Deploying LUNs Using Storage Manager for SANs

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

This section walks you through the tasks involved in using Storage Manager for SANs to deploy logical unit numbers (LUNs) on both Fibre Channel and Internet SCSI (iSCSI) subsystems. Figure 1 shows the process for deploying LUNs on both types of subsystems.

If the LUNs will be deployed on a Fibre Channel subsystem, you only need to identify the servers that will access the LUNs, select which host bus adapter (HBA) ports on those servers will be used for LUN traffic, and finally create and assign LUNs directly to the servers.

If the LUNs will be deployed on an iSCSI subsystem, the process requires additional steps. After identifying the servers that will access the LUNs and selecting the iSCSI initiator adapters that will be used for LUN traffic, you should do the following:

  1. Create and configure targets on the iSCSI subsystems and enable portals on those targets to handle LUN I/O traffic.

  2. Optionally configure iSCSI security.

  3. Establish logon sessions from the iSCSI initiator on each server to one or more targets.

  4. Finally, create LUNs and assign them to the targets.

Before you create a LUN on either type of storage subsystem, verify the following:

  • The storage subsystem is listed at the Subsystems node.

  • There is storage space available on the storage subsystem, and the LUN type you want to create is supported by the subsystem.

  • If you want to assign the LUN to a cluster, the cluster has been fully configured by installing Failover Clustering.

Warning

To prevent data loss, make sure that each server is a member of only one cluster and that Failover Clustering has been installed on each server in the cluster. For more information about installing Failover Clustering, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=86168.

  • If the server you will be assigning the LUN to will access the LUN through more than one Fibre Channel port or iSCSI initiator, Multipath I/O has been installed and is running on that server.

Warning

Data loss can occur if you assign the LUN to a server that does not have Multipath I/O installed and will access the LUN through more than one Fibre Channel port or iSCSI initiator. For more information, see Support for Multipath I/O.

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