Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI)
1. It use TCP/IP port 860 and 3260 to communicate
2. It is used for 2 PC exchange SCSI commands over a TCP/IP
3. It is highly recommand to operate on a dedicated network or subnet

iSCSI Initiator
1. It work as a client
2. It is a device which request storage
3. It is 2 type of initiator: Software initiator, Hardware initiator
4. Windows Server uses a software initiator

iSCSI Target
1. It work as a Server
2. It is a device which provide storage

Lab information

Preparation for Disk via GUI
1. Press “Windows + R key” to open “Run” box
2. Enter “compmgmt.msc” in “Run” box to open “Computer Management”
3. Select “Disk Management” which is under “Storage”
4. Right-Click disk name > click “Online”
5. Right-Click disk name > click “Initialize Disk” > Use default setting > click “OK”
6. Right-Click the empty Unallocated partition > click “New Simple Volume…”

Preparation for Disk via PowerShell

# List all disk
Get-Disk

# Online disk
Set-Disk -Number 2 -IsOffline $False

# Initialize disk
Initialize-Disk -Number 2

# Create Volume
Get-Disk -Number 2 | New-Volume -FileSystem NTFS -DriveLetter F -FriendlyName 'New-Volume'

Install iSCSI Target feature in ST00

Add-WindowsFeature fs-iscsitarget-server

Create iSCSI target via GUI in ST00
1. Open “Server Manager”
2. Select “File and Storage Services” > select “iSCSI”
3. Select “TASKS” in “iSCSI VIRTUAL DISKS” > select “New iSCSI Virtual Disk…”
4. In “iSCSI Virtual Disk Location”, Select “Select by volume:” > Click “F:” > Click “Next”
5. In “iSCSI Vritual Disk Name”, Enter “TESTING1” in “Name:” > Click “Next”
6. In “Specify iSCSI virtual disk size”, Enter “4” > Click “Next”
7. In “iSCSI Target”, Select “New iSCSI target” > Click “Next”
8. In “Target Name and Access” > Enter “TARGET1” in “Name:” > Click “Next”
9. In “Access Servers”, Click “Add…”
10. In “Add initiator ID”, Select “Enter a value for the selected type” > select “IP Address” in “Type:” > Enter “192.168.100.111” in “Values:” > Click “OK” to close “Add Initiator ID”
11. In “Access Servers”, Click “Add…”
12. In “Add initiator ID”, Select “Enter a value for the selected type” > select “IP Address” in “Type:” > Enter “192.168.100.112” in “Values:” > Click “OK” to close “Add Initiator ID”
13. In “Enable authentication”, Does not select anything > Click “Next”
14. In “Confirmation”, Click “Create”

Create iSCSI target via PowerShell in ST00

# Create a Virtual Disk at "F:\TESTING2.vhdx"
New-IscsiVirtualDisk -Path 'F:\TESTING2.vhdx' -SizeBytes 4GB

# Create a iSCSI target name "Target2" and allow 192.168.100.112 to access
New-IscsiServerTarget -TargetName 'Target2' -InitiatorIds Ipaddress:192.168.100.112,Ipaddress:192.168.100.111

# Map Virtual Disk with iSCSI target
Add-IscsiVirtualDiskTargetMapping -TargetName 'Target2' -Path 'f:\TESTIN2.vhdx'

Link to iSCSI connection via GUI in ST01
By default, Microsoft iSCSI server is stop.
After you first time start iSCSI Initiator, It will change to automatic start.
or you can use the following powershell to change it to automatic start.

Start-Service msiscsi
Set-Service msiscsi -startuptype "automatic"

1. Open “Server Manager”
2. Click “Tools” > Select “iSCSI Initiator”
3. Select “Discovery” tab > Click “Discover Portal…”
4. Enter “192.168.100.103” in “IP address or DNS name:” > Click “OK”
5. Select “Targets” tab > Select “iqn.1991-05.com.microsoft:st00-testing1-target” > Click “Connect”
6. Select “Targets” tab > Select “iqn.1991-05.com.microsoft:st00-testing2-target” > Click “Connect”
7. Select “Volumes and Devices” tab > Click “Auto Configure”
8. Open “Computer Manager” > Select “Disk Management”
9. Right-Click disk name > click “Online”
10. Right-Click disk name > click “Initialize Disk” > Use default setting > click “OK”
11. Right-Click the empty Unallocated partition > click “New Simple Volume…”

Link to iSCSI connection via Powershell in ST02

# Start Microsoft iSCSI server and set it to automatic start
Start-Service msiscsi
Set-Service msiscsi -startuptype "automatic"

# Create connection to iSCSI Target Portal
New-IscsiTargetPortal -TargetPortalAddress "192.168.100.103"

# List iSCSI Target
Get-IscsiTarget

# Connect to iSCSI Target
# By default, the connection is not persistent. The connection will lost after reboot
# Add "-IsPersistent $True" to make the connection persistent
Connect-IscsiTarget -NodeAddress iqn.1991-05.com.microsoft:st00-target1-target
Connect-IscsiTarget -NodeAddress iqn.1991-05.com.microsoft:st00-target2-target

# Bing all offline iSCSI disk online
# We does not need to create volume since it is created by ST01
Get-Disk | Where-Object IsOffline -Eq $True | Set-Disk -IsOffline $False