# Adding GFS2 Pools

In order to utilize GFS2 Pools with HVM Clusters, users must first present the block storage devices to the HVM Hosts. These can be configured via iSCSI or Fibre Channel and all Hosts in the Cluster must be able to access the same block device. For now, this guide will focus more specifically on iSCSI configuration but additional guidance on Fibre Channel configuration may be added in the future.

Once disks are presented to the HVM Hosts, iSCSI targets and GFS2 datastores can be added via the UI. The HPE Morpheus VM Essentials handles most of the configuration from there (including multipathing).

To get started, ensure the following configuration has been made on the storage system. The exact process will depend on the storage system being used:

- Create a LUN and map to an iSCSI target
- Enable concurrent connections
- Decide if you want to use CHAP authentication. GFS2 Pools with HVM Clusters support the use of CHAP authentication but there is currently no UI tool to enable it. If you wish to enable it, further instructions are available in [this knowledge article](https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=sf000111606en_us&docLocale=en_US)

With the above groundwork laid, create iSCSI target(s) in HPE Morpheus VM Essentials. If two paths to the iSCSI target have been created, two iSCSI objects can be created in the UI and HPE Morpheus VM Essentials will configure multipathing for you.

1. Navigate to Infrastructure > Clusters
2. Click on the Storage tab and then the iSCSI subtab
3. Click Add
4. Enter the iSCSI target IP address and the port. A default port is already entered for you
5. Click Save changes
6. Within a short moment, the modal is dismissed and a new iSCSI target is added to the list
7. If you intend to go on immediately to the next step of adding a GFS2 datastore, manually refresh the Cluster now (Open the ACTIONS menu on the Cluster detail page and click "Refresh Daily")

IMPORTANT

The above steps are repeated when a second path to the iSCSI target exists. With both paths configured, HPE Morpheus VM Essentials can automatically handle configuration of multipathing. Multipathing cannot be automatically established after the datastore is created in the next step. Both paths must be registered with HPE Morpheus VM Essentials using the process described above prior to creating the datastore in order for multipathing configuration to be handled automatically.

![Adding an iSCSI target](https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/api/document/sd00008058en_us/GUID-ECF9319A-BDC9-48F6-AEB7-9A223C2BD71A-high.png)

![List of added iSCSI targets is shown](https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/api/document/sd00008058en_us/GUID-B8532AB4-AA0A-470B-BEF3-2C0D5C680C3D-high.png)

With the iSCSI targets created, all HVM Hosts should have the LUN mounted as a new block device. With that in place, we can create a new GFS2 datastore.

1. Navigate to Infrastructure > Clusters
2. Click on the Storage tab and then the Data Stores subtab
3. Click Add
4. Configure the following:

   1. **NAME:** An identifiable name for the datastore in HPE Morpheus VM Essentials
   2. **TYPE:** GFS2 Pool (Global File System 2)
   3. **BLOCK DEVICE:** The block device now seen by the host as a result of adding the new iSCSI target(s)
   4. **ALLOW REFORMATTING:** When marked, HPE Morpheus VM Essentials will reformat the disk if a GFS2 filesystem doesn't currently exist. Marking this box will destroy all data on the disk, use this option with caution
   5. **IMAGE TARGET:** When marked, this data store will be available to store virtual images. Keep in mind that the HVM Cluster should have just one image target
5. Click Save

WARNING

Utilizing the "Allow Reformatting" configuration when creating the GFS2 Pool-type datastore will destroy any data currently residing on the disk. Use this option with caution.
