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Internet SCSI Initiator software is outdated

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2006-04-03

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Win32_SCSIController Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) class to determine the value of the DriverName key for the iScsciPrt driver. The Exchange Server Analyzer also queries the CIM_Datafile WMI class to determine the value of the Version key listed in the iScsciPrt driver file. If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds a substring value in the iScsciPrt driver Version key that is less than 1748, a warning is displayed

Internet small computer system interface (iSCSI) is an Internet Protocol-based (IP-based) method that is designed to send small computer system interface (SCSI) commands that are encapsulated in IP packets over TCP/IP networks. Because iSCSI is IP-based, data can be transmitted over local area networks (LANs), over wide area networks (WANs), and over the Internet to remote storage locations. Microsoft Windows operating systems display iSCSI hard disks to programs such as Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server as hard disks that are connected directly to the Exchange Server computer.

Microsoft encourages you to use caution when you deploy Exchange Server 2003 with iSCSI or Exchange 2000 Server with iSCSI. Because iSCSI uses the SCSI transport protocol to transmit block data over TCP/IP networks, the involvement of a network can introduce components that are not traditionally thought of as high-speed input/output paths. To maximize throughput, you must configure Exchange Server to maximize caching activities, and you must test to verify that the latency that is involved with iSCSI traffic is minimized. Unless your storage vendor indicates otherwise, it is also strongly recommended that you use the latest available build of the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator.

To correct this warning

  1. Download the latest version of the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator from the Microsoft Download Center (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=33817).

  2. Review the release notes at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=40951).

  3. Review the User Guide at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=40963).

  4. Take a complete backup of the computer.

  5. Apply the latest version update.

For more information about iSCSI support in Exchange 2000 Server and Exchange Server 2003, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 839686, "Support for iSCSI technology components in Exchange Server" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3052&kbid=839686).

For more information about iSCSI technology and Microsoft support of iSCSI, see the Microsoft Web site, "Microsoft Storage Technologies - iSCSI" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=27514).