NFS or iSCSI

[Klug]

Hello all.

I'm quite sure I'm not the only one who wants to know 8)

Let's consider a "standard" vmware essentials deployment:

• 3 servers
• 2 NICs for "storage" in each server
• 2 switches for "storage"
• DSS v6 (might be in failover setup)

Should we go with NFS (and bonding) or iSCSI (and MPIO)?

Same question goes if there's already an iSCSI SAN (Equallogic) in the setup: should we setup the additionnal DSS storage box(es) using iSCSI? Or should we add additionnal NICs in the server, another VLAN on the storage switches and go for NFS?

[Al-S]

This forum post may be useful:
http://forum.open-e.com/showthread.php?t=989

[Klug]

This is quite an old thread (2008).

A lot of things have changed since...
ESX 4 then 4.1 (then 4.1 U1) and its new iSCSI implementation.
DSS6 was VMware certified using Block IO while the thread you linked suggests using File IO

That's why I'm asking for a "current" advice, using current ESXi (now "VMware vSphere Hypervisor") and current DSS.

[alex1]

iscsi w/mpio