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KB ID: 5883

Product: TS71210 Series

Using iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER) between a VMware server and TS71210 iSCSI volumes

Last Updated: 08/01/2025

In addition to traditional iSCSI, ESXi supports the iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER) protocol. When the iSER protocol is enabled, the iSCSI framework on the ESXi host can use the Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) transport instead of TCP/IP.
From firmware version 1.34 on, the iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER) protocol will be enabled on iSCSI connections between a VMware server and iSCSI volumes on the TeraStation 71210RH.
An iSER-compatible network card will need to be installed on the TeraStation for iSER connections.
Currently TS71210RH support:

NVidia    MCX512A-ACAT    10/25Gb SFP+ (2 Port)    Version 16.35.3502-LTS

For detailed information on configuring iSCSI connections from a VMware server using the iSER protocol, refer to the VMware website.

Install the RDMA Capable Network Adapter
1.    Shut down the TeraStation and the VMware ESXi server, and install an iSER-compatible network card in each device.
2.    Connect the TeraStation and the VMware ESXi server directly or through an iSER-compatible switch.
3.    Turn on the TeraStation and ESXi server. 

View the RDMA adapter and its corresponding network adapter
1.    Log into WEBUI on the TeraStation and navigate to “Network” > “IP Address”. Locate the interface that belong to the iSER-compatible network card, and assign a static IP address on a dedicated subnet. 
2.    In the vCenter vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.
3.    Click the Configure tab. Under Networking, click RDMA adapters.

Enable the VMware iSER Adapter
Note: Requires using ESXi Shell or vSphere CLI
1.    Enable the iSER storage adapter.
 
2.    Verify that the iSER adapter has been added.

3.    Specify the RoCE version that iSER uses to connect to the target.

4.    In the vCenter vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.
5.    Click the Configure tab. Under Storage, click Storage adapters.
 
iSER storage adapter appears as a storage vmhba# adapter on the list under the VMware iSCSI over RDMA (iSER) Adapter category.

Create a VMkernel Adapter for iSER
1.    In the vCenter vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.
2.    Select Add Networking from the right-click menu.

3.    Select VMkernel Network Adapter, and click Next.

4.    Select New standard switch and click Next.

5.    Click the Add adapters icon at Active Adapters.

6.    Select the new installed network adapter (vmnic#) to use for iSER.

7.    Assign the adapter to Active Adapters.

8.    Enter a desired network label.

9.    Specify the IP settings for connecting to TeraStation.

10.    Review the information and click Finish.

11.    Verify the configuration.

Configure Port Binding for iSER
1.    Navigate to the Configure tab. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters, and select the desired iSER adapter (vmhba# ) from the list.
2.    Navigate to the Network Port Binding tab and click Add.

3.    Select a VMkernel adapter to bind with the iSER adapter. Then click OK.

 

Configure Dynamic (or Static) Discovery for iSCSI and iSER 
1.    Navigate to the Configure tab. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters, and select the desired iSER adapter (vmhba# ) from the list.
2.    Navigate to the Dynamic Discovery tab and click Add.

3.    Enter the IP address of the TeraStation iSER-compatible network interface and click OK.
 
Rescan the iSCSI adapter. It will populate the Static Discovery list with all newly discovered targets.

4.    Rescan the iSCSI storage. The TeraStation iSCSI volume should be discovered in the Devices tab.

Create a datastore
1.    From the ESXi host right-click menu, select Storage > New Datastore.

2.    Select VMFS as the datastore type.

3.    Enter the desired datastore name, select the discovered TeraStation iSCSI volume.

4.    Specify the datastore version.

5.    Specify configuration details for the datastore.

6.    Review the datastore configuration and click Finish.

The new datastore using iSER protocol is ready for use.