Microsoft iSCSI Target Software available to the public!

 

Many of you ask about the cheapest way to deploy your own cluster. We all know that the hardware requirements are very flexible, so long as the components have a Windows Server logo and the complete solutions passes Validate (support policy) … but what about storage?

Clustering does have a few storage requirements. The storage must be shared between the cluster nodes so that when a node fails and the other node picks up the workload, it will be able to access the same data which is on that shared disk. You may use Fibre Channel, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or iSCSI, and the device must support persistent reservations (hardware requirements). But networked storage can be expensive…until now!

Windows Storage Server 2008 (WSS 2008) with the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.2 is now available to all MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers. A version for evaluation (TechNet Plus or MSDN), demonstration (MSDN), development (MSDN) or test (MSDN) is now being provided to MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers for the first time. Rather than using expensive shared storage you simply run Storage Server on another machine. All communication is done over regular Ethernet cables, so HBAs or an expensive SAN are not needed. With just any three computers (2 cluster nodes and 1 iSCSI Target / DC) and a hub you can have your own Failover Cluster! Now there are no excuses for not trying out clustering.

Full details and a FAQ are available at: http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2009/05/12/windows-storage-server-2008-with-the-microsoft-iscsi-software-target-3-2-available-to-msdn-and-technet-plus-subscribers.aspx

Source : http://blogs.msdn.com/clustering/archive/2009/05/14/9613924.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: I tried to install the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.2 on Windows Server 2008 (or Windows Server 2008 R2) and I got an error saying “Installation is not supported on this operating system”. What’s the problem?
A: The Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.2 can only be installed on Windows Storage Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise or Workgroup. It cannot be installed on other OS version, like Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

So you need Storage Server !

If you don’t want storage server but you do want to use ISCSI take a peek at Starwind.

The is a trail version.

Author: Robert Smit [MVP]

Robert Smit is Senior Technical Evangelist and is a current Microsoft MVP in Clustering as of 2009. Robert has over 20 years experience in IT with experience in the educational, health-care and finance industries. Robert’s past IT experience in the trenches of IT gives him the knowledge and insight that allows him to communicate effectively with IT professionals who are trying to address real concerns around business continuity, disaster recovery and regulatory compliance issues. Robert holds the following certifications: MCT - Microsoft Certified Trainer, MCTS - Windows Server Virtualization, MCSE, MCSA and MCPS. He is an active participant in the Microsoft newsgroup community and is currently focused on Hyper-V, Failover Clustering, SQL Server, Azure and all things related to Cloud Computing and Infrastructure Optimalization. Follow Robert on Twitter @ClusterMVP Or follow his blog https://robertsmit.wordpress.com Linkedin Profile Http://nl.linkedin.com/in/robertsmit Robert is also capable of transferring his knowledge to others which is a rare feature in the field of IT. He makes a point of not only solving issues but also of giving on the job training of his colleagues. A customer says " Robert has been a big influence on our technical staff and I have to come to know him as a brilliant specialist concerning Microsoft Products. He was Capable with his in-depth knowledge of Microsoft products to troubleshoot problems and develop our infrastructure to a higher level. I would certainly hire him again in the future. " Details of the Recommendation: "I have been coordinating with Robert implementing a very complex system. Although he was primarily a Microsoft infrastructure specialist; he was able to understand and debug .Net based complext Windows applications and websites. His input to improve performance of applications proved very helpful for the success of our project

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