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I've set up a 3 node cluster with Windows Server 2008 R2. I need to connect to these nodes a lot of lun (18 LUN on each node; not my decision... :( ). After digging a while with iSCSI Initiator configuration I found that I reach the 256 connections limit of iSCSI Initiator, so I decided to do a "fine tuning"...

Every node has 4NICs dedicated to iSCSI connection. Using the HP MPIO DSM, every LUN connection generates 16 connection (4 NIC * 4 SAN Nodes)

So I decided to use 4 NIC to connect the "most demanding" LUN, and only 2 NIC on each less used LUN. Doing so I can stay under 256 connection (actually I reach 246 connection).

The problem raises when I need to restart one of the server. After restarting the iSCSI configuration seems partially lost: even the "less demanding" LUN are connected to the server with 4 NICs so I'm again over 256 connections...

Anyone has ever did something like that and can advise me? (I thought about using less than 4 NIC for each LUN, but I can do that)

Thanks for any help

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  • What type of iSCSI target? Is it some sort of storage device, or just another server? Is it capable of active/active multipathing?
    – Basil
    Dec 4, 2012 at 17:17
  • the target it's an HP P4000 san... Yes, it is capable of active/active multipathing (everything works ok, till reboot)
    – doGmaI
    Dec 10, 2012 at 11:02

2 Answers 2

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Don't know if it can help someone, but I made a really simple script to re-estabilish all the desired connections when (and if) the server is rebooted. You can find it here http://www.dogmai.net/pub/script.7z. It's not perfect and it isn't "general purpose". It's specific for my installation: maybe it can serve as an "idea" to write your own customized script. It's a PowerShell script, so you have to be sure to be able to run unsigned script (use the cmdlet Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned to do so). Then, I added my script to the startup script (run gpedit.msc and add the script to Computer configuration -> Windows Settings -> Script (Startup/Shutdown) -> Startup)

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If you are losing your MPIO config after reboots, I'd check that the multipath driver isn't misconfigured.

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  • The DSM driver supplied with the SAN doesn't offer anything to configure. The MPIO configuration in only "partially" lost: the only difference regards LUN not connected with all 4 NIC (the connection is the same as before the reboot regarding the 2 NIC I planned to use, but the is also a single connection from the other 2 NIC to the SAN, and this 2 connections doesn't use multipath...)
    – doGmaI
    Dec 5, 2012 at 9:45

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