Veritas NetBackup™

Appliance iSCSI Guide

Veritas NetBackup™ Appliance iSCSI Guide
Documentation version: 3.0

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 Contents

Technical Support ............................................................................................ 4

Chapter 1 Overview ................................................................................ 9

About iSCSI .................................................................................. 9

About iSCSI initiator and targets ...................................................... 10
Supported iSCSI features ............................................................... 10
Overview of the iSCSI topology ....................................................... 11
About the iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN) .............................................. 12

Chapter 2 Understanding the NetBackup 5240 appliance

configuration H ............................................................. 13
NetBackup 5240 Appliance configuration H ....................................... 13
QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI capable card with SFP+
modules .............................................................................. 14

Chapter 3 Understanding NetBackup for VMware ...................... 16

About NetBackup for VMware ......................................................... 16

Overview of the VMware backup process .......................................... 17
Transport modes options (VMware) .................................................. 17

Chapter 4 Configuring iSCSI .............................................................. 19

Configuring the appliance for iSCSI .................................................. 19
Setting the IQN for the initiator ........................................................ 20
Viewing the interface properties ....................................................... 21
Configuring the interface properties .................................................. 21
Removing and resetting the interface properties ................................. 24
About CHAP authentication ............................................................ 25
Discovering targets by using the portal address .................................. 26
About iSNS ................................................................................. 27
Discovering targets by using iSNS ................................................... 28
Connecting to a target ................................................................... 30
Disconnecting the sessions with a target ........................................... 31
Viewing the targets ....................................................................... 32
 Contents 8

Chapter 5 Troubleshooting iSCSI issues and some best

practices ......................................................................... 34
Gathering device logs with the DataCollect command .......................... 34
About syslogd messages .............................................................. 35
About iSCSI alerts ........................................................................ 36
Best Practices ............................................................................. 37

Index .................................................................................................................... 38
 Chapter 1
Overview
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About iSCSI

■ About iSCSI initiator and targets

■ Supported iSCSI features

■ Overview of the iSCSI topology

■ About the iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN)

About iSCSI
iSCSI is a way of connecting storage devices over a network by using TCP/IP.
iSCSI was developed to enable transmission of SCSI commands over the existing
Internet Protocol (IP) network by using the TCP/IP protocol. iSCSI offers the
possibility of delivering both messaging traffic and block-based storage over IP
networks without installing a separate Fibre Channel network. With release 3.0,
iSCSI supports VMware backups on configuration H of the NetBackup 5240
appliance.
The protocol allows clients (called initiators) to send SCSI commands to SCSI
storage devices (targets) on remote servers. Configuration H of the NetBackup
5240 appliance functions as an initiator.
A target is a storage resource located on an iSCSI server (more generally, one of
the potentially many instances of iSCSI storage nodes running on that server). To
communicate with each other, iSCSI initiators and targets establish iSCSI sessions
 Overview 10
About iSCSI initiator and targets

About iSCSI initiator and targets

iSCSI is a way to share storage over a network and works at the block device level.
For iSCSI communication, the following components talk with each other:
■ Initiator
■ Target
The clients which access the iSCSI storage are called initiators. This iSCSI Initiator
can connect to a server (the iSCSI target). In doing so, the iSCSI Initiator sends
SCSI commands to the iSCSI target. These SCSI commands are packaged in IP
packets for this purpose.
An iSCSI target device receives iSCSI commands and shares the storage. The
storage can be a physical disk, or an area representing multiple disks or a portion
of a physical disk. A storage array is a typical iSCSI target.

Supported iSCSI features

See the following pointers to understand how iSCSI is supported with NetBackup
appliances:
■ iSCSI is supported only on configuration H of the 5240 appliance.
■ Configuration H of the NetBackup 5240 appliance always functions as an initiator.
See “NetBackup 5240 Appliance configuration H” on page 13.
■ iSCSI supports VMware backups only. It supports the NetBackup for VMware
feature.
See “About NetBackup for VMware” on page 16.
■ For this release, the iSCSI functionality (commands) are available on the
NetBackup Appliance Shell Menu only.
■ iSCSI supports IPv4 addresses only. iSCSI connections over IPv6 are not
supported.
In addition, the initiator and the target must be on the same Layer 2 network
(L2).
■ iSCSI supports Dynamic Multi-Pathing (DMP). You can connect via multiple
paths to the same target. The backups or restores over iSCSI can continue as
long as one path is available.
■ A VLAN can be configured on either the network interface or the iSCSI interface.
If VLAN is configured on both the network and iSCSI interface, the VLAN for
the network interface is effective on both the interfaces. Note that when VLAN
 Overview 11
Overview of the iSCSI topology

is configured on both the network and iSCSI interface on different subnets, the
configuration is not supported.

