Using ReadyNAS OS 6 as a VMware ESX Datastore (iSCSI)

In this article, we describe the method on connecting your ReadyNAS to VMware ESX as a datastore using an iSCSI LUN.

You can also setup ReadyNAS OS 6 as an NFS datastore.

Using vSphere Web Client?

Note: This document is applicable to VMware ESX 4.1 or newer.

ReadyNAS iSCSI target as a Datastore

Create an iSCSI LUN

Go to Shares
Click New LUN
Enter new share properties
Click Create

Assign iSCSI LUN to a LUN Group

Go to iSCSI
The newly created iSCSI LUN will appear in Unassigned LUNs

The LUN can be added to an existing Group, or a new Group can be created by click New Group.
To add the LUN to a group lieft click on the LUN and click Assign

Select the LUN group from Assign To
Click Apply

To assign/change security properties of the LUN group click on Properites of the LUN group

vSphere: Configure iSCSI HBA

Open up the vSphere client.
Navigate to the Configuration tab, and select the Storage Adapters option under the Hardware section.
Select the iSCSI Software Adapter (vmhba33 in our case), then click the Properties button in the section below.

In the Properties window, click on Configure, then select the checkbox to Enable the service. Click OK.

In the same Properties window, select the Dynamic Discovery tab.
Click the Add button, and type in the IP/hostname of your ReadyNAS.
Fill in any CHAP information here if specified, then click OK, Close.

The server will then ask you to rescan the bus, select Yes

If no errors occurred, you should now see your ReadyNAS iSCSI targets displayed in the vSphere client.

vSphere: Add the new iSCSI datastore

Now that the ESX server can talk to the ReadyNAS iSCSI target, we will create a datastore on the target.
Navigate to the Configuration tab, and select the Storage option under the Hardware section.
Click on Add Storage in the upper-right corner.

For Storage Type, select the Disk/LUN option. Click Next

Select the recently created target. Click Next.

* In ESXi 5.X a File System Version must be selected at this stage. The following page is displayed, please select the File System accordingly then click Next.