VMware Storage adapter

Every Esxi host and servers connect with storage devices or box through their adapters. In VMware host connectivity also through with HBA cards. An ESXi host uses storage adapters to access different storage devices. This article gives you the insight of HBA adapters and their connectivity within Esxi

environment.

You must enable certain adapters, for example software iSCSI or FCoE, before you can view their information.

There is a way to configure ISCSI adapter and below are some types of adapters :-

• independent Hardware ISCSI adapter

An independent hardware iSCSI adapter is a specialized third-party adapter

capable of accessing iSCSI storage over TCP/IP. This iSCSI adapter handles all

iSCSI and network processing and management for your ESXi system.

• A dependent hardware iSCSI adapter is a third-party adapter that depends on VMware networking, and iSCSI configuration and management interfaces provided by VMware. It presents its two components, a standard network adapter and an iSCSI engine, to the same port. The iSCSI engine appears on the list of storage adapters as an iSCSI adapter (vmhba). Once its configured, the discovery and authentication data is passed through the network connection. The iSCSI traffic goes through the iSCSI engine, bypassing the network.

Now important point is how to configure this under VMware vSphere ?

Make sure HBA's are are active on hardware level and you have appropriate rights to configure under vSphere vCenter. below are simple steps to configure and make your connectivity through with HBA under vSphere.

1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.

2. Click the Configure tab.

3. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters.

4. Use the icons to perform storage adapter tasks.

Availability of specific icons depends on the storage configuration.

Icon Description

Add Software Adapter Add a storage adapter. Applies to -

software iSCSI and software FCoE.

Refresh Refresh information about storage

adapters, topology, and file systems on

the host.

Rescan Storage Rescan all storage adapters on

the host to discover newly added

storage devices or VMFS datastores.

Rescan Adapter Rescan the selected adapter to discover

newly added storage devices.

1. To view details for a specific adapter, select the adapter from the list.

2. Use tabs under Adapter Details to access additional information and modify properties for the selected adapter.

Note : FCOE is not supported under VMware 7 Version.