Learn about iSCSI and how to use it in conjunction with your NAS

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course you should be able to:

1. Have a basic understanding of iSCSI.
2. Be able to use the iSCSI service with your ASUSTOR NAS.

PREREQUISITES

Course Prerequisites:

None

Students are expected to have a working knowledge of:

N/A

OUTLINE

1. Introduction to iSCSI

2. Using the iSCSI service with Windows PC

2.1 Creating an iSCSI target and LUN on ASUSTOR NAS

2.2 Using the iSCSI initiator to connect the iSCSI target

2.3 Initializing the new storage space

3. Using iSCSI LUN Snapshots

1. Introduction to iSCSI

iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface), is an Internet Protocol (IP)-based storage networking standard for linking data storage facilities. It offers high expandability and low implementation costs. Through existing network infrastructure and iSCSI you can use your NAS to expand existing storage space or have it act as a backup destination.

iSCSI consists of two ends, a target and an initiator. The initiator (on your computer) functions as an iSCSI client and is used to search for iSCSI hosts and to set up targets. Targets are storage resources that are located on an iSCSI server. An iSCSI target is often a dedicated network-connected hard disk storage device (ASUSTOR NAS).

Note: A single target should not be simultaneously connected to multiple clients or initiators.

Mac and Linux devices do not provide iSCSI initiators by default. Please search iSCSI initiators for Mac and Linux devices in the relevant stores to connect iSCSI targets and LUNs on the NAS.

2. Using the iSCSI service with Windows PC

In the following example we will take you through the process of creating an iSCSI volume on the ASUSTOR NAS and then connecting to it using a PC.

2.1 Creating an iSCSI target and LUN on ASUSTOR NAS

STEP 1

• From the ADM desktop, select [Storage Manager].
• Click on [Create] button under the [iSCSI] section.

STEP 2

• The Create New iSCSI Device window will now appear. Select [An iSCSI target with one LUN] and click [Next].

STEP 3

• Enter a name for your Target and then click [Next].

STEP 4

• Select [No authentication required] and click on [Next].

Note: In our example we have chosen not to use authentication. However, if you wish to verify a user's identity you can choose to use CHAP authentication. If you choose to use CHAP authentication, a CHAP password must first be entered from the initiator for verification before it can connect to the target.

STEP 5

• Select [Create a new iSCSI LUN]. Fill in a name for your LUN and select a size for it. Once, you're done click [Next].
  • Choose a target volume for iSCSI LUN creation here.
  • When thin provisioning is enabled, the maximum LUN capacity that can be allocated is 1024 TB. The capacity occupied by a thin provisioning iSCSI LUN is the total capacity of files actually stored in the iSCSI LUN.
  • When thin provisioning is not enabled, the maximum LUN capacity that can be allocated is the remaining capacity of the volume. If the volume file system is ext4, the maximum limit is up to 16 TB.

Note: A LUN (logical unit number) represents an individually addressable (logical) SCSI device that is part of a physical SCSI device (target). In an iSCSI environment, LUNs are essentially numbered disk drives. An initiator negotiates with a target to establish connectivity to a LUN. LUNs represent slices of your hard drives.

STEP 6

• Confirm the settings and then click on [Finish].

STEP 7

• You will now be able to see the new target that you have created.

• You will be able to see the LUN that you have created in the iSCSI LUN section.

2.2 Using the iSCSI initiator to connect the iSCSI target

In the following example, we will demonstrate how to use an iSCSI initiator to connect an iSCSI target on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

STEP 1

• In Windows 10 or Windows 11, click [Search] on the [Taskbar].
• Enter [iscsi] and then you will find [iSCSI Initiator] here.
• Click on [Open].

Windows 10:

Windows 11:

STEP 2

• Under the Targets tab enter the IP address of your NAS into the [Target:] field and then click on [Quick Connect…].

STEP 3

• You will now see the Quick Connect dialog box and the iSCSI target of the NAS has been connected. Click on [Done].

STEP 4

• Once again, you will see that the target has been connected to under the [Discovered targets] heading. Click on [OK].

2.3 Initializing the new storage space

In the following example, we will demonstrate how to initialize the new storage space on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Windows 10:

• In Windows 10, click [Search] on the [Taskbar].
• Enter [storage] and then you will find [Storage settings] here.
• Click on [Open].

• Click on [Manage Storage Spaces] on the [Storage] page.

Windows 11:

• In Windows 11, click [Search] on the [Taskbar].
• Enter [storage] and then you will find [Manage Storage Spaces] here.
• Click on [Open].

STEP 1

• Click on [Create a new pool and storage space] on the [Storage Spaces].

STEP 2

• Select the unformatted hard drive you want to create, click on [Create pool].

STEP 3

• Enter the name of the drive, and select the appropriate [Drive letter] and [File system].
• Select the desired [Resiliency type]. In this example, select [Simple (no resiliency)] to allocate the largest storage space.
• Enter the maximum size of the storage space you want to create, click on [Create storage space].

• Windows will begin to format the storage space.

STEP 4

• Close the window after the storage space is created.

STEP 5

• Open the Windows Explorer, the drive you just created is available on [This PC] now.
• You can access the drive on your computer and any data that you store on it will be saved to the ASUSTOR NAS.

Note: The data stored in the iSCSI LUN cannot be accessed on ADM.

3. Using iSCSI LUN Snapshots

You can create, manage and remove the iSCSI LUN snapshots on Snapshot Center. Please refer to NAS 252: Introducing ASUSTOR Snapshot Center.

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