Intel® Ethernet iSCSI - Microsoft* Windows* Installation and Configuration

iSCSI Initiator Installation

iSCSI/DCB Installation & Configuration

iSCSI Over DCB

Configuration for Intel® Ethernet iSCSI Boot

Installation of Windows Server 2008 (and beyond) from Media

WDS Installation of Windows Server 2008 (and beyond)

Crash Dump Support

Microsoft* Windows* iSCSI Initiator Installation

For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (and beyond), the Microsoft iSCSI software initiator is included inbox. You will need to enable the iSCSI Initiator service, discover and configure both the initiator and the connection to the target. Please refer to the Microsoft* iSCSI Initiator User Guide for additional information.

Microsoft* Windows* Intel iSCSI/DCB Installation & Configuration

Adapter Requirements

This feature is only supported on 82599 and X540-based adapters, such as the Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter X520.

Installation

At the initial Intel Software installation screen, select the iSCSI/DCB checkbox. The installation process will install the relevant DCB service and the iSCSI/DCB application TLV.

Configuration

1. From Windows Device Manager, expand Networking Adapters and highlight the appropriate adapter (such as Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter X520). Right click on the Intel adapter and select Properties.
2. In the Property Page, select the Data Center Tab.
3. Data Center Bridging features can be set at either the switch or the adapter. Unless there is a compelling reason not to, we recommend using the switch settings. By selecting switch settings, the iSCSI traffic class and the minimum bandwidth guarantees are defined by the DCB settings in the DCB capable switch. Essentially you can push the DCB settings for a single switch to a number of hosts rather than attempting to configure every host. To have the adapter define the traffic class and bandwidth, uncheck the switch settings and set the appropriate traffic (0-7) and the percentage of bandwidth that you wish to allocate for iSCSI traffic. The Data Center Tab provides feedback as to the DCB state, operational or non- operational, as well as providing additional details should it be non-operational. It is worth noting that DCB requires negotiation between the adapter and its link partner, typically a switch. If the switch is not DCB capable, the DCB handshake will fail but the iSCSI connection will not be lost.

iSCSI Over DCB (Data Center Bridging)

Hardware Support: iSCSI Over DCB is supported by all FCoE-capable adapters.

Software Support: Windows Server 2008 SP2 and beyond (with or without Hyper-V Role).

NOTE: DCB does not install in a VM. iSCSI over DCB is only supported in the base OS. An iscsi initiator running in a VM will not benefit from DCB ethernet enhancements.

iSCSI Over DCB Configuration

• iSCSI Over DCB is configured from the Data Center tab of Intel® PROSet for Windows* Device Manager.
• iSCSI bandwidth (after boot up) is configured through DCB, if DCB is installed.
• When in local mode, the raising or lowering of FCoE or iSCSI bandwidth percentage will lower or raise the LAN bandwidth settings respectively.
• FCoE/iSCSI cannot co-exist on the same user priority.
• The Bandwidth percentages for LAN, FCOE (if installed) and iSCSI (if installed) must add up to 100%.

Using iSCSI over DCB with ANS Teaming

The Intel® iSCSI Agent is responsible for maintaining all packet filters for the purpose of priority tagging iSCSI traffic flowing over DCB-enabled adapters. The iSCSI Agent will create and maintain a traffic filter for an ANS Team if at least one member of the team has an "Operational" DCB status. However, if any adapter on the team does not have an "Operational" DCB status, the iSCSI Agent will log an error in the Windows Event Log for that adapter. These error messages are to notify the administrator of configuration issues that need to be addressed, but do not affect the tagging or flow of iSCSI traffic for that team, unless it explicitly states that the TC Filter has been removed.

Go here for more information about DCB.

