I have been studying and testing the Windows File Services and Storage options trying to understand how best to configure storage for my network. I am using iSCSI from File01 to connect to a virtual disk on Storage01. I have read that NIC Teaming is not recommended between a file server and the iSCSI. My primary objective is to increase throughput between Storage01 and File01. Since I do not have another switch to provide an additional layer of redundancy, I don't see much value in the fault-tolerance scenario.
I have configured my network as seen in the image below. Each server (Storage01 and File01) has dual NICs attached to the storage VLAN on my switch with different IP addresses. The storage VLAN is not routed. All connections are 1Gig Ethernet.
My problem is that I cannot seem to get MPIO to recognize that there are two paths. Additionally, I cannot get Storage01 to allow me to define two separate iSCSI targets. I would like to define one target as T1-S1 and a second as T2-S2. No matter what I try, I can only get one iSCSI target to be assigned to the VHD on Storage01. I believe this is good, as having an second iSCSI target pointing to the same VHD would probably lead to corruption.
So, I try to go to the iSCSI initiator side on File01. When I go to the Targets tab and add the Storage01 first IP, I can connect to the drive but I am unable to connect to the MPIO settings. Also, when I review the properties of the iSCSI disk in Disk Management, I do not see the MPIO tab.
If MPIO does not work with this configuration, how can I get more than a single NIC worth of throughput for my iSCSI disk? I have tried NIC teaming and the throughput approachs speeds of a single connection--but nothing near what I would expect from two bonded NICs.
Can I get some help understanding what I am missing or doing wrong?
Thanks!
Alex.