iSCSI Setup in production enviroment?

ASE001 · 1 Feb 2013 at 10:23

I’m just specify a large SQL cluster and it is using iSCSI to connect to a SAN. It will be using two 10Gbit dedicated Intel Ethernet (with iSCSI acceleration) cards to a NetApp SAN.

I’m pondering over a few design decisions around NIC settings?

Use MPIO or NIC teaming to provide network resilience?
Jumbo frames setting?
MTU setting?
Fixed or Auto speed?
Or any settings I need to consider?
Do and don’ts?

FirebarUK · 1 Feb 2013 at 10:36

Well for a start, jumbo frames is your MTU (9000 bytes). If its production you should absolutely have some sort of MPIO.

ASE001 · 1 Feb 2013 at 10:46

I've been doing some research since I posted, it's seems in a Server 2008R2 clusterd enviroment both teaming and MPIO are valid. But in a Hyper-V enviroment only MPIO is supported?

I suppose what I'm after is best practice or white paper on the subject?

Cheers

ASE001 · 1 Feb 2013 at 15:32

Further to my previous post I have discovered that certain Microsoft Technet articles suggest that NIC teaming is not officially supported for iSCSI, although works. NIC teaming is a function performed by the NIC vendor's driver which are not written by Microsoft therefore have limited control over. MPIO on the other hand is written by Microsoft so is supported.

Based on that, I think I will play it safe and go with MPIO.

Yamahahahahaha · 1 Feb 2013 at 15:58

MPIO has the advantage of supporting multiple queues in SQL so the overall throughput and IO is higher. Teaming is a bit of a cludge at the best of times given LACP's lacklustre standardisation across vendors.

oddjob62 · 1 Feb 2013 at 20:05

You have already read it, but just to re-iterate, do NOT use NIC teaming, always use MPIO. Even with 2012 where there is native OS NIC teaming, you must use MPIO for iSCSI redundancy.

RSR · 2 Feb 2013 at 13:09

Install NetApp (target) Snapdrive on all client (initiators - Servers) which will include the DSM for the MPIO.

Also as above ensure MTU is set to 9000. Also if you are using a Cisco switch use "flow control", "Portfast" and also check storm control is disabled.

Also >> Fibre Channel and iSCSI Configuration Guide - DTOP 8

RSR · 2 Feb 2013 at 13:23

Yamahahahahaha said:
MPIO has the advantage of supporting multiple queues in SQL so the overall throughput and IO is higher. Teaming is a bit of a cludge at the best of times given LACP's lacklustre standardisation across vendors.

In my experience using LCAP for iSCSI isn't recommend, that said it can still be done.

I have had hit and miss experiences with MPIO, but this depends on the vender supplying a "working" DSM. NetApp from my experience have always been a good working out the box experience with excellent support, shame I can say the same about Dell / EMC. However, that's just personal experience.