HowTo deploy and configure OpenFiler VSA

I had to rebuild my homelab storage “infrastructure” and this is a good opportunity to create quick how deploy and configure OpenFiler virtual appliance. OpenFiler is a OpenSource storage appliance (iSCSI and NFS) which is very easy to set up and fit perfectly into home or test labs. It emulates NFS v3 protocol and iSCSI protocol, as you know both are supported by VMware vSphere.

• Download from https://www.openfiler.com/community/download
• unpack it – use 7zip under Windows or tar under Linux
• Use VMware converter and import appliance into ESXi host or simply copy appliance files on VMFS and add VM to vSphere inventory
• Add virtual disk for data to virtual machine
• Start VM, if you have DHCP – get IP from virtual machine console if not set up IP manually

VA console

• if you dont have DHCP then configure IP address manualy on appliance
  • login as a root without password (default settings) edit networking configuration file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 and provide IP details, below sample from my appliance

  [root@san01 ~]# cat /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1
  DEVICE=eth1
  MTU=1500
  USERCTL=no
  ONBOOT=yes
  BOOTPROTO=static
  IPADDR=192.168.137.30
  NETMASK=255.255.255.0
  [root@san01 ~]#

  •  configure gateway and hostname, edit /etc/sysconfig/network

  [root@san01 ~]# cat /etc/sysconfig/network
  #Installed by rBuilder
  NETWORKING=yes
  HOSTNAME=san01.lab.local
  GATEWAY=192.168.137.254

OpenFiler virtual applaince managemnt interface is a web-based

• Use web browser and go to https://<appliance IP address>:446/
• OpenFiler web admin, default credentials are
  • openfiler
  • password
• If you have DHCP first you have to do is set up a static IP address, click on System and configure IP address, hostname, net mask etc.
• From a main panel click on Volumes –> Create a new physical volumes
• Choose the right  disk and click device name in a EDIT column

create volume groups

• Create new partition
• Click on Volume and create new Volume Group
• click on Services and enable iSCSI target server service
• Click on Shares and create new filesystem volume – in my scenario I choose iSCSI

create iSCSI filesystem

• Provide name, size, description  etc
• From a right top window choose iSCSI targets and add new target – do not change default advance settings
• Click on LUN mapping and map iSCSI target
• DONE

iSCSI target has been configured on OpenFiler Virtual Appliance.  Mount iSCSI LUN on ESXi hosts, create datastore and shared storage for your homelab is fully operational.

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• Upgrade OpenFiler from 2.3 to Openfiler version 2.99.2

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