[:port]> --adapter=<adapter_name>
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With static discovery, you must specify the host name or IP address and the iSCSI name of the storage target. You can run the following command. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter discovery statictarget add --address=<ip/dns[:port]> --adapter=<adapter_name> --name=<target_name>

When you later remove a discovery address, it might still be displayed as the parent of a static target. You can add the discovery address and rescan to display the correct parent for the static targets.

5

(Optional) Set the authentication information for CHAP.

You can set per-target CHAP for static targets, per-adapter CHAP, or apply the command to the discovery address.

Option

Command

Adapter-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=[prohibited, discouraged, preferred, required] --secret=<string> --adapter=<vmhba>

Discovery-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=[prohibited, discouraged, preferred, required] --secret=<string> --adapter=<vmhba> --address<sendtarget_address>

Target-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter target portal auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=[prohibited, discouraged, preferred, required] --secret=<string> --adapter=<vmhba> --name<iscsi_iqn_name>

The following example sets adapter-level CHAP. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=preferred --secret=uni_secret --adapter=vmhba33
6

(Optional) Set the authentication information for mutual CHAP by running esxcli iscsi adapter auth chap set again with --direction set to mutual and a different authentication user name and secret.

Option

Command

Adapter-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter auth chap set --direction=mutual --mchap_username=<name2> --mchap_password=<pwd2> --level=[prohibited required] --secret=<string2> --adapter=<vmhba>

Discovery-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget auth chap set --direction=mutual --mchap_username=<name2> --mchap_password=<pwd2> --level=[prohibited, required] --secret=<string2> --adapter=<vmhba> --address=<sendtarget_address>

Target-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter target portal auth chap set --direction=mutual --mchap_username=<nam2e> --mchap_password=<pwd2> --level=[prohibited required] --secret=<string2> --adapter=<vmhba> --name=<iscsi_iqn_name>
Important

You are responsible for making sure that CHAP is set before you set mutual CHAP, and for using compatible levels for CHAP and mutual CHAP.

7

(Optional) Set iSCSI parameters.

Option

Command

Adapter-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter param set --adapter=<vmhba> --key=<key> --value=<value>

Discovery-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget param set --adapter=<vmhba> --key=<key> --value=<value> --address=<sendtarget_address>

Target-level CHAP

 
esxcli iscsi adapter target portal param set --adapter=<vmhba> --key=<key> --value=<value> --address=<address> --name=<iqn.name>
8

After setup is complete, perform rediscovery and rescan all storage devices.

The following example performs the rediscovery and rescan operations. 

esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter discovery rediscover
esxcli <conn_options> storage core adapter rescan --adapter=vmhba36
9

(Optional) If you want to make additional iSCSI login parameter changes, you must log out of the corresponding iSCSI session and log back in.

a

Run esxcli iscsi session remove to log out.

b

Run esxcli iscsi session add or rescan the adapter to add the session back.