Assigning a Virtual Disk to an iSCSI Target

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Applies To: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target

You can assign any iSCSI virtual disk that exists in the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target console to an iSCSI target. For more information about using the wizard to create or import a virtual disk, see Creating a Virtual Disk for an iSCSI Target and Importing a Virtual Disk.

You can assign one or more iSCSI virtual disks to an iSCSI target in the following ways:

  • When you run the Create Virtual Disk Wizard, specify the iSCSI targets that you want to access the virtual disk.

  • Add the virtual disk to the iSCSI target.

  • Add the iSCSI target to the virtual disk.

The virtual disk is dynamically assigned to the iSCSI target without requiring a shutdown of the target. After the virtual disk is assigned to the iSCSI target, iSCSI Software Target dynamically notifies the iSCSI initiator. If the iSCSI initiator supports dynamic discovery, the virtual disk appears in the Disk Management console of the iSCSI initiator and is ready to use. If the iSCSI initiator does not support dynamic discovery, you must scan the iSCSI initiator from the Disk Management console.

Warning

Configuring a virtual disk for access by more than one iSCSI target can cause data corruption unless the virtual disk is part of a failover cluster environment or the iSCSI initiators use a storage area network (SAN) file system to coordinate access to the storage.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review the details in "Additional considerations" in this topic.

To add an existing virtual disk to an iSCSI target

  1. In Microsoft iSCSI Software Target, in the console tree, click iSCSI Targets.

  2. In the results pane, right-click the iSCSI target, and then click Add Existing Virtual Disk to iSCSI Target.

  3. In the Add Virtual Disk dialog box, click the virtual disk to be assigned to the iSCSI target, and then click OK.

To add an iSCSI target to an existing virtual disk

  1. In Microsoft iSCSI Software Target, in the console tree, click Devices.

  2. In the results pane, right-click the virtual disk to which you want to add an iSCSI target, and then click Assign/Remove Target.

  3. In the Properties dialog box, on the Target Access tab, click Add.

  4. Click the iSCSI target to be added, and then click OK.

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.)

Additional references

Creating and Managing Virtual Disks for iSCSI Targets

Creating a Virtual Disk for an iSCSI Target

Importing a Virtual Disk