Feature Request to Equallogic, please add READ ONLY to specific iSCSI initiator

By admin, October 22, 2010 10:55 pm

From Equallogic Support:

I believe our (Dell EqualLogic) intent was to either restrict access
on the volume level, not based on the ACL passed by the
initiator.  However, if you can express in writing exactly what you
would like to be added as a feature, why you would like this
feature, and how it would be beneficial to you within your
environment, we will create an enhancement request on your behalf.

Just be aware that submitting an enhancement requests does not
guarantee your request will be honored.  New features are added at
the sole discretion of the engineering team and will be added based
upon the needs of all customers and if the underlying code can/will
support the request.

 

 

My Reply:

It’s because many people use Veeam Backup to backup their VMs and in order for Veeam to use SAN offload feature (ie, directly backup the VM from SAN to backup server without going through ESX host), so we need to mount the VMFS Volume direclty from EQL to Windows Server Host and you may ask it will corrupt the VMFS volume which is concurrently mounted by ESX Host, NO it won’t as before mounting the volume on Windows Host, we issued automount=disable to make sure Windows Server won’t automatically initialize or format the volume by accident. (In fact, I found the mounted Equallogic volume under Disk Manager cannot be initialized, everything is gray out and it won’t show in IOMeter as well, but you can Delete Volume under Windows Server 2008 Disk Manager, strange!)

It will serve as a Double Insurance feature if EQL can implement such READ-ONLY to a specific iSCSI initiator that will greatly improve the protection of the attached volume for use of Veeam SAN Offload Backup.

I am sure there are many Veeam and Equallogic users would love to see this feature added.

Please kindly consider adding this feature in coming firmware release.

Thank you very much in advance!

4 Responses to “Feature Request to Equallogic, please add READ ONLY to specific iSCSI initiator”

  1. Nawir says:

    Hi,

    Thank you for sharing.
    I have experience with DELL MD3000i. I can’t set READONLY in it for specific LAN from specific host.
    I didn’t know that Dell Equallogic can’t do that as well.
    The solution is using QNAP. I never try myself, but I read somewhere, QNAP can do that.
    http://www.qnap.com/pro_application.asp?ap_id=414

    Regards from BRUNEI

    thanks

  2. admin says:

    Welcome, wow, never thougght someone will actually visit my blog from Brunei. :)

    In fact, many entperise SAN do support this feature, it really made me surprised my Equallogic doesn’t support this simple feature, but I know Equallogic do value their customers feedback, so I am sure such feature is on its way in the next release.

    Anyway Veeam Backup v5 already set automount to disable, so there is no much to worry about. In fact, I am already using SAN offload feature with Veeam Backup v5 and the speed is AMAZINGLY fast! It’s because Equallogic used VAAI to offload the VM snapshot, then send the snapshot to Veeam Backup server for de-duplication and compression where really kicks its CPU to 70-80% (That’s a powerful Xeon 56xx CPU), finally it saved the result VBK to local disk, everything is just lightening fast especially with subsequent incremental SAN backup.

    I can finally use the expensive Equallogic space to store VM only and backup everything to cheap SATA, thank you Veeam!

  3. Nawir says:

    Wow you use veeam too.
    I am not aware that veeam backup 5 already out, because I ever implementing veeam 4.1 for my client.
    Veeam 4.1 have issue when backup linux os (in my case is TurnKey File Server). Veeam said because too many files in my linux.
    They said, it will be fixed in Veeam 5.
    I’ll try again with Veeam 5.

    I am using esx 4.0.1 with vmotion in my company.
    I ever pass vcp3 exam but never attend the training. Plan to take it in HK.
    I familiar with it because I am using daily, and because my background in Sun Solaris.
    Compare to you, I am still beginner.
    VCP course price in HK previously is much more expensive than in Malaysia, but because of promotion, I think now only slightly expensive
    Ever been in HK for 6 times. Ever stay in Tin Hao, Causeway Bay, and mostly in Mong Kok.
    Beautiful country.
    Love HK very much and start to learn Cantonese in my iPhone, but mostly my friend translate for me.
    I will be in HK Feb 2010.

    See you there

    Emkoi

  4. admin says:

    > I ever pass vcp3 exam but never attend the training

    Btw, I am also a beginner as well, you see my blog about EQL and ESX 4.1 only started in recent months, but I am getting a lot of hand-on experience by self learning on the job. :)

    I am not VCP yet and may I know how can you become an VCP without attending a VMware training? Do you mean anyone can just attend the VCP test, but not certified to be VCP as they have not attend the VMware training? Oh…in my own opinion, I think the tranining is a bit rip off. ha…you know what I mean.

    >but because of promotion, I think now only slightly expensive

    I only know Kenfil (HK) offers the VMware training locally http://www.kenfil.com/hk/SubPage.asp?TID=002002, may I know where I can get the promotion or discount? It’s quite expensive, HK$39,xxx for all courses.

    FYI, I just installed Veeam 5, never used it before, it’s indeed an excellent product! I’ve done many research and used Vizioncore’s vRanger Pro before. Veeam is simply the best! Way better than crappy vRanger of PHDExpress.

    I wish one day I can visit Brunei as well, I watched a special program about Brunei on TVB one day, your king really love his people and the welfare is just like in heaven!

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