Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2

[scottalanmiller]

Doing a basic Windows-based SAN build using Starwind VSAN on top of Windows 2012 R2 on top of Scale HC3 clusters for use in making SQL Clustering on top. An interesting use case.

Starting with a base build of Windows Server 2012 R2, with the GUI in this case and nothing else except for the normal patch updates:

This is the Starwind V8 download that you get with their NFR license.

[Dashrender]

You're building a SAN on top of a Cluster vSAN solution? Just for testing purposes I'm guessing?

[scottalanmiller]

@Dashrender said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

You're building a SAN on top of a Cluster vSAN solution? Just for testing purposes I'm guessing?

No. A SAN on top of a Scale cluster. No VSAN underneath.

[Dashrender]

@scottalanmiller said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

@Dashrender said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

You're building a SAN on top of a Cluster vSAN solution? Just for testing purposes I'm guessing?

No. A SAN on top of a Scale cluster. No VSAN underneath.

What kind of storage does the Scale cluster run?

[scottalanmiller]

@Dashrender said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

@scottalanmiller said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

@Dashrender said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

You're building a SAN on top of a Cluster vSAN solution? Just for testing purposes I'm guessing?

No. A SAN on top of a Scale cluster. No VSAN underneath.

What kind of storage does the Scale cluster run?

RLS. It's a scale out RAIN system. It's local and native. So filesystem appearance.

[KOOLER]

Thank you for this one! we're finalizing the things with our Linux-based ESXi, Xen and KVM appliances so far so no Windows install would be required

[hobbit666]

Can't wait to get a 2nd spare server to "try" VSAN

[dafyre]

@KOOLER said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

Thank you for this one! we're finalizing the things with our Linux-based ESXi, Xen and KVM appliances so far so no Windows install would be required

O.o Sweet! I'll help beta test!

[scottalanmiller]

@KOOLER said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

Thank you for this one! we're finalizing the things with our Linux-based ESXi, Xen and KVM appliances so far so no Windows install would be required

Now that would be awesome!

[FATeknollogee]

@KOOLER said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

Thank you for this one! we're finalizing the things with our Linux-based ESXi, Xen and KVM appliances so far so no Windows install would be required

Will the performance of the appliances be as good or better than the native windows install?

[Oles Borys]

Thank you for going for it!
Just in case here are the guidances you might find helpful:
VMware 2 node HC
Hyper-V 2 node HC
StarWind HA device configuration

[Romo]

@scottalanmiller what is the size of the vm's disk?

[scottalanmiller]

@Romo said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

@scottalanmiller what is the size of the vm's disk?

200GB in this example. You can log in directly and play with it if you want. @Ambarishrh has the login details.

[Ambarishrh]

Thanks @scottalanmiller for setting this up. Was planning to work on this during the holidays here, but things didn't go as planned. Few other things came up and had to travel. I will be working on this from today and post my feedback. Thanks once again

[Ambarishrh]

Logged in to the server and checked. Added the SAN storage to the DB1 server for now

http://i.imgur.com/kHBLKs4.png

http://i.imgur.com/g2apxcB.png

http://i.imgur.com/po1dtjx.png

Starwind SAN requires CHAP secret details to be added on the ISCSI connector or else you get won't be able to connect and status shows inactive.
http://i.imgur.com/bPhJlN6.png

http://i.imgur.com/ekwQe8s.png

Then add the drive via Computer Management
http://i.imgur.com/WHf80ED.png

http://i.imgur.com/kbVw3Ww.png

http://i.imgur.com/SCuDeOp.png

http://i.imgur.com/AMn3RkO.png

[KOOLER]

@dafyre said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

@KOOLER said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

Thank you for this one! we're finalizing the things with our Linux-based ESXi, Xen and KVM appliances so far so no Windows install would be required

O.o Sweet! I'll help beta test!

DEAL

[hobbit666]

Very interested in seeing a Linux App for the VSAN. Can't say I could BETA test as i'm still trying to get 2 servers to play with lol.

[FATeknollogee]

Paging @KOOLER Will the performance of the appliances be as good or better than the native windows install?

[Romo]

@FATeknollogee said in Installing a Starwind SAN on Windows Server 2012 R2:

Paging @KOOLER Will the performance of the appliances be as good or better than the native windows install?

It must be at least as good, why release an inferior product.

[FATeknollogee]

@Romo Coz that's what they had said in the past.