How to Install and Configure FreeNAS 9.3

Some time ago I wrote a document on how to configure a iSCSI SAN using OpenFiler (http://dalaris.com/how-to-install-configure-and-use-openfiler-2-99-as-an-iscsi-device/).  It is a very stable environment for lab uses.  Today I will show you how to create an iSCSI SAN using FreeNAS 9.3.

1/ Download FreeNAS software

Download FreeNAS at: http://www.freenas.org/download-freenas-release.html

In this case, the file is FreeNAS-9.3-STABLE-201504100216.ISO

2/ Create a Virtual Machine using VMWare

Open VMWare Workstation 11, click Create a New Virtual Machine.

Choose Custom (advanced) and click Next.

Click Next.

Browse to the ISO file downloaded and click Next.

Enter the name of the VM as FreeNAS 9 VS, choose the location for the VM and click Next.

Choose default Processors configurations and click Next.

Leave default memory configurations and click Next.

Choose Use host only networking and click Next.

Choose LSI Logic and click Next.

Choose SCSI and click Next.

Choose Create a new Virtual disk and click Next.

Use 10 GB for the disk and choose to store the VD in a single file. Click Next.

Leave the default name and click Next.

Click Finish.

We are going to add a 50 GB Virtual disk for the SAN. Right-click on the newly created VM, choose Settings.

As you can see that we have a 10 GB disk for the OS. We need to add another disk, so click Add…

Highlight Hard Disk and click Next.

Choose SCSI and click Next.

Choose to create a new virtual disk and click Next.

Allocate space and file settings then click Next.

Leave the default name and click Finish.

Click OK.

3/ FreeNAS Installation

Now we have the Virtual Machine in place, let’s start it up. Click the green triangle to start the VM.

Hit Enter to install FreeNAS.

Choose option 1 to install.

Choose the 10 GB disk (use the spacebar) and press OK.

Press Yes to proceed.

Enter root password and hit OK.

When finished, press OK.

Shutdown and startup the server again. When it is up, you will see a screen similar to this one. Note that the IP address of this server now in this case is 192.168.100.128. We will be accessing the server using the web based interface by going to the URL: http://192.168.100.128.

4/ FreeNas Configurations

Enter Pool Name and click Next.

Click Exit for the next screen as we do not have Active Directory LDAP to sync credentials to.

We will continue to do the followings:

– Create Volume
– Create ZFS Volume
– Tun on iSCSI service
– Create user for authentication
– Configure Portal
– Configure Device Extents
– Configure Target Global Configuration
– Configure Authorized Initiator
– Configure Targets
– Configure Associated Targets

Create Volume

Click Storage, click Volume Manager.

Enter a name for the Volume. In this case, I entered MySAN, choose the da1 drive. That’s the 50GB disk that we added. Click Add Volume.

Once done, we will have a new Volume.

Now create ZFS Volume.

Click Add zvol

Now start the iSCSI Service

Now create a user for authentication

Click Sharing, Block (iSCSI) and then click Authorized Access. Click Add Authorized Access.

Add user as sanuser with a desired password. Also enter a Peer user as peeruser with a different password. Click OK.

Now we will add a portal

Click Add Portal.

Enter portal information and click OK.

Now we will configure Device Extents. Click Extents and then click Add Extent.

Enter an Extent name, choose the disk created earlier as the device and click OK.

Now we will Configure Target Global Configuration. Enter IQN as iqn.2015-05.com.dalaris.san. Discovery method is CHAP and Auth Group is 1. Click Save when done.

Now we will configure Authorized Initiator. Click Initiators and click Add Initiator.

Click OK to allow all initiators.

Now we will configure Targets. Click Add Target.

Enter information as shown. Click OK.

Configure Associated Targets.

Click Add Target / Extent

Click OK.

This is the end of the FreeNAS configuraiton. We will now connect to the target from our Windows 10 computer.

5/ Connect to the target.

On a Windows 10 Client, click Start, type iSCSI Initiator.

Click Discovery tab, then clock Discover Portal…

Enter the IP of the portal and click Advanced…

Enable CHAP log on and then enter credentials. Click OK twice.

Highlight the discovered target, click Conect.

Click Advanced…

Click Enable CHAP log on. Enter credentials and click OK.

Click OK.

You are now connected.

In the command prompt, launch diskmgmt.msc

Right-click on the start menu, choose Disk Management. A new disk is found. Click OK.

The new disk is shown. You can now initialize the disk to use it.

That’s the end of the FreeNAS lab.