#1 HyperConverged Appliance for SMB and ROBO
StarWind Virtual SAN®
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes
Scenario with VMware vSphere APRIL 2015
TECHNICAL PAPER
TECHNICAL PAPER 2
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Trademarks
“StarWind”, “StarWind Software” and the StarWind and the StarWind Software logos are registered
trademarks of StarWind Software. “StarWind LSFS” is a trademark of StarWind Software which may be
registered in some jurisdictions. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners.
Changes
The material in this document is for information only and is subject to change without notice. While
reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy,
StarWind Software assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from
the use of the information contained herein. StarWind Software reserves the right to make changes in
the product design without reservation and without notification to its users.
Technical Support and Services
If you have questions about installing or using this software, check this and other documents first -
you will find answers to most of your questions on the Technical Papers webpage or in StarWind
Forum. If you need further assistance, please contact us.
Copyright ©2009-2016 StarWind Software Inc.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
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written consent of StarWind Software.
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does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other
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About StarWind
StarWind is a pioneer in virtualization and a company that participated in the development of this
technology from its earliest days. Now the company is among the leading vendors of software and
hardware hyper-converged solutions. The company’s core product is the years-proven StarWind
Virtual SAN, which allows SMB and ROBO to benefit from cost-efficient hyperconverged IT
infrastructure. Having earned a reputation of reliability, StarWind created a hardware product line and
is actively tapping into hyperconverged and storage appliances market. In 2016, Gartner named
StarWind “Cool Vendor for Compute Platforms” following the success and popularity of StarWind
HyperConverged Appliance. StarWind partners with world-known companies: Microsoft, VMware,
Veeam, Intel, Dell, Mellanox, Citrix, Western Digital, etc
TECHNICAL PAPER 3
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Solution Diagram .............................................................................................................................. 5
Preparing Hypervisor for StarWind Deployment ...................................................................... 6
Creating Datacenter ................................................................................................................... 6
Creating a Cluster ....................................................................................................................... 7
Add Hosts to Cluster ................................................................................................................... 8
Configuring Networks .............................................................................................................. 13
Preparing StarWind VMs ............................................................................................................... 21
Configuring StarWind VMs startup/shutdown ..................................................................... 22
Configuring Automatic Storage Rescan ................................................................................ 23
Provisioning Storage with StarWind ........................................................................................... 32
Creating devices (DS1, DS2) .................................................................................................... 32
Preparing Datastores ..................................................................................................................... 43
Adding Discover Portals ........................................................................................................... 43
Creating datastores .................................................................................................................. 49
Turn On vSphere HA Feature ...................................................................................................... 54
Contacts ............................................................................................................................................ 55
TECHNICAL PAPER 4
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Introduction
Traditionally VMware requires having some sort of the shared storage to guarantee
the data safety, allow the virtual machines migration, enables continuous application
availability and eliminates any single point of failure within IT environment. VMware
users have to choose between two options when choosing the shared storage:
• Hyper-Converged solutions, that allows sharing the same hardware resources
for the application (i.e. hypervisor, database) and the shares storage, thus
decreasing the TCO and achieving the outstanding performance results.
• Compute and Storage separated solutions that keeps the compute and storage
layers separately from each other, thus making the maintenance easier,
increasing the hardware usage efficiency and allows building the system
accurately for solving the task.
This guide is intended for experienced VMware and Windows system administrators
and IT professionals who would like to configure StarWind® Virtual SAN Hyper-
Converged solution for vSphere deployments. It provides a step-by-step guidance on
configuring a 3-node vSphere cluster using StarWind Virtual SAN to convert local
storage of the ESXi hosts into a fault tolerant shared storage resource for ESXi.
A full set of up-to-date technical documentation can always be found here, or by
pressing the Help button in the StarWind Management Console.
For any technical inquiries please visit our online community, Frequently Asked
Questions page, or use the support form to contact our technical support department.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Solution Diagram
The diagram bellow illustrates the network and storage configuration of the resulting solution
described in the guide.
