(Software iSCSI) Configuring SAN boot on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 or 6 series

You can configure SAN boot on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 or 6 series host using software iSCSI.

1. When you initiate the installation, specify the Boot Option as linux mpath and press Enter.
2. Continue with the installation until you reach the storage configuration page. Click Advanced storage configuration.
3. Select Add iSCSI target and click Add drive.
4. Enter the Target IP address and the iSCSI initiator name.
   Note: You should ensure that you associate this IQN with the correct privileges on the storage controller.
5. On the storage controller, create an igroup with the initiator name that you provided in Step 4.
6. Create a LUN on the storage system on which you intend to create root partition, and map it to the igroup.
7. Return to the host screen.
8. Click Add Target in the Configure iSCSI Parameters window.

   When you add the target, the target portal is discovered.

   Note: You should ensure that multiple target portals are discovered, because the Red Hat installer does not identify the iSCSI device as a multipathed device unless it has more than one path.
9. To discover more target portals, repeat Step 2 through Step 8.
   You should now see a multipathed iSCSI device listed in the drives section.

   Note: If the iSCSI multipathed device is not listed, you should check the configuration.
10. Select a partitioning layout as Create custom layout and Click Next.

    You can now proceed with the installation process and enter choices until you reach the Installation Summary page.

11. At the storage devices selection screen, select the iSCSI multipathed device from the list of allowable drives where you want to install the root file system.
12. Create the root file system on the selected device and select the mount point as /.
13. Create a SWAP partition.
    Note: You can create a SWAP partition on the same LUN that contains the root partition or on a different LUN.

    If you are using the software suspend functionality, you should ensure that the SWAP partition is on a local disk.

14. Create the /boot partition.

    You can create a /boot partition on a locally attached disk or use a PXE server to load the kernel boot image.

15. Click Next and follow the installation prompts to complete the installation.