Network Interface iSCSI Interface Description

IP VLAN IP VLAN

Subnet X None Subnet X None Supported

Subnet X None Subnet Y VLAN A Supported

Subnet X VLAN B Subnet X VLAN B Supported

Subnet X VLAN B Subnet Y VLAN B Not Supported

■ Using an iSNS server (Internet Storage Name Service) for discovering targets
is supported.
See “About iSNS” on page 27.
■ Only a QLogic Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP+) module is supported in the
10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI card. You will receive an alert if an unsupported SFP
module is detected in the 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI card (if alerts are configured).
For the latest NetBackup Appliance compatibility information, refer to the Hardware
Compatibility List on the following website:
www.netbackup.com/compatibility

Overview of the iSCSI topology

The appliance can operate as the VMware backup host and take VMware backups
by using iSCSI. In this topology, the appliance functions as an initiator and is
connected to a storage array (target) on a TCP/IP network. The storage array can
be connected to an ESX host over FC/LAN etc.
 Overview 12
About the iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN)

Figure 1-1 iSCSI topology

SCSI commands
Target (iSCSI supported
Data Transfer over storage array)
Initiator (Configuration H TCP/IP
of the NetBackup 5240
appliance)
Appliance as the backup
host uses NetBackup client
software to back up virtual
machines
ESX
servers

Virtual machines
VM VM VM

VM VM VM

The virtual machines are backed up on the appliance over iSCSI.

About the iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN)

In an iSCSI network, each iSCSI element that uses the network has a unique iSCSI
name and is assigned an address for access. Each iSCSI element, whether an
initiator or target, is identified by a unique iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN). The IQN is
a logical name that is not linked to an IP address.
The IQN has the following properties:
■ It is unique. No two initiators or targets can have the same name.
■ It can be up to 255 characters long.
■ It can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z), colons (:), hyphens (-),
and periods (.).
A sample IQN format is iqn.yyyy-mm.naming-authority:unique name where:
■ yyyy-mm is the year and month when the naming authority was established.

■ naming-authority is usually reverse syntax of the Internet domain name of the

naming authority.
■ Unique name is any name you want to use, for example, the name of your host.
The naming authority must make sure that any names assigned following the
colon are unique.
Example: iqn.1999-06.com.veritas:abc
 Chapter 2
Understanding the
NetBackup 5240 appliance
configuration H
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ NetBackup 5240 Appliance configuration H

■ QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI capable card with SFP+ modules

NetBackup 5240 Appliance configuration H

The rear panel of the NetBackup 5240 Appliance contains three PCIe riser card
assemblies. PCIe riser card assemblies 1 and 2 each support three standard PCIe
cards, while PCIe riser card assembly 3 supports two low profile PCIe cards. The
slots are labeled 1 to 8. Slots 1, 2, and 3 are located in PCIe riser card assembly
2. Slots 4, 5, and 6 are located in PCIe riser card assembly 1, while slots 7 and 8
are located in PCIe riser card assembly 3.

Figure 2-1 Rear panel riser assembly locations and PCIe slot assignments
for configuration H

Riser Riser Riser

Assembly 3 Assembly 2 Assembly 1

8 3 6
7 2 5
1 4
 Understanding the NetBackup 5240 appliance configuration H 14
QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI capable card with SFP+ modules

The NetBackup 5240 Appliance supports multiple PCIe-based I/O configuration

options. The following table shows the configuration H option that has the iSCSI
card in slot 2.

Table 2-1 NetBackup 5240 Appliance configuration H

I/O Slot Slot Slot Slot Slot Slot Slot Slot

configuration
1* 2 3 4 5 6 7 ** 8
option

H - 10 GbE 10 GbE - 8 Gb FC 8 Gb FC - -
NIC 1, 3 NIC 1, 3 HBA 3 HBA 3

(iSCSI)

* Slot 1 contains a factory installed PCIe RAID 6 controller when at least one NetBackup
5240 Storage Shelf is purchased with the NetBackup 5240 Appliance. Otherwise, slot 1 is
not populated.

** Slot 7 contains the NetBackup 5240 Appliance's internal PCIe raid controller. This RAID
controller is used to create the RAID 1 Array for the disk drives on which the appliance
operating system is installed. The operating system drives are located in slots 0 and 1 of
the front panel.

PCIe card cable connection types:

1 Direct-Attach copper cable (also called a Twinaxial cable or Twinax)
2 Standard copper cable
3 Fiber optic cable

See the NetBackup Appliance Product Description Guide for more details.

QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI capable

card with SFP+ modules
The QLE8442 is a dual-port 10GbE network interface card. It supports simultaneous
LAN (TCP/IP) and SAN (Fibre Channel over Ethernet [FCoE] and iSCSI) traffic at
10Gbps Ethernet (GbE) line rate speeds. The QLE8442 also provides very low host
CPU usage by enabling full hardware offloads.

Table 2-2 QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet card specifications

Item Specification

Bracket height Full height

Power consumption 9.65 watts (nominal)

 Understanding the NetBackup 5240 appliance configuration H 15
QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI capable card with SFP+ modules

Table 2-2 QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet card specifications (continued)

Item Specification

System interface PCIe v3.0

type

Speed and slot width 8.0 GT/s, 8-lane

Storage over iSCSI

Ethernet

LED indicators LINK/ACTIVITY

Off = No link (cable disconnected)

Continuously illuminated = Line on

Blinking = Network activity

Certifications FCC A, ICES A, UL, CE, VCCI, CISPR, KCC

Operating 0 to 55 C (32 TO 131 f)

temperature

Storage temperature -40 to 65 C (-40 to 149 F)

Operational humidity 7% to 93% @ 55 C

Storage humidity 93% maximum at 65 C

Air flow 100 LFM @ 55 C

 Chapter 3
Understanding NetBackup
for VMware
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About NetBackup for VMware

■ Overview of the VMware backup process

■ Transport modes options (VMware)

About NetBackup for VMware

NetBackup for VMware provides backup and restore of the VMware virtual machines
that run on VMware ESX servers. NetBackup for VMware takes advantage of
VMware vStorage APIs for data protection. The backup process is off-loaded from
the ESX server to a VMware backup host.
NetBackup for VMware does the following:
■ Performs off-host backup of virtual machines (NetBackup client software is not
required on the virtual machine). Off-host backup reduces the backup processing
load on the VMware host.
■ Increases the backup speed as compared to standard file-order backup methods,
if the virtual machine is heavily populated with small files.
■ Automatically creates quiesced snapshots using VSS (Windows only). Creates
quiesced snapshots on Linux if snapshot quiesce is enabled in the Linux guest
OS.
■ Uses snapshot technology to keep virtual machines 100% available to users.
■ Supports VMware vSphere and vCloud Director.
 Understanding NetBackup for VMware 17
Overview of the VMware backup process

■ Performs full backups and incremental backups, including block-level

incrementals.
■ Backs up the full virtual machine.
■ Backs up the virtual machines even when they are turned off.
■ Can restore selected files from the backup.

Overview of the VMware backup process

The following table describes the phases in the NetBackup backup process.

Table 3-1 NetBackup backup process

Phase Description

Phase 1 The NetBackup master server initiates the backup.

Phase 2 The NetBackup client on the VMware backup host initiates a VMware
snapshot on the virtual machine.

Phase 3 Windows: VSS synchronizes the file system on the virtual machine.

Linux: If snapshot quiesce is enabled in the Linux guest OS, the file system
is synchronized on the virtual machine. (Contact your operating system
vendor and VMware for additional information on how to enable snapshot
quiesce.)

Phase 4 The VMware server creates a snapshot on the virtual disk datastore.

Phase 5 The NetBackup client reads the snapshot from the datastores and writes
the data to the NetBackup storage unit.

Transport modes options (VMware)

The transport modes determine how the snapshot data travels from the VMware
datastore to the VMware backup host. The appropriate mode depends in part on
the type of network that connects the VMware datastore to the VMware backup
host.
By default, all modes are selected. NetBackup tries each transport mode in order,
from top to bottom. It uses the first mode that succeeds for all disks in the virtual
machine.
 Understanding NetBackup for VMware 18
Transport modes options (VMware)

Table 3-2 Transport Modes

Mode Description

san For unencrypted transfer over Fibre Channel (SAN) or iSCSI.

Note: On NetBackup appliances, the VMware backups happening over iSCSI use the
san transport mode.

Note: This mode is not supported for the virtual machines that use VMware Virtual
Volumes (VVols).

hotadd Lets you run the VMware backup host in a virtual machine.

Note: For the virtual machines that use VVols, the virtual machine and the backup host
(hotadd) virtual machine must reside on same VVol datastore.

