To configure iSCSI storage, first present a LUN from the storage target to the intended host initiators, then connect each hypervisor to the target and verify the device and paths before using the LUN. On ESXi, that usually means a software iSCSI adapter and a VMFS datastore; on Proxmox VE, the common pattern is an iSCSI portal and target with LVM layered over the LUN for VM volumes.
Before connecting either hypervisor
iSCSI carries block storage from an initiator (the hypervisor host) to a target (the storage system), which exports one or more LUNs. Creating a portal or discovering a target is not enough: the target must authorize the host and map the intended LUN to it.
- Record the target portal address, target IQN, and LUN mapping.
- On the storage system, permit each intended host initiator, typically by its iSCSI IQN or an allowed IP address. Configure CHAP if required.
- Plan a dedicated iSCSI network and, if using multiple paths, ensure each path has a usable, physically distinct uplink.
- Use consistent MTU settings end to end if jumbo frames are enabled.
- Confirm the storage target supports iSCSI LUN presentation and check compatibility for the exact ESXi and Proxmox VE releases in use.
The official setup guidance covers host configuration and LUN presentation, not a product-specific compatibility endorsement. Choose a target based on its iSCSI support, access controls, authentication options, and ability to provide the intended independent paths.
Configure iSCSI storage on VMware ESXi
The ESXi workflow below follows Broadcom guidance for ESXi 7.x and 8.x. Interface labels can vary slightly by release.
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1. Prepare the ESXi iSCSI network
- Create a dedicated iSCSI network on a vSwitch or distributed vSwitch.
- Add one or more VMkernel adapters with static addresses in the intended iSCSI subnet.
- Set MTU consistently on the VMkernel interface, switching path, and storage target if using jumbo frames.
2. Add the software iSCSI adapter and target portal
- In the ESXi host’s Storage Adapters view, add the software iSCSI adapter if you are using software iSCSI.
- Open the adapter’s target discovery settings and add the storage target portal. Use the portal address supplied by the storage administrator.
- Rescan the adapter so ESXi discovers available targets and LUNs.
For multiple VMkernel ports sharing the same subnet, Broadcom says port binding is required. In an ESXi 8.x multi-NIC design, assign a unique active physical adapter to each iSCSI VMkernel port group and set the other adapters to unused for that port group; then add the eligible port groups under Network Port Binding. Port binding is topology-sensitive, so do not apply it as a generic step to every iSCSI design.
3. Rescan, verify paths, and create the datastore
- Rescan the iSCSI adapter and storage adapters.
- Confirm that the expected LUN appears in the device list and verify that the number of paths matches the physical redundancy you designed.
- Only after confirming the device and paths, create or mount the VMFS datastore on the LUN.
For a cluster, configure each ESXi host that needs the datastore with the required iSCSI VMkernel interfaces and the same discovery portals, then rescan each host. On ESXi 8.0, an adapter can appear online before VMFS volumes are enumerated; if paths exist but the datastore does not appear, run a VMFS-only rescan.
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Configure iSCSI storage on Proxmox VE
Proxmox VE’s Open-iSCSI backend requires the open-iscsi package, which the Administration Guide says is not installed by default. The storage entry identifies a portal and target IQN; it does not itself provide an allocation or deletion interface for LUN data.
1. Install the initiator package and identify the target
Install open-iscsi on the Proxmox VE host and obtain the portal address and target IQN from the storage system. The Proxmox pvesm reference documents this command form for adding an iSCSI storage entry:
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pvesm add iscsi <STORAGE_ID> --portal <HOST[:PORT]> --target <TARGET>
It also documents pvesm scan iscsi <HOST[:PORT]> to list possible targets at a portal. These command forms come from the Proxmox 7.4 reference; confirm exact behavior against the documentation for the release installed.
2. Choose the storage layer for VM disks
When using LVM on an iSCSI LUN, keep the base iSCSI entry from directly allocating VM volumes, then configure the LVM storage plugin to manage volumes on the LUN. A representative entry from the Proxmox VE Administration Guide is:
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iscsi: mynas
portal 10.10.10.1
target iqn.2006-01.openfiler.com:tsn.dcb5aaaddd
content noneThe portal and IQN shown are illustrative values from the guide; substitute the values assigned by your own storage system. With this layered design, the iSCSI entry identifies the block target and LVM manages VM volumes on the LUN. LUN creation and removal remain target-side tasks: as the Proxmox VE Administration Guide puts it, “The iSCSI protocol does not define an interface to allocate or delete data.”
Proxmox also documents an iscsidirect user-mode backend requiring libiscsi-bin. It supports VM images but cannot use LVM on top of the LUN, so use it only when that limitation fits your storage design and verify current-release details in the installed version’s documentation.
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Troubleshoot missing devices, LUNs, or paths
- No ESXi devices or paths: check that an iSCSI VMkernel port is configured and, where required by the topology, assigned through Network Port Binding.
- The target is reachable but no LUN appears: verify the portal and target IQN, host IQN or IP permissions in the storage ACL, multi-host access settings where needed, CHAP credentials, and target-side LUN mapping. Correct the target or host configuration before rescanning again.
- Fewer paths appear than expected: confirm that each iSCSI VMkernel adapter has a usable, distinct physical uplink and that the vSwitch teaming policy supports the port-binding design. Compare the discovered paths with the physical path plan before proceeding.
- ESXi 8 reports the adapter online but no datastore: check whether the device and paths are enumerated. If they are, run a VMFS-only rescan to discover the volume.
- Proxmox sees the LUN but VM-volume management is unclear: distinguish the raw iSCSI portal/target entry from the LVM layer built on the LUN. Use the storage target to create or remove LUNs.
Sources and release notes
- Broadcom: Configuring iSCSI Software Initiator in ESXi — network, software adapter, discovery, rescanning, and VMFS workflow.
- Broadcom: iSCSI port binding configuration — multi-NIC and binding considerations.
- Broadcom: Troubleshooting iSCSI connectivity — connectivity and path checks.
- Proxmox VE Administration Guide: Open-iSCSI initiator — package requirement, portal/target configuration, and LVM layering.
- Proxmox 7.4
pvesmreference — command forms and storage configuration details for that release.
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