One of the questions I see a lot is how to configure our PowerConnect switches for iSCSI optimization.  First let’s talk a little about what this actually does within the switch itself.

iSCSI optimization provides the following features:

• Ability to assign a specific QoS profile to the iSCSI flows
• Display of iSCSI session details (connections, initiator, target, and so on)
• Identification of (self-discovered) iSCSI sessions
• Identification of iSCSI session termination
• Identification of non-active iSCSI sessions

Another cool feature of this is it will auto detect EqualLogic arrays automatically reconfigure the switch to enhance storage traffic flows. The PowerConnect switch uses LLDP to discover EQL devices on the network. When the switch detects a EQL array, the following actions occur:

• An MTU of 9216 is enabled on all ports and port-channels, if it is not already enabled.
• Spanning-Tree portfast is enabled on the interface identified by LLDP.
• Unicast storm control is disabled on the interface identified by LLDP.

I am currently working on a video to show how to set this up on a PowerConnect 5548 7048P, but the procedure is the same on all PowerConnect switches that support iSCSI optimization.

* Update – video completed. (btw, what do you think of the opening/closing)

One of the questions I see a lot is how to configure our PowerConnect switches for iSCSI optimization.  First let’s talk a little about what this actually does within the switch itself.

iSCSI optimization provides the following features:

• Ability to assign a specific QoS profile to the iSCSI flows
• Display of iSCSI session details (connections, initiator, target, and so on)
• Identification of (self-discovered) iSCSI sessions
• Identification of iSCSI session termination
• Identification of non-active iSCSI sessions

Another cool feature of this is it will auto detect EqualLogic arrays automatically reconfigure the switch to enhance storage traffic flows. The PowerConnect switch uses LLDP to discover EQL devices on the network. When the switch detects a EQL array, the following actions occur:

• An MTU of 9216 is enabled on all ports and port-channels, if it is not already enabled.
• Spanning-Tree portfast is enabled on the interface identified by LLDP.
• Unicast storm control is disabled on the interface identified by LLDP.

I am currently working on a video to show how to set this up on a PowerConnect 5548 7048P, but the procedure is the same on all PowerConnect switches that support iSCSI optimization.

* Update – video completed. (btw, what do you think of the opening/closing)