For instructions on this transport mode and on installing the backup host in a VMware
virtual machine, refer to your VMware documentation.

nbd For unencrypted transfer over a local network that uses the Network Block Device (NBD)
driver protocol. This mode of transfer is usually slower than Fibre Channel.

nbdssl For encrypted transfer (SSL) over a local network that uses the Network Block Device
(NBD) driver protocol. This mode of transfer is usually slower than Fibre Channel.
 Chapter 4
Configuring iSCSI
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ Configuring the appliance for iSCSI

■ Setting the IQN for the initiator

■ Viewing the interface properties

■ Configuring the interface properties

■ Removing and resetting the interface properties

■ About CHAP authentication

■ Discovering targets by using the portal address

■ About iSNS

■ Discovering targets by using iSNS

■ Connecting to a target

■ Disconnecting the sessions with a target

■ Viewing the targets

Configuring the appliance for iSCSI

Before configuring your appliance for iSCSI, ensure that the iSCSI targets are
configured in your environment. Check the documentation provided by the target
vendor for more reference.
Table 4-1 provides instructions to configure and set up iSCSI on the appliance.
 Configuring iSCSI 20
Setting the IQN for the initiator

Table 4-1 Configuring iSCSI on the appliance

Step No. Description Reference

1. Configure IQN for the initiator See “Setting the IQN for the
initiator” on page 20.

2. Configure the iSCSI interface. The IP See “Configuring the interface

address must be configured. You may properties” on page 21.
optionally configure other interface
properties like Netmask, gateway etc.

3. Discover the targets by using the portal See “Discovering targets by using
address or the iSNS server. the portal address” on page 26.

See “Discovering targets by using

iSNS” on page 28.

4. Connect to the target See “Connecting to a target”

on page 30.

Setting the IQN for the initiator

This section explains how you can set the IQN for the NetBackup Appliance
(initiator).
To set the IQN
1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Initiator Set IQN and enter the IQN as a parameter.
Note the following about IQN:
■ The IQN must be up to 255 characters long.
■ The IQN can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z), colons (:),
hyphens (-), and periods (.).
Example: iqn.1999-06.com.veritas:abc
4 The following message is displayed:

iSCSI> Initiator Set IQN iqn.veritas.abc

- [Info] The IQN has been updated to iqn.veritas.abc.
 Configuring iSCSI 21
Viewing the interface properties

Viewing the interface properties

This section lists the procedures for viewing the iSCSI interface properties.
To view the interface properties
1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Interface Show and press Enter to view the iSCSI
interfaces. The following properties are displayed:

appliance.iSCSI > Interface Show

Showing the available interfaces...

+--------------+----------+-----------------+-------------+-------+-------+----+----+
|Interface Name|Network | MAC Address | IP Address |Netmask Gateway|MTU |VLAN
| |Interface | | | | | |Tag |
+--------------+----------+-----------------+-------------+-------+-------+----|----+
| iscsi1 | eth6 |00:0e:1e:53:55:11|10.181.198.62| | |1500| |
+--------------+-----------------+-----------|------------+-------+-------+----+----+
| iscsi2 | eth7 |00:0e:1e:53:55:13| | | |1500| |
+--------------+-----------------+-----------|------------+-------+-------+----|----+

Configuring the interface properties

This section lists the procedures for configuring interface properties like gateway,
IPv4 address, Netmask, Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU), and the VLAN Tag
for an ISCSI interface.
The MTU controls the maximum transmission unit size for an Ethernet frame. It
must be a number from 68 to 65535. Note that when you configure the MTU for an
iSCSI interface, the new MTU value is configured for both the iSCSI interface and
the network interface to which it is mapped.
VLAN Tagging is the practice of inserting a VLAN ID into a packet header in order
to identify which VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) the packet belongs to. More
specifically, switches use the VLAN ID to determine which ports, or interfaces, to
send a broadcast packet to.
A VLAN can be configured on either the network interface or the iSCSI interface.
If VLAN is configured on both the network and iSCSI interface, the VLAN for the
network interface is effective on both the interfaces.
 Configuring iSCSI 22
Configuring the interface properties

To configure the IP address

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Interface IPAddress Set.
4 Enter the IP address and the iSCSI interface name as parameters. Press Enter.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface IPAddress Set 10.80.156.88 iscsi1

[Info] The IP address has been configured for iscsi1.

Note: The values used in the examples are sample placeholder values.

To configure the Netmask

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Interface Netmask Set.
4 Enter the Netmask value and the iSCSI interface name as parameters. Press
Enter.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface Netmask Set 255.255.255.0 iscsi10

[Info] The Netmask has been configured for iscsi10.

To configure the gateway

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
 Configuring iSCSI 23
Configuring the interface properties

3 Type the command Interface Gateway Set.

4 Enter the gateway value and the iSCSI interface name as parameters. Press
Enter.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface Gateway Set 192.168.4.1

iscsi10

[Info] The gateway has been configured for iscsi10.

