KERNSAFE - iSCSI SAN Software and Storage Virtualization

A Virtual Hard Disk is a virtual hard disk file format, meaning that it can contain what is found on a physical Hard Disk Drive, such as files, folders, file system and disk partitions. KernSafe iSCSI SAN will create a disk based on a Virtual Hard Disk (.vhd) file in host physical hard drive. The image file will be exported to an iSCSI device by the iSCSI Server. The file operations to the iSCSI device will be converted to operating the image file automatically. Just like standard image file, the VHD image file also allows quick data migration, backup and restore, so it is suitable for most of situations. Further more, the VHD image device also supports snapshot.

Creating VHD Image File Device

Follow the steps below to create a .vhd file image device:

Step 1. Click New button on the top toolbar of the management system, then the Create iSCSI Target wizard popup up.

Choose Hard Disk in the iSCSI Device Type group.

Press the Next button to continue.

Choose VHD File from the iSCSI Disk Type group.

Press the Next button to continue.

Step 3. Set VHD disk parameters.

In VHD Disk Configuration window, user can either select to open an existed image file or choose to create a new image file. To create new image file, please select the location of the file where user wants to create the file and specify the volume of the image.

There are two options to choose from:

• Dynamically expanding - automatically expand file size according to its content to save space on hard drive.
• Fixed size - create a fixed size file that allocate all necessary disk space after being created.s

Then press the Next button to continue.

Step 3. Finish Creating iSCSI Target.

Enter the Target Name.

Select an authorization mode, if you don't know how to do it, you can see the topic Authorization Mechanism.

Global Authorization: Indecate target will inherit authorization information (CHAP and IPFilters) from global, otherwise target will have its own authorization information.

Concurrent Access: Indicate target allow concurrent read-write operations.

Report Readonly: Indicate target will report as read only device if initiator don't have write access.

Press the Finish button to complete iSCSI target creation.