Exam Prep for 70-659 Part 4: Configuring Storage
As I wrote in an earlier post, there is no better time to write your exam for 70-659 Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization, than now and particularly before May 31, 2012. So to aid in that endeavour, Joseph Yedid, an IT specialist with Enhansoft in Ottawa, has put together a series of posts focused on getting IT folk ready to pass this exam. Joseph writes his blog at www.josephyedid.com but has allowed me to repost this series here.
Configuring Storage
So, what is MPIO? MPIO is short for Multipath I/O. When installed, it is responsible for providing redundant paths to storage. Should one path to the storage array fail, MPIO will redirect traffic to the storage array through another path. As an example of its use, when you connect to a storage array, you might see in Disk Management two copies of the same storage location show up. This is not what we want to see. To solve this, install MPIO. Once installed, MPIO will create a virtual representation of the shared storage, making it look like one disk instead of two. Note also that MPIO is a feature not a role.
Installing MPIO on a Server Core install is straight forward. Use the following from the command line:
start ocsetup MultipathIo
Multipath I/O has a control panel in Server Core which can be accessed by running mpiocpl.exe.
Use mpclaim.exe to manage the MPIO configuration. Mpclaim is responsible for taking control of storage devices .
To claim ISCSI devices, open the MPIO control panel. Click Discover Multi-Paths tab, select Add support for ISCSI devices, and then click Add. Restart the computer. When the system restarts, new hardware IDs will be listed under the MPIO Devices tab in the MPIO control panel.
Dynamic I/O redirection is a function of CSV. I/O is dynamically redirected based on an available path.
The ISCSI Initiator is used to connect to an ISCSI target. It is available for both the Windows client and Server products.
Iscsicli.exe is the command line version of the ISCSI Initiator. Iscsicli.exe should be run from a command prompt with elevated privileges. This way you display the syntax of the program withiscsicli.exe /? . Since there is too much info and too many switches available to list, it would be best to run the previous command to get a full listing of what can be done.
Joseph Yedid is an IT specialist working at Enhansoft a company based in Ottawa, Canada, that develops products and services to extend the value of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (SCCM) and System Center Configuration Manager 2012. He is an avid user of technology and is certified in many areas of Microsoft infrastructure technologies. He is MCTS and MCITP certifed - Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Vista/Windows 7. Other interests revolve around virtualization technologies, System Center and Private Cloud. Joseph is a member and on the executive of the Ottawa Windows Server User Group.