To configure the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Interface MTU Set.
4 Enter the MTU value and the iSCSI interface name.
The MTU must be a number from 68 to 65535. The new MTU value applies to
the iSCSI interface and also the network interface that it maps to.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface MTU Set 3000 iscsi10

The new MTU value applies to both iscsi1 and

also network interface eth6.
Do you want to continue?(yes/no)[no]:yes

[Info] The MTU has been configured for iscsi10.

To configure the VLAN tag

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
 Configuring iSCSI 24
Removing and resetting the interface properties

3 Type the command Interface VLAN Set.

4 Enter the VLAN ID and the iSCSI interface name as parameters. Press Enter.
The VLAN ID must be a number from 1 to 4095.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface VLAN Set 75 iscsi10

[Info] The VLAN tag has been configured for iscsi10.

Removing and resetting the interface properties

This section lists the procedures for removing all the interface properties except
MTU. It also contains the procedure to reset MTU to the default value (1500).
The MTU cannot be removed and can only be reset to its default value.
To remove the interface properties
1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Use the following commands to remove the specific properties:
■ Type the command Interface Gateway Remove and enter an iSCSI
interface name.
This command removes the gateway from the specified interface.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface Gateway Remove iscsi1

[Info] The Gateway has been removed from iscsi1.

■ Type the command Interface IPAddress Remove and enter an iSCSI

interface name.
The command removes the IP address from the specified interface.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface IPAddress Remove iscsi1

[Info] The IP address has been removed from iscsi1.

■ Type the command Interface Netmask Remove and enter an iSCSI

interface name.
 Configuring iSCSI 25
About CHAP authentication

The command removes the Netmask from the specified interface.

Example:

iSCSI> Interface Netmask Remove iscsi1

[Info] The Netmask has been removed from iscsi1.

■ Type the command Interface VLAN Remove and enter an iSCSI interface
name.
The command removes the VLAN tag from the specified interface.
Example:

iSCSI> Interface VLAN Remove iscsi1

[Info] The VLAN tag has been removed from iscsi1.

To reset the MTU

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Interface MTU Reset and enter an iSCSI interface name.
Note that the command resets MTU to the default value (1500) on both the
iSCSI interface and the network interface to which it maps.
Example:

iSCSI > Interface MTU Reset iscsi1

The MTU will be reset to 1500 for both iscsi1 and also
the network interface eth6.
Do you want to continue?(yes/no)[no] :yes

[Info] The MTU has been reset to 1500.

About CHAP authentication

The authentication method that is used for appliances is called Challenge Handshake
Authentication Protocol (or CHAP). The CHAP authentication can be applied to the
following commands or actions:
■ Discovering a target
■ Connecting to the target
 Configuring iSCSI 26
Discovering targets by using the portal address

During the initial stage of an iSCSI session, the appliance (initiator) sends a login
request to the storage system to begin an iSCSI session. The storage system will
then either permit or deny the login request, or determine that a login is not required.
If authentication is enabled on the target, the credentials must be authenticated
and the session established before the server can access the storage resources.
The server compares the value from the client and, if the information matches,
grants the session. If the response fails, the session is denied, and the request
phase starts over.
The initiator logs in using a CHAP user name and password. You can specify a
CHAP password or generate a random password. To set up and configure CHAP
authentication, see the target vendor documentation.

Discovering targets by using the portal address

This section provides instructions for discovering iSCSI targets by using the target
portal address. The target portal address is the hostname or IPv4 address that is
associated with the target.
The format of the target portal address is <IPv4 Address/hostname>:[<port>].
Example: 192.116.116.50 or abc:3260 where 3260 is the default port.
You must first discover a target in order to connect to it.
To discover a target by using the target portal address
1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Target Discover Portal
4 Enter the target portal address and the iSCSI interface name that you have
configured as parameters. Note the following considerations:
■ The target portal address must be of the following format: <IPv4
address/hostname>[:port]. The host name can be a short name or a fully
qualified domain name.
Example: 192.116.116.50 or abc:3260
 Configuring iSCSI 27
About iSNS

■ The iSCSI interface name can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and
a-z), colons (:), hyphens (-), under scrores (_) and periods (.) It must begin
with numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z) and underscores (_) only.

5 Run the Target Discover Portal <Portal Address> <Interface Name>

command. You are asked to provide a username and password. Type yes if
your target requires authentication. The targets that are available on the
specified portal address and interface are discovered and displayed in the
following manner:

Does your target require a username and password? (yes,no)[no]:no

Showing the discovered targets...

