iSCSI

Installing and Configuring MPIO on Windows Server 2008

Posted on May 7, 2015 Updated on April 15, 2026

Multipath I/O (MPIO) is essential for providing redundancy and load balancing for storage connections. Whether you are using Fibre Channel or iSCSI, here is the definitive guide to getting MPIO running on Windows Server 2008.

🛠️ Option 1: Install MPIO via Server Manager (GUI)

Open Server Manager: Click Start > Administrative Tools > Server Manager.
Add Features: In the Features summary area, click Add Features.
Select MPIO: On the Select Features page, check the box for Multipath I/O and click Next.
Confirm: Click Install.
Finish: Once the progress bar completes, click Close.

💻 Option 2: Install MPIO via Command Line (CLI)

If you are working on a Server Core installation or just prefer the speed of the CLI, use ServerManagerCmd.exe.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Install the feature:DOSServerManagerCmd.exe -install Multipath-IO
Verify installation:DOSServerManagerCmd.exe -query Ensure “Multipath I/O” appears in the list of installed packages.

🔗 Claiming iSCSI Devices for MPIO

After installation, Windows doesn’t automatically “claim” iSCSI devices for multipathing. You must enable this manually.

Open the MPIO Control Panel (found in Administrative Tools).
Go to the Discover Multi-Paths tab.
Check the box Add support for iSCSI devices and click Add.
Reboot: You will be prompted to restart the computer. Click Yes.
Verify: After the reboot, check the MPIO Devices tab. You should see hardware ID MSFT2005iSCSIBusType_0x9, indicating the Microsoft DSM has successfully claimed the iSCSI bus.

🗑️ How to Remove MPIO

If you need to decommission MPIO, follow these steps:

Via GUI: In Server Manager, click Remove Features, uncheck Multipath I/O, and follow the prompts.
Via CLI:DOSServerManagerCmd.exe -remove Multipath-IO