ASUSTOR - Website Management

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<h4>COURSE OBJECTIVES</h4>
Upon completion of this course you should be able to:
<ol>
<li>Have a basic understanding of iSCSI.</li>
<li>Be able to use the iSCSI service with your ASUSTOR NAS.</li>
</ol>
 
<h4>PREREQUISITES</h4>
Course Prerequisites:
None
Students are expected to have a working knowledge of:
N/A
 
<h4>OUTLINE</h4>
<a href="#isc1">1. Introduction to iSCSI</a>
<a href="#isc2">2. Using the iSCSI service with Windows PC</a>
<a href="#isc21">2.1 Creating an iSCSI target and LUN on ASUSTOR NAS</a>
<a href="#isc22">2.2 Using the iSCSI initiator to connect the iSCSI target</a>
<a href="#isc23">2.3 Initializing the new storage space</a>
<a href="#isc3">3. Using iSCSI LUN Snapshots</a>
 <hr /> 
<h4><a name="isc1"></a>1. Introduction to iSCSI</h4>
iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface), is an Internet Protocol (IP)-based storage networking standard for linking data storage facilities. It offers high expandability and low implementation costs. Through existing network infrastructure and iSCSI you can use your NAS to expand existing storage space or have it act as a backup destination.
iSCSI consists of two ends, a target and an initiator. The initiator (on your computer) functions as an iSCSI client and is used to search for iSCSI hosts and to set up targets. Targets are storage resources that are located on an iSCSI server. An iSCSI target is often a dedicated network-connected hard disk storage device (ASUSTOR NAS).
Note: A single target should not be simultaneously connected to multiple clients or initiators.
 
 Mac and Linux devices do not provide iSCSI initiators by default. Please search iSCSI initiators for Mac and Linux devices in the relevant stores to connect iSCSI targets and LUNs on the NAS.
<ul>
<li>macOS : <a href="https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8007574?answerId=32631084022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mac Community: globalSAN iSCSI Initiator</a></li>
<li>uBuntu : <a href="https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/iscsi-initiator-or-client" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open-iscsi</a></li>
<li>Debian : <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/SAN/iSCSI/open-iscsi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open-iscsi</a></li>
</ul>
 
<h4><a name="isc2"></a>2. Using the iSCSI service with Windows PC</h4>
In the following example we will take you through the process of creating an iSCSI volume on the ASUSTOR NAS and then connecting to it using a PC.
 
<a name="isc21"></a>2.1 Creating an iSCSI target and LUN on ASUSTOR NAS
 
STEP 1
<ul>
<li>From the ADM desktop, select [Storage Manager].</li>
<li>Click on [Create] button under the [iSCSI] section.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117075919_Storage_iSCSI.png" alt="" width="880" height="526" title="" align="" />
 
STEP 2
<ul>
<li>The Create New iSCSI Device window will now appear. Select [An iSCSI target with one LUN] and click [Next].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080009_iSCSI_create_target_LUN_s1.png" alt="" width="650" height="555" />
 
STEP 3
<ul>
<li>Enter a name for your Target and then click [Next].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080142_iSCSI_create_target_LUN_s2.png" alt="" width="650" height="554" />
 
STEP 4
<ul>
<li>Select [No authentication required] and click on [Next].</li>
</ul>
Note: In our example we have chosen not to use authentication. However, if you wish to verify a user's identity you can choose to use CHAP authentication. If you choose to use CHAP authentication, a CHAP password must first be entered from the initiator for verification before it can connect to the target.
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080219_iSCSI_create_target_LUN_s3.png" alt="" width="650" height="554" />
 
STEP 5
<ul>
<li>Select [Create a new iSCSI LUN]. Fill in a name for your LUN and select a size for it. Once, you're done click [Next].
<ul>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Choose a target volume for iSCSI LUN creation here.</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">When thin provisioning is enabled, the maximum LUN capacity that can be allocated is 1024 TB. The capacity occupied by a thin provisioning iSCSI LUN is the total capacity of files actually stored in the iSCSI LUN.</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">When thin provisioning is not enabled, the maximum LUN capacity that can be allocated is the remaining capacity of the volume. If the volume file system is ext4, the maximum limit is up to 16 TB.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Note: A LUN (logical unit number) represents an individually addressable (logical) SCSI device that is part of a physical SCSI device (target). In an iSCSI environment, LUNs are essentially numbered disk drives. An initiator negotiates with a target to establish connectivity to a LUN. LUNs represent slices of your hard drives.
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080624_iSCSI_create_target_LUN_s4.png" alt="" width="650" height="554" />
 
