re: high level steps for configuring 3-2-1 setup...

[rickkar1]

at a high-level, i;m after a high level step-wise process describing how to get a 3host - 2switch - 1storage array iSCSI SAN config up and running...

re: hosts > three Dell R710, ea w/ 4 BRCM 1G NICs native to the R710 -- running ESXi5.0

re: switches > two layer-3 switches for a private iSCSI network

re: storage > iSCSI SAN

thots?

Message was edited by: rickkar1 thanks to everyone for your input ---  one last question:   for a 'newbie'  how many hours from 'unpacking boxes' to 'fully operational'  --  what are your estimates?

[weinstein5]

This document http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-50-storage-guide.pdf will provide the information you need for configuring your ESXi hosts for iSCSI as well as general instructions for configuring the physical network and SAN

[TedH256]

First thoughts are that 4 nics is not enough. You want 2 for management, 2 for iscsi, and at least 2 for vms

The high-level over-view is pretty simple:

configure your hosts/vcenter, create a 3rd vswitch for iscsi but don't add vmkernel ports until you have the iSCSI storage working. Then configure your iSCSI storage - you want to keep the iSCSI traffic off of your usual subnet/vlan.

[mcowger]

http://virtualgeek.typepad.com/virtual_geek/2009/09/a-multivendor-post-on-using-iscsi-with-vmware-vsphere.html