Microsoft* Windows* Configuration for Intel^® Ethernet iSCSI Boot

Requirements

1. Follow installation steps to install the Intel® Ethernet iSCSI Boot-capable adapters with Intel iSCSI Boot firmware support.
2. Create a disk target (LUN) on an available iSCSI target system. Configure this LUN to be accessible to the MAC address of the adapter of the host being booted.
3. Make sure the iSCSI initiator system starts the iSCSI Boot firmware. The firmware should be configured properly, be able to connect to iSCSI target, and detect the boot disk.
4. You will need Microsoft* iSCSI Software Initiator with integrated software boot support. This boot version of the initiator is available here.
5. To setup Windows Server 2008 (and beyond) boot system, following the steps in Installing Windows 2008 (and beyond) from Microsoft Media.
6. To perform a diskless install directly to an iSCSI target using WDS, follow the steps in WDS Installation of Windows Server 2008 (and beyond).
7. To enable crash dump support, follow the steps in Crash Dump Support.
8. For information on iSCSI Over DCB (Data Center Bridging), read iSCSI Over DCB.

Installing Windows Server* 2008 (and beyond) from Microsoft Media

NOTE: Windows Server* 2008 (and beyond) natively supports OS installation to an iSCSI target without a local disk and also natively supports OS iSCSI boot.

1. Start installing Windows Server* 2008 (and beyond).
2. Select an iSCSI LUN on the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen. Windows Server* 2008 (and beyond) installation media supports the network controller by default.  Continue to complete the OS Installation.
3. If no iSCSI LUN is listed on the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen, click “Load Driver” to install the network drivers for the network controllers. The network drivers are located on the Intel Network Driver CD or can be downloaded at http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/CS-006120.htm to USB media. If an iSCSI LUN is listed, continue to complete the OS Installation.
4. For 10 gigabit network controllers only: If after performing step 3 above you don’t see the iSCSI LUN, then proceed with the following from the driver selection window:
   1. Create the WINPE INF driver directory.
      1. Create a temporary directory (for example, F:\temp\winpe on the USB media).
      2. Copy all files from the PROXGB\Win32\NDISxx (or PROXGB\Winx64\NDISxx) directory to the temporary directory. NDISxx indicates the NDIS version. For example, Windows Server 2008 SP uses NDIS6.  Do NOT copy the INF files from NDISxx directory to the temporary directory.
      3. Extract the .INF files from PROXGB\Win32\NDISxx\WinPE\*.zip to the temporary directory.
   2. Press shift+F10 to bring up the Windows PE command line.

   3. Enter “drvload <path>” where <path> is the path to the WinPE inf.

   4. Close the driver selection window by clicking x mark on the upper right side of the window. It automatically restarts from the initial installation screen with the network driver installed. Continue to complete the OS Installation.

WDS Installation of Windows Server* 2008 (and beyond)

Overview:

Setting up WDS:

1. Prepare the WDS environment and the custom boot image based on the MS TechNet article.
2. For 1 gigabit network adapters and 10 gigabit retail adapters, inject the network driver and INF from PROXGB\Win32\NDISxx (or PROXGB\Winx64\NDISxx) directory to the custom boot image.

NOTE: For other 10 gigabit adapters, follow the instruction in the readme.txt file at the PROXGB\Win32\NDISxx\WinPE (or PROXGB\Winx64\NDISxx\WinPE) directory for injecting the network driver and INF to the custom boot image.

NOTE: NDISxx indicates the NDIS version. For example, Windows Server 2008 SP uses NDIS6.

Setting Up the System:

1. Install an adapter flashed with Intel® Boot Agent, or configure the LOM in your system to enable PXE.
2. Install an adapter flashed with the iSCSI Option ROM.
3. Boot the system.
4. Enter the BIOS setup menu and set the PXE adapter as the primary boot device.
5. Reboot the system.
6. Enter the iSCSI Setup screen via CTRL-D, and enable the primary port. Enable the Secondary port if required by your configuration. Enter any static settings if you are not using DHCP. For more information on options in the iSCSI Setup screen click here.