STEP 6
<ul>
<li>Confirm the settings and then click on [Finish].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080656_iSCSI_create_target_LUN_s5.png" alt="" width="650" height="554" />
 
STEP 7
<ul>
<li>You will now be able to see the new target that you have created.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080807_Storage_iSCSI_create_done.png" alt="" width="880" height="527" title="" align="" />
 
<ul>
<li>You will be able to see the LUN that you have created in the iSCSI LUN section.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080825_Storage_iSCSI_LUN_done.png" alt="" width="880" height="526" title="" align="" />
 
<a name="isc22"></a>2.2 Using the iSCSI initiator to connect the iSCSI target
In the following example, we will demonstrate how to use an iSCSI initiator to connect an iSCSI target on Windows 10 or Windows 11.
 
STEP 1
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10 or Windows 11, click [Search] on the [Taskbar].</li>
<li>Enter [iscsi] and then you will find [iSCSI Initiator] here.</li>
<li>Click on [Open].</li>
</ul>
Windows 10: <img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117080903_win10_s1.png" alt="" width="650" height="531" />
 
Windows 11: <img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/upload_img_20240517180120_win11_s1.png" alt="" width="650" height="519" />
 
STEP 2
<ul>
<li>Under the Targets tab enter the IP address of your NAS into the [Target:] field and then click on [Quick Connect…].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081042_win10_s2.png" alt="" width="500" height="723" />
 
STEP 3
<ul>
<li>You will now see the Quick Connect dialog box and the iSCSI target of the NAS has been connected. Click on [Done].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081139_win10_s3.png" alt="" width="500" height="568" />
 
STEP 4
<ul>
<li>Once again, you will see that the target has been connected to under the [Discovered targets] heading. Click on [OK].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081159_win10_s4.png" alt="" width="500" height="722" />
 
<a name="isc23"></a>2.3 Initializing the new storage space
In the following example, we will demonstrate how to initialize the new storage space on Windows 10 or Windows 11.
 
Windows 10:
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, click [Search] on the [Taskbar].</li>
<li>Enter [storage] and then you will find [Storage settings] here.</li>
<li>Click on [Open].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081326_win10_s5.png" alt="" width="650" height="530" />
 
<ul>
<li>Click on [Manage Storage Spaces] on the [Storage] page.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081402_win10_s6.png" alt="" width="750" height="478" />
 
Windows 11:
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, click [Search] on the [Taskbar].</li>
<li>Enter [storage] and then you will find [Manage Storage Spaces] here.</li>
<li>Click on [Open].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/upload_img_20240517180709_win11_s5.png" alt="" width="650" height="520" />
 
STEP 1
<ul>
<li>Click on [Create a new pool and storage space] on the [Storage Spaces].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081435_win10_s7.png" alt="" width="900" height="510" />
 
STEP 2
<ul>
<li>Select the unformatted hard drive you want to create, click on [Create pool].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081518_win10_s8.png" alt="" width="900" height="510" />
 
STEP 3
<ul>
<li>Enter the name of the drive, and select the appropriate [Drive letter] and [File system].</li>
<li>Select the desired [Resiliency type]. In this example, select [Simple (no resiliency)] to allocate the largest storage space.</li>
<li>Enter the maximum size of the storage space you want to create, click on [Create storage space].</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081542_win10_s9.png" alt="" width="900" height="553" />
 
<ul>
<li>Windows will begin to format the storage space.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081638_win10_s10.png" alt="" width="350" height="158" />
 
STEP 4
<ul>
<li>Close the window after the storage space is created.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081709_win10_s11.png" alt="" width="900" height="552" />
 
STEP 5
<ul>
<li>Open the Windows Explorer, the drive you just created is available on [This PC] now.</li>
<li>You can access the drive on your computer and any data that you store on it will be saved to the ASUSTOR NAS.</li>
</ul>
 Note: The data stored in the iSCSI LUN cannot be accessed on ADM.
<img src="https://www.asustor.com/images/tinymce/20211117081722_win10_s12.png" alt="" width="900" height="415" />
 
<h4><a name="isc3"></a>3. Using iSCSI LUN Snapshots</h4>
You can create, manage and remove the iSCSI LUN snapshots on Snapshot Center. Please refer to <a href="https://www.asustor.com/online/College_topic?topic=252#sc33" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NAS 252: Introducing ASUSTOR Snapshot Center</a>.
 <hr />
<h3>Learn More</h3>
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