TECHNICAL PAPER 6
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Preparing Hypervisor for StarWind Deployment
Creating Datacenter
1. Connect to vCenter, choose Getting Started tab, click create Datacenter.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
2. Enter Datacenter name and click OK.
Creating a Cluster
1. Click the Datacenter’s Getting Started tab and click Create a cluster.
2. Enter name of the cluster.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Add Hosts to Cluster
1. Open your cluster inset and click Add a host.
2. Enter name or IP address of the ESXi host.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Click Next.
3. Enter the administrative account information.
Click Next.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
4. Verify settings.
Click Next.
5. Assign the License.
Click Next.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
6. Lockdown mode is disabled by default.
Click Next.
7. Verify the settings .
Click Finish.
8. Add other hosts to cluster, result is on screen below.
TECHNICAL PAPER 13
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Configuring Networks
1. Create vSwitch to use for HeartBeat and LAN.
2. Create 2 vSwitches to use as ISCSI Data channels.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
3. Create 2 vSwitches to use as SYNC channels.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
4. Perform the network configuration with same steps (1-5) described above on second ESXi
node: Create vSwitch to use for HeartBeat and LAN.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
5. Create 2 vSwitches to use as ISCSI Data channels.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
6. Create 2 vSwitches to use as SYNC channels.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
7. Perform the network configuration with same steps described above on third ESXi node:
Create vSwitch to use for HeartBeat and LAN.
8. Create 2 vSwitches to use as ISCSI Data channels.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
9. Create 2 vSwitches to use as SYNC channels.
TECHNICAL PAPER 21
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Preparing StarWind VMs
1. Create VMs with Windows 2012 R2 where StarWind will be deployed.
It is SW1 on the first ESXi host with the following settings.
Create VMs SW2 and SW3 on the second and third ESXi host with the same settings.
TECHNICAL PAPER 22
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Configuring StarWind VMs startup/shutdown
1. Setup the VM startup policy on both ESXi hosts.
2. Start the VMs, install OS and and StarWind.
TECHNICAL PAPER 23
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Configuring Automatic Storage Rescan
Configure automatic storage rescan for each ESXi host.
1. Download vSphere PowerCLI and install it on each StarWind virtual machine:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=PCLI550&productId=352
2. In the vm running StarWind open Powershell and change the Execution policy to
Unrestricted.
3. Type in Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted and press Enter.
4. In the StarWind management Console select the server, switch to the Configuration
Tab on the right and press the Event Notifications link.
Press the Add link in the upper right corner of the tab.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
5. Select All events radio button and enable the HA plugin checkbox.
6. On the Action tab pick Add record to system event log from the menu.
7. Create a script to do an HBA rescan on the hypervisor host .
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Add-PSSnapin VMware.VimAutomation.Core | Out-Null
$ESXiHost1 = “IP address”
$ESXiUser = “Login”
$ESXiPassword = “Password”
Connect-VIServer $ESXiHost1 –User $ESXiUser –Password $ESXiPassword | Out-Null
Get-VMHostStorage $ESXiHost1 –RescanAllHba
Disconnect-VIServer $ESXiHost1 –Confirm:$false
In the appropriate lines specify the ESXi host IP address and login credentials on which this
StarWind vm is stored and running:
$ESXiHost1 = “IP address”
$ESXiUser = “Login”
$ESXiPassword = “Password”
Save the script as rescan_script.ps1 on C:\ of the vm.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
8. Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Task Scheduler -> Create Basic Task , and
follow the wizard steps:
9. Click the Next button.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
10. Click the Next button.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
11. Click the Next button.
12. Click the Next button.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
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with VMware vSphere
13. In the Add arguments field type: “-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoLogo -NonInteractive -
NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -File C:\rescan_script.ps1”. Click the Next button.
14. Click Finish to exit the Wizard.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
15. Configure the task to run with highest privileges by enabling the checkbox at the bottom
of the window. Also make sure that “Run whether user is logged on or not” option is
selected.