NOTE:If the user wants to strictly use DHCP, you will need to enable Option 60 for PXE, as well as options 12 and option 17 for iSCSI in the DHCP server.

7. Reboot the machine.
8. Ensure that the iSCSI Option ROM connects to the iSCSI LUN, and the PXE Option ROM connects to the WDS server.

Performing an Installation:

1. Boot the system via PXE to your WDS Server, ensuring that the iSCSI Option ROM has made a connection to your target.
2. Choose the Windows 2008 (and beyond) boot image you modified with the network drivers.
3. Select an iSCSI LUN on the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen.  Continue to complete the OS Installation.
4. If no iSCSI LUN is listed on the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen, follow procedure (A) or (B):

PROCEDURE A: Inject the other INF discussed in Step 2 of the Setting UP WDS section above into your custom boot image on your WDS server.  Reboot, and attempt the install again.

PROCEDURE B: Manually load the network drivers:

1. Click "Load Driver" to install the network drivers for the network controllers. The network drivers are located on the Intel Network Driver CD or can be downloaded at http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/CS-006120.htm to USB media. If an iSCSI LUN is listed, continue to complete the OS Installation.
2. For 10 gigabit network controllers only: If after performing step 1 above you don’t see the iSCSI LUN, then proceed with the following:
1. On another system, create the WINPE INF driver directory on a removable media.
1. Create a temporary directory (for example, F:\temp\winpe on the USB media).
2. Copy all files from the PROXGB\Win32\NDISxx (or PROXGB\Winx64\NDISxx) directory to the temporary directory. NDISxx indicates the NDIS version. For example, Windows Server 2008 SP uses NDIS6. Do NOT copy the INF files from NDISxx directory to the temporary directory.
3. Extract the .INF files from PROXGB\Win32\NDISxx\WinPE\*.zip to the temporary directory.
2. Reboot, and follow the above instructions until you get to the "Where do you want to install Windows?"
3. Press Shift+F10 to bring up the Windows PE command line and connect the removal media to the system.
4. Enter "drvload <path>" where <path> is the location of the temporary directory you created in Step A, above.
5. Press "Refresh" on the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen.
6. The iSCSI LUN will be listed after the refresh completes. Continue to complete the install.

Crash Dump Support

To ensure a full memory dump is created,

• Set the page file size equal to or greather than the amount of RAM installed on your system is necessary for a full memory dump.
• Ensure that the amount of free space on your hard disk is able to handle the amount of RAM installed on your system.

A full memory dump may not be created if these requirements are not met.

Windows Server 2008 (and beyond):

Crash dump file generation is supported for iSCSI-booted Windows 2008 (and beyond) x86/x64 by the Intel iSCSI Crash Dump Driver. A hotfix is available for crash dump file generation using Intel 10 gigabit Ethernet at:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/970312

NOTE: This hot fix is not necessary for Intel 1 gigabit Ethernet.

To setup crash dump support follow these steps:

1. Setup Windows iSCSI Boot as described in earlier documentation.
2. If you have not already done so, install Intel PROSet for Windows Device Manager by Autorun from the Intel Network Driver CD.
3. Open Intel PROSet for Windows Device Manager and select the Boot Options Tab.
4. From Settings select iSCSI Boot Crash Dump and the Value Enabled and click OK.

Support for Platforms Booted by UEFI iSCSI Native Initiator:

Starting with version 2.2.0.0, the iSCSI crash dump driver gained the ability to support platforms booted using the native UEFI iSCSI initiator over supported Intel Network Adapters. This support is available on Windows 2008 (and beyond) or newer and only on x64 architecture. Any hotfixes listed above must also be applied.

Since network adapters on UEFI platforms may not provide legacy iSCSI option rom, the boot options tab in DMIX may not provide the setting to enable the iSCSI crash dump driver. If this is the case, the following registry entry has to be created:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E97B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\<InstanceID>\Parameters

DumpMiniport    REG_SZ    iscsdump.sys 

Last modified on 4/24/13.