Managing Microsoft iSCSI Software Target on Failover Clusters

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Applies To: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target

Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 can be installed on computers running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008 R2 with failover clusters to provide highly available instances of file or block storage. When you work with the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target in a failover cluster environment, consider the following:

  • Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 must be installed on each node of the cluster to provide full failover protection for iSCSI resources on the cluster.

  • When you connect to a node of the failover cluster and run the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target console, you will see only the iSCSI targets and virtual disks that were created on that node. This means that you could connect to a node and not see the iSCSI resources that you have already created. In that case, connect to the node that has ownership of the iSCSI resource to manage that resource.

  • To manage multiple nodes of a failover cluster that is hosting Microsoft iSCSI Software Target, create a custom Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that contains an instance of the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target console for each node.

To create a custom MMC console for Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 on clusters

  1. To start a new instance of the MMC, click Start, click Run, type mmc.exe, and then click OK. Click Continue when you are prompted for elevation.

  2. Click File, and then click Add or Remove Snap-ins.

  3. Under Available Snap-ins, click Microsoft iSCSI Software Target. Click Add.

  4. Under This snap-in will always manage click Another computer. Type the name of the remote computer by using the format \\ComputerName, and then click Finish. Repeat this step for each node of the cluster.

  5. Click OK to close Add or Remove Snap-ins.

  6. To save the console, click File, and then click Save. Select a location to save the console and type a name for it. Click Save.

Additional considerations

  • You must be a member of the local Administrators group to perform these tasks.

  • To open iSCSI Software Target, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft iSCSI Software Target. (Another way to open iSCSI Software Target is to click Start, click Run, and then type iscsitarget.msc.)

  • To open Failover Cluster Management, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management.