This section describes the NVMe/TCP initiator configuration on the ESXi (compute) hosts after the PowerFlex storage-only cluster is deployed,
The initiator is represented as a software-based storage adapter, on ESXi. This adapter is mapped to a NIC (vmnic) on the host.
Steps to configure the initiator:
- Log in to the VMware vSphere console. Ensure that the NIC which will be used for storage network has a VMkernel port that is configured with NVMe over TCP service enabled as shown in the following figure:
Figure 8. VMkernel port configured with NVMe over TCP service
- Create an NVMe/TCP adapter by selecting host > Configure > Storage Adapter > Add Software Adapter > Add NVMe over TCP adapter. Select the NIC which was configured in step 1 as shown in the following figure:
Figure 9. Adding NVMe/TCP adapter
- Repeat the above steps to add the storage network on all the compute nodes.
- Verify the configured storage adapters as shown in the following figure. (Note that your vmhba number may be different.)
Figure 10. List of NVMe/TCP storage adapter
- Make a note of the host NQN which will be used in later sections:
- Select NVMe adapter, Controllers click Add controller.
- Copy Host NQN from the new window as shown in the following figure:
Figure 11. Host NQN window