+-----+------------------------|---------------------|----------------+
| No. | Target IQN |Target Portal Address| Interfaces |
+-----+------------------------|---------------------|----------------|
| 1 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:abc | 10.121.98.22:3260 | iscsi1, iscsi2 |
+-----+------------------------|---------------------|----------------|
| 2 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:xyz | 10.121.98.23:3260 | iscsi1, iscsi2 |
+-----+------------------------|---------------------|----------------+
| 3 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:host| 10.121.98.24:3260 | iscsi1, iscsi2 |
------|------------------------|---------------------|----------------|

Note: If you run the iSCSI > Target Discover Portal or iSCSI > Target
Discover iSNS command again after the targets are connected, it overrides
the existing connection settings like target credentials. If the target requires
authentication, you will need to enter the target credentials again when the
existing sessions are reconnected. The existing sessions need to be
reconnected if the appliance restarts or when you change the IQN for the
appliance or when the iSCSI processes are restarted etc.

About iSNS
An iSNS server uses the Internet Storage Name Service protocol to maintain
information about active iSCSI devices on the network, including their IP addresses,
iSCSI node names, and portal groups. The iSNS protocol enables automated
discovery and management of iSCSI devices on an IP storage network. An iSCSI
initiator like the NetBackup appliance can query the iSNS server to discover iSCSI
target devices.
 Configuring iSCSI 28
Discovering targets by using iSNS

You can use an iSNS (Internet Storage Name Service) server to discover targets.
Configuring the iSNS server eliminates the need for configuring every initiator for
every target. When numerous hosts exist on a network, configuring an iSNS server
saves time. An iSNS server provides a central management point for the group by
dynamically maintaining up-to-date information about the iSCSI target names for
group volumes.
If you are using an iSNS server, there is no need to discover targets by using the
specific target names in the command. The following diagram explains the interaction
between the appliance and the iSNS server.

Find list of targets or

credentials from the
iSNS server
iSNS server

Connect to target

NetBackup appliance iSCSI target array

(Initiator)

Discovering targets by using iSNS

This section provides instructions for discovering iSCSI targets by using the Internet
storage name service (iSNS) method. Use this method if you have at least one
iSNS server on your network. This method enables the iSCSI initiator to discover
targets that are registered to the iSNS server. For this method, you must supply
the iSNS server address and/or port. The iSCSI initiator can then query the specified
iSNS server to discover targets. The default port for an iSNS server is 3205.
You can connect to a target only after discovering it. Review the following
considerations:
■ If you run the iSCSI > Target Discover Portal or iSCSI > Target Discover
iSNS command again after the targets are connected, it overrides the existing
connection settings like target credentials. If the target requires authentication,
you will need to enter the target credentials again when the existing sessions
are reconnected. The existing sessions need to be reconnected if the appliance
 Configuring iSCSI 29
Discovering targets by using iSNS

restarts or when you change the IQN for the appliance or when the iSCSI
processes ae restarted etc.
■ When targets are discovered by using iSNS on two iSCSI interfaces like first
run the Target Discover iSNS command for iscsi1 and then iscsi2, only the
recent record is displayed by the Target Show All command. For example the
Interfaces column in the Target Show All command may not show both the
interfaces (iscsi1, iscsi2) for some targets. It actually shows the interface from
the most recent command (iscsi2 in this case) for some targets.
To discover iSCSI targets by using an iSNS server

Note: An iSNS server must already be set up and available on the network before
running the following procedure.

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an

administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Target Discover iSNS.
4 Enter the address of the iSNS server and the iSCSI Interface name that you
have configured as parameters.
■ The iSNS address must be of the following format <IPv4
address/hosname>[:port]. The host name can be a short name or a fully
qualified domain name. The default port is 3205.
Example: 192.116.50.50 or abc:3205
 Configuring iSCSI 30
Connecting to a target

■ The iSCSI interface name can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and
a-z), colons (:), hyphens (-), under scrores (_) and periods (.) It must begin
with numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z) and underscores (_) only.

5 Run the Target Discover iSNS <iSNS address> <Interface name> command
to discover all the iSCSI targets that are registered with the iSNS server on
the specific interface.
You are asked to provide a username and password. Type yes if your target
requires authentication.

Note: When CHAP authentication is enabled on a target device and targets

are discovered by using iSNS, the iSCSI > Target Discover command may
not prompt for target credentials.

Does your target require a username and password? (yes,no)[no]:no

Showing the discovered targets...

