[Solved]How to mount iSCSI file?

[martin-t]

Hi,

I can see that the 509-PRO have my iSCSI partition as a file in

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/share/MD1_DATA/.@iscsi.img/

So I would like to mount it as read-only, so I try

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mount -t ext3 -o loop,ro iSCSI-users-4aeef499.000 /tmp/i

but it fails with

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mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/loop0,
       missing codepage or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

Disk layout:

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# fdisk iSCSI-users-4aeef499.000
You must set cylinders.
You can do this from the extra functions menu.

Command (m for help): p

Disk iSCSI-users-4aeef499.000: 0 MB, 0 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 0 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                    Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
iSCSI-users-4aeef499.000p1               1       13054   104856223+  83  Linux
Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:
     phys=(1023, 254, 63) logical=(13053, 254, 63)

Command (m for help):         

Does anyone know how to mount it?

[schumaku]

What is the purpose of locally mounting an iSCSI container?

In general, you use an iSCSI initiator on another system ot access this iSCSI target... if this is not clear, I suggest to stay away from iSCSI.

[ahoogerhuis]

The problem with this one:

mount -t ext3 -o loop,ro iSCSI-users-4aeef499.000 /tmp/i

is that the image is comparable to an image of a full disk, not a single partition. If QNap had included the binary for losetup you could have loop mounted this disk image as /dev/loop0, then loop mount a partition out of that device. Slightly contorted, but works. A slightly less clean way would be to use the --offset option to losetup and go for the partition in one single operation, if you know the offset.

This would be handy as it would allow to locally recover partial ocntent from iSCSI images or backup selective parts of them.

-A

[martin-t]

1) web admin / disk management / virtual disk ... to access using 127.0.0.1 (loopback) or (not the best) using IP address of your nas (on previous firmware (on TS-219) I remeber that loop don't work as well ... (sorry I don't have time to test if it's solved as a forum Qnap response said).

Wow. That's great. It worked right away =)

Thanks.

Now I should be able to make rsync backup of the iscsi files.

[gab696]

I am triying to to this for the same purpose of father_mande (backup)
I've created a iSCSI + LUN target from QTS, connected the initiator from Win server 2012 formatted in NTFS from Windows server and realized a first backup.
Now from QTS 4.3 i've successfully mounted the virtual drive (127.0.0.1) and the backuped files are visible.
But if a add files on the iSCSI drive from WIN server the content of the virtual drive is not updated until i disconnect/delete and reconnect it.
It's very annoying, ic can't use this solution for an automated backup. Anyone is experiencing the same problems ? Thanks for your help !

[razormoon]

I'm using the iSCSI so that the backups might "follow" me across firmware updates (to include updating to beta 4.3). Before upgrading, I "Safely Detach" the iSCSI so that when I restore it and the VMs, it is immediately realized.
I have been using the NAS IP through the Windows Server initiator just because it works. I do know that there are issues when utilizing "Service Binding" (doesn't work on anything but the first LAN interface) and also issues with Linux Station (support tickets have been opened and confirmed).
That being said, I'm just stumbling around trying to get things to work (with good results) without really knowing much about how to do certain things.

[OneCD]

ic can't use this solution for an automated backup.

Does the LUN Backup option in Storage Manager work?

[gab696]

ic can't use this solution for an automated backup.

Does the LUN Backup option in Storage Manager work?

yes but the final purpose is to RTRR sync the incremental backup to a distant NAS.
Backuping the LUN every day need is much more space consuming and the distant transfert need more time...

[OneCD]

Found this related thread.