Iscsi offload and boot – HP Virtual Connect 4Gb Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem User Manual
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Virtual Connect server profiles 166
For more information on RBSU, see the HP ROM-Based Setup Utility User Guide on the Documentation CD or
the HP website
iSCSI offload and boot
The iSCSI configuration setup feature enables you to configure a server to boot from a remote iSCSI target as
part of the VC server profile.
Use the iSCSI offload feature to offload iSCSI protocol processing from the OS to the NIC. In addition to
offloading TCP/IP protocol processing, it also offloads iSCSI protocol processing.
The following items are required for iSCSI offload and boot:
•
VC 3.10 or higher firmware
•
HP VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24-port Module—supports iSCSI, and supports FCoE connections to server
bays
•
HP VC Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet Module—supports iSCSI
•
The latest BIOS on a supported server. See the Virtual Connect QuickSpecs on the Installing tab of the
HP BladeSystem Technical Resources website
•
NIC requirements:
o
HP NC551i Dual-Port FlexFabric Converged Network Adapter
o
HP NC551m Dual-Port FlexFabric Converged Network Adapter
o
HP NC553i 10Gb 2-port FlexFabric Converged Network Adapter
o
HP NC553m 10Gb 2-port FlexFabric Converged Network Adapter
•
One Command OS tool
•
be2iSCSI driver
•
be2iSCSI Driver Update Disk for iSCSI boot installs
•
iSCSI target
•
DHCP server (optional)
The following features are supported:
•
Full Flex-10 support
•
Multi-personality—all Ethernet, Ethernet/iSCSI, or Ethernet/FCoE
•
Four physical functions per port
•
Up to 128 iSCSI targets per iSCSI function
•
Primary/Secondary iSCSI boot path per adapter
•
The iSCSI function on the adapter appears to the OS as a standard SCSI device.
•
With the new iSCSI driver, no network driver is needed
•
Does not use software iSCSI initiator from the OS
It is not possible to enable both SAN boot (FC or FCoE) and iSCSI boot in a server profile at the same time.
The priority is given to the first connection that is enabled, which might be FC/FCoE or iSCSI.
Be sure that your Ethernet adapter, operating system, and device drivers support iSCSI boot.
An iSCSI connection cannot be assigned to multiple networks.