How iSCSI is changing the storage landscape

Computer Technology Review, May, 2004

According to International Data Corp. a shift is occurring in enterprise storage. While direct attached storage (DAS) previously dominated the storage market, today 60% of external disk storage being purchased is networked storage * and analysts expect it to grow significantly over the next few years. Networked storage architectures--separating servers from their storage--offer flexible, scalable capacities, and offload some of the provisioning and management tasks from the server. Two of the key drivers behind this transition are the need for flexible, expandable storage and the adoption of iSCSI technology.

iSCSI is a new Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard protocol for encapsulating SCSI commands into TCP/IP packets and enabling block data transport over IP networks. iSCSI can be used to build SANs (termed: IP SANs) using a standard Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure. A standard Gigabit Ethernet port on a server or switch can now connect to both block and file storage resources over Ethernet. High-level management activities--such as device access, authentication, device information, and configuration--are managed using standard applications or tools. For this reason, the acceptance of deployable, robust, interoperable, iSCSI solutions are occurring rapidly.

Benefits of iSCSI

By combining SCSI, Gigabit Ethernet, and TCP/IP, iSCSI delivers these key advantages:

* Builds on stable and familiar standards since Ethernet protocol and the component technologies based on Ethernet are prevalent in the enterprise environment

* Creates a SAN with a reduced TCO--installation and ongoing maintenance costs are significantly lower than a Fibre Channel SAN

* Provides a high degree of interoperability--reduces disparate networks and cabling, and uses regular Ethernet switches instead of special Fibre Channel infrastructure

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* Delivers a solution with no practical distance limitations since IP datagrams can travel over the global IP network

iSCSI communications over an existing Ethernet connection requires a host-side "Initiator" and a "Target" software driver in the Networked Attached Storage (NAS) device. The interaction between the Initiator and Target mandates a server-client model, where the Initiator and the Target communicate with each other using the SCSI command and data set encapsulated over TCP/IP.

Save Money and Increases ROI with an iSCSI-based IP SAN

If you are concerned that you are paying too much with DAS, relating to aging issues or expendability limitations, or you're looking for a single storage strategy for managing both block data and file data, spend an hour with us and we'll show you how iSCSI is rapidly changing the storage landscape.

Join Mark Ferelli, Editor-in-Chief, Computer Technology Review, and Steve Rogers, Snap Appliance's Director of Technical Marketing for a FREE Webinar that introduces you to iSCSI technology and the emerging IP SAN strategies that can save you money by consolidating block and file storage.

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Gain an understanding of iSCSI and how it works, as well as practical strategies for creating an IP SAN. Find out how you can help your company reliably protect data while saving time and money through innovative IP-based storage strategies. To register for this webinar, visit: www.snapappliance.com