16. Switch to the Triggers Tab.
17. On the Triggers Tab verify that the trigger is setup correctly.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
18. Switch to the Actions Tab.
19. On the Actions Tab verify the parameters for the task.
Press OK and type in the credentials for the user whose rights will be used to execute the
command.
20. Do same steps on other StarWind vms, specifying the corresponding settings.
TECHNICAL PAPER 32
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Provisioning Storage with StarWind
Creating devices (DS1, DS2)
1. Open Add Device (advanced) Wizard.
2. Select Hard disk device as the type of a device to be created. Click Next to continue.
3. Select virtual disk. Click Next to continue.
4. Specify a virtual disk location and size.
Click Next.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
5. Specify virtual disk options.
Click Next to continue.
6. Define the caching policy and specify the cache size (in MB). You can also set maximum
available cache size by selecting the appropriate checkbox.
Click Next to continue.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
7. Optionally, define the L2 caching policy and the cache size. Click Next to continue.
8. Specify target parameters. Select the Target Name checkbox to enter a custom name of a
target.
Otherwise, the name is generated automatically in accordance with the specified target alias.
Click Next to continue.
9. Click Create to add a new device and attach it to the target.
10. Click Finish to close the wizard.
11. Right-click the recently created device and select Replication manager from the shortcut
menu.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
12. Then, click Add replica.
13. Select Synchronous two-way replication as a replication mode.
Click Next to proceed.
14. Specify a partner hostname, IP address and port number.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Click Next.
15. Choose Create new Partner Device and click Next.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
16. Click Change network settings....
17. Specify interfaces for synchronization and Heartbeat channels.
Click OK. Then click Next.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
18. Click Create Replica.
19. Add another replica.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
20. Select Synchronous “Two-Way” Replication and click Next.
21. Enter name or IP address of the third StarWind node
TECHNICAL PAPER 40
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
22. Select Create new Partner device.
23. Click Change Network Settings.
24. Select HeartBeat and synchronization channels.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
25. Click Finish to close the wizard.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
26. The successfully added devices appear in the StarWind Console.
27. Follow the similar procedure for creation of the other virtual disks tobe used as
datastores.
TECHNICAL PAPER 43
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Preparing Datastores
Adding Discover Portals
1. To connect previously created devices to ESX host click over manage tab, then click
Storage and choose (or add) the ISCSI storage adapter. Under Adapter details section
click Targets tab.
2. Under Dynamic Discovery click the Add… button to add iSCSI servers.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
3. Enter the ip address of the first SrtarWind node (sw1) from the virtual local network
172.16.127.*
Click OK.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
4. Add another IP addresses of the second StarWind node (sw2) form networks: iSCSI Data1
and iSCSI Data3. iSCSI Data1 - 172.16.210.*
Click OK.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
5. iSCSI Data3 - 172.16.212.*
6. The result should look like the image below
TECHNICAL PAPER 47
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
7. After that rescan storage.
8. Now you should see the previously created StarWind devices.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
9. Repeat all steps from this section on other ESXi node specifying the corresponding IP
addresses.
TECHNICAL PAPER 49
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Creating datastores
1. Open Datacenter Getting Started tab and click Add a datastore.
2. New Datastore wizard appears.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
3. Select VMFS.
Click Next.
4. Enter name of datastore (DS1), select the first host and device for datastore.
Click Next.
5. Select VMFS 5.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
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with VMware vSphere
Click Next.
6. Enter datastore size.
Click Next.
7. Verify the settings.
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StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Click Finish.
8. Add another Datastore (DS2) in the same way but select second host and device for
second datastore.
9. Verify that your storages are connected to both hosts. Otherwise rescan storage adapter.
TECHNICAL PAPER 54
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
Turn On vSphere HA Feature
1. Open cluster setting, inset vSphere HA, click Edit…
2. Turn ON vSphere HA. Click OK.
TECHNICAL PAPER 55
StarWind Virtual SAN
Hyper-Converged 3 Nodes Scenario
with VMware vSphere
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