+-----+--------------------------|---------------------|----------------+
| No. | Target IQN |Target Portal Address| Interfaces |
+-----+--------------------------|---------------------|----------------|
| 1 | iqn.1996-03.veritas:abc | 10.121.98.22:3260 | iscsi1, iscsi2 |
+-----+--------------------------|---------------------|----------------|
| 2 | iqn.1996-03.veritas:xyz | 10.121.98.23:3260 | iscsi1, iscsi2 |
+-----+--------------------------|---------------------|----------------+
| 3 | iqn.1996-03.veritas:host | 10.121.98.24:3260 | iscsi1, iscsi2 |
------|--------------------------|---------------------|----------------|

Connecting to a target
After initiator and target connections are discovered, iSCSI initiators must be logged
on to targets to establish connections and transfer data over iSCSI. Logons are
persistent and connections are automatically restored if servers restart (unless the
user logs off from the target).
To connect an initiator to a single target, specify the IP address of the portal and
the target IQN.
 Configuring iSCSI 31
Disconnecting the sessions with a target

To connect to a target
1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Target Connect.
4 Enter the IQN and portal address of the discovered target. A user name is
required if authentication is enabled on the target.
Note the following about IQN, portal address, and user name:
■ The IQN can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z), colons (:),
hyphens (-), and periods (.)
Example: iqn.1999-06.com.veritas:storage.lun1
■ The target portal address must be of the following format: <IP
address/hostname>[:port]. Only IPv4 addresses are supported. The host
name can be a short name or a fully qualified domain name.
Example: 192.116.116.50 or abc:3260
■ The user name can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z),
hyphens (-), underscrores (_), and periods (.). It must begin with numbers
(0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z), and underscores (_) only.
Example: john.smith

5 Run the command to connect to the target. You can connect to one discovered
target at a time.

Disconnecting the sessions with a target

You can use the iSCSI > Target Disconnect command to disconnect sessions
with the target that has the specific IQN and portal address. Once you run this
command, all the sessions that are connected to this target will get disconnected.
You can disconnect sessions with one target at a time.

Note: This command takes more time to complete if workloads are running on the
iSCSI interface.

To disconnect the sessions with a target

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
 Configuring iSCSI 32
Viewing the targets

3 Type the command Target Disconnect.

4 Enter the IQN and portal address of the target that you want to disconnect.
Note the following about IQN and portal address:
■ The IQN can only contain numbers (0-9), letters (A-Z and a-z), colons (:),
hyphens (-), and periods (.)
Example: iqn.1999-06.com.veritas:storage.lun1
■ The target portal address must be of the following format: <IPv4
address/hostname>[:port]. The host name can be a short name or a fully
qualified domain name.
Example: 192.116.116.50 or abc:3260

5 Run the command to disconnect sessions with the specific target. Type yes
when the following prompt appears:

Do you want to disconnect the target session?[yes, no](no):yes

[Info] The target session has been disconnected.

Viewing the targets

This section provides instructions on how you can view the targets. You can use
the iSCSI > Target Show command to view all the discovered targets or the
connected targets.
To view the connected targets
1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Target Show Connected and press Enter.
4 The list of connected targets is displayed in the following manner:

Showing the connected targets...

+-----+------------+-----------------------+----------------------+--------+
| No. | Session ID | Target IQN | Target Portal Address| Status |
+-----+------------+-----------------------+----------------------|--------+
| 1 | 5 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:abc| 10.121.37.51:3260 | Online 1 |
+-----+------------+-----------------------+----------------------+--------+

The Status of the session can be either Online or Offline. The Status can be
Offline if a cable is pulled or if there are network connectivity issues.
 Configuring iSCSI 33
Viewing the targets

To view all the available targets

1 Open a Secure Shell (SSH) session to log on to the appliance as an
administrator.
2 Navigate to the Main_Menu > Settings > iSCSI menu.
3 Type the command Target Show All and press Enter.
4 A list of all the discovered targets is displayed in the following manner:

Showing all the targets...

+-----+------------------------|---------------------|-----------+
| No. | Target IQN |Target Portal Address|Interfaces |
+-----+------------------------|---------------------|-----------|
| 1 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:abc | 10.121.98.22:3260 | iscsi1 |
+-----+------------------------|---------------------|-----------|
| 2 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:xyz | 10.121.98.23:3260 | iscsi1 |
+-----+------------------------|---------------------|-----------+
| 3 |iqn.1996-03.veritas:host| 10.121.98.24:3260 | iscsi1 |
------|------------------------|---------------------|-----------|

Note: When targets are discovered by using iSNS on two iSCSI interfaces like
first run the Target Discover iSNS command for iscsi1 and then iscsi2, only
the recent record is displayed by the Target Show All command. For example
the Interfaces column in the Target Show All command may not show both
the interfaces (iscsi1, iscsi2) for some targets. It actually shows the interface
from the most recent command (iscsi2 in this case) for some targets.
 Chapter 5
Troubleshooting iSCSI
issues and some best
practices
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ Gathering device logs with the DataCollect command

■ About syslogd messages

■ About iSCSI alerts

■ Best Practices

Gathering device logs with the DataCollect

command
You can use the DataCollect command from the Main > Support shell menu to
gather device logs. You can share these device logs with the Veritas Support team
to resolve device-related issues.
The DataCollect command collects the following logs:
■ Release information
■ Disk performance logs
■ Command output logs
■ iSCSI logs
 Troubleshooting iSCSI issues and some best practices 35
About syslogd messages

Note: The iSCSI logs can be found in /var/log/messages and /var/log/iscsiuio.log.

■ CPU information
■ Memory information
■ Operating system logs
■ Patch logs
■ Storage logs
■ File system logs
■ Test hardware logs
■ AutoSupport logs
■ Hardware information
■ Sysinfo logs
To gather device logs with the DataCollect command
1 Log on to the NetBackup Appliance Shell Menu.
2 From the Main > Support view, type the following command to gather storage
device logs.
DataCollect

The appliance generates the device log in the /tmp/DataCollect.zip file.

3 Copy the DataCollect.zip to your local folders using the Main > Support
> Logs > Share Open command.

4 You can send the DataCollect.zip file to the Veritas Support team to resolve
your issues.

About syslogd messages

You may see the following messages appear on the NetBackup Appliance Shell
Menu:

Message from syslogd@host at Sep 12 10:09:14 ...

iscsid:

Message from syslogd@host at Sep 12 10:13:27 ...

iscsid:
 Troubleshooting iSCSI issues and some best practices 36
About iSCSI alerts

Message from syslogd@host at Sep 12 10:17:53 ...

iscsid:

These messages may appear at different times on the NetBackup Appliance Shell
Menu. They may appear when you are running an iSCSI command, in the middle
of a command output, or even when the console is idle. These messages are
harmless and should be ignored.

About iSCSI alerts

If you have configured alerts for a specific appliance, you can also receive iSCSI
alerts (as applicable). An iSCSI alert is generated in the following situations:
■ An iSCSI session with the target gets disconnected (V-475-108-1000)
■ An iSCSI session with the target storage server is offline (V-475-108-1001)
■ An unsupported Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP+) module is detected in a
10 Gb Ethernet/iSCSI card (V-475-107-1000)
The following are sample iSCSI alerts:

An iSCSI session with the target has been disconnected.

Time of event: 2016-09-09 21:34:13 (-07:00)
UMI Event code: V-475-108-1000
Component Type: Connections
Component: <Target IQN> <Portal address> <Interface name>
Status: Disconnected
State: ERROR
Additional information about this error is available at following
link: V-475-108-1000

An iSCSI session with the target storage server is offline.

Time of event: 2016-10-13 21:34:13 (-07:00)
UMI Event code: V-475-108-1001
Component Type: Connections
Component: <Target IQN> <Portal address> <Interface name>
Status: Offline
State: ERROR
Additional information about this error is available at following
link: V-475-108-1001

The SFP+ module that is currently installed in the 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI

card is not supported.
Time of event: 2016-10-06 18:31:42 (-07:00)
UMI Event code: V-475-107-1000
 Troubleshooting iSCSI issues and some best practices 37
Best Practices

Component Type: Ethernet

Component: PCIe slot 6, port 1 SFP
Status: Unsupported
State: ERROR
Additional information about this error is available at following
link: V-475-500-1000

Best Practices
The following are some recommendations and best practices for iSCSI:
■ Configure an IQN that is different from the default value.
See “Setting the IQN for the initiator” on page 20.
■ Configure alerts so that you can receive iSCSI-related alerts.
See the NetBackup Appliance Administrator's Guide for information about
configuring alerts.
 Index

A N
about Network Block Device (NBD) transport 18
initiator and targets 10 Network Block Device (NBD) transport with SSL 18
iSCSI 9
iSCSI topology 11 O
iSNS 27
overview
appliance configuration H 13
of backup process 17

B P
backup
PCIe slot configurations 13
process overview 17

C Q
QLE8442 dual-port 10Gb Ethernet card
collect logs
dual-port 14
datacollect 34

D S
SAN transport mode 18
datacollect
SSL encryption of snapshot data 18
device logs 34

E T
target
encryption of snapshot data transport 18
connect 30
disconnect sessions 31
H view 32
hardware configuration H 13
hotadd transport mode 18 V
VMware
I introduction 16
interface main features 16
configure 21
remove and reset 24
view 21
iSCSI
alerts 36
best practices 37
configure 19
supported features 10
iSNS
discover targets 28