JBOD + ISCSI + NFS + XEN + W2K3 implementation question?
 

Hi all,

I have a general question about how to configure storage the best way under a Xen environment.

Scenario is like this;

(W) JBod server with 6 TB Raid 1 and Raid 5

(X) Linux CentOS server with ISCSI initiator and target.

(Y) Linux CentOS with Xen virtualization on them.

(Z) Sevral Windows servers on the Xen environment.


What is the best way to implement this..

I was thinking about this but please advice me if this is the best way;

Let the (W) JBOD disk be available from the (X) ISCSI server on that same server build an NFS with all the *.iso disk on it

Then install NFS clients on the (Y) Linux Virtualization Hosts so that the host can find it's guest *.iso image on the (X) NFS server.

Is this the best way to achieve the best performance bearing in mind that the W2k3 machines are also an Terminal servers that service an environment of 200 users.


Best regards,

Jesse

It sounds like a good plan, But i can't help but feel that you have one too many machines in your equation.
And, it may just be how you name them in your head, but i think you are getting JBOD and RAID a little mixed up.

Anyway, the original question.
I'd miss out (X) and just have (W) dishing thing out over NFS. Unless you have (X) and (Y) doing other things, that is.


On another note, You could put all you Virtual machine disks on you "JBOD server" and dish them out by iSCSI. The reason.....
say "Xen server01" has a harddisk or other failure, all you have to do is setup a replacement "Xen server" and point Xen to the iSCSI server and your Windows server are back. It might be a little more complected than i've made it sound.

:)