After upgrading from ESXi 7 to ESXi 8, the iSCSI storage volumes cannot be detected
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After upgrading from ESXi 7 to ESXi 8, the iSCSI storage volumes cannot be detected

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Article ID: 387514

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This document provides information about the issue where hosts are using iSCSI storage with CHAP authentication and, after upgrading from 7.0 to 8.0, the host loses storage connectivity post reboot

Steps to validate the issue: 

  • ISCSI Storage is configured with Bi-directional / Mutual CHAP authentication. The configuration works absolutely fine with 7.0 U3 version of the hosts.  

  • Post Upgrading one of the host to 8.0U3, host lost the access to the iSCSI storage after the reboot. Host sees the Paths but No device is visible 

  • Re-configuring the CHAP authentication on the host fixes the issue but host losses the access to the storage post reboot.  

  • Even when performed Rescan with dynamic discovery it would not show any Device

  • /var/log/vmkernel.log shows software iSCSI is activated post reboot. 

2024-06-19T13:44:13.522Z In(182) vmkernel: cpu2:524535)Activating Jumpstart plugin software-iscsi-preload.
2024-06-19T13:44:13.523Z In(182) vmkernel: cpu5:524632)Applying start on plugin software-iscsi-preload
2024-06-19T13:44:13.539Z In(182) vmkernel: cpu3:524535)Jumpstart plugin software-iscsi-preload activated. 

  • /var/log/syslog.log shows the iSCSI adapter fails to discover the target due to a login failure with the authentication.

2025-02-05T10:06:09.906Z Db(31) iscsid[524856]: discovery_sendtargets::Running discovery on IFACE default(iscsi_vmk) target addr=1##.1##.4.1##:3260 (drec.transport=iscsi_vmk)
2025-02-05T10:06:09.919Z Er(27) iscsid[524856]: Login failed to authenticate with target
2025-02-05T10:06:09.919Z Er(27) iscsid[524856]: discovery login to 1##.1##.4.1##:3260 rejected: initiator error (02/01), non-retryable, giving up
2025-02-05T10:06:09.919Z Db(31) iscsid[524856]: discovery_sendtargets::Completed discovery on IFACE default(iscsi_vmk) target addr=1##.1##.4.1##:3260 transport=iscsi_vmk UniqueTgt=0 DuplicateTgt=0

Environment

vSphere ESXi 7.x
vSphere ESXi 8.x 
vSphere ESXi 9.x

Cause

  • Some target arrays don’t use CHAP settings during login for dynamic discovery of targets.

  • Therefore, if CHAP is set on the adapter and we try to perform discovery sendtargets also called dynamic discovery, it would not discover and add any Device on the ESXi.

  • This Storage behavior can cause user-visible problems on the ESXi side across reboots 

Resolution

Workaround: 

Fix: 

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