StorageLink Configuration

Enterprise Edition Functionality This feature is available in Abiquo Enterprise Edition

Before using an external storage technology in XenServer, it must be configured in StorageLink. This page describes the generic steps that need to be performed to enable a target storage technology to be used in XenServer.

Prerequisites

Some storage technologies require a special configuration to allow the StorageLink Gateway Service access its resources.

NexentaStor prerequisites

Prior to using Nexent with StorageLink, the NexentaStor Storage Adapter must be downloaded and installed in the StorageLink Gateway Service machine. Download, install and configure it as explained here: http://www.nexenta.com/corp/adapter-for-citrix-storagelink-download

After adapter installation Once the NexentaStor Storage Adapter has been installed, the StorageLink Gateway Service must be restarted.

Configure target storage in StorageLink

StorageLink configuration to enable a storage technology consists of the following steps:

1. Add the XenServer host to StorageLink
2. Add the Storage Adapter Credentials that will be used by the StorgeLink Gateway Service to connect to the target storage technology.
3. Configure a Storage Repository that points to the target Storage technology.

Add XenServer hypervisor host

This step allows StorageLink to know where XenServer host is located:

1. Go to Hypervisor Hosts section.
2. Right-click the Hypervisor Hosts element, and select Add Hypervisor Host from the context menu.
3. Fill the form with the appropiate values as shown in the following image.

Add the Storage Adapter Credentials

The credentials introduced in this step will be used by the StorgeLink Gateway Service to connect to the target storage technology.

1. Open StorageLink Manager and go to the Administration section.
2. Right-click the desired storage technology type and select Add Storage Adapter credentials from the context menu.
3. Fill the form with the appropiate values as shown in the following image.

Once the Storage Adapter credentials have been set, go to Storage Infrastructure section and perform a Storage System rescan as shown in the following screenshot:

This will verify that StorageLink can connect to the target storage technology and discover the target storage infrastructure.

Configure a Storage Repository in XenServer

The last step is to add a Storage Repository in XenServer that points to the target storage technology. To do so:

1. Go to Storage Repositories section.
2. Right-click the Storage Repositories element, and select Create Storage Repository from the context menu.
3. Follow the wizard as shown in the following screenshots.

Select the desired storage technology (that was discovered in the previous step), then select the appropiate Hypervisor Host, and click Next.

Enter the Storage Repository properties and click Next.

If desired, attach existing volumes to the Storage Repository. This is not necessary since Abiquo will attach them automatically (if not already attached) when needed.

Once the Storage Repository has been created, XenServer hypervisor will be enabled to deploy virtual machines with external storage in the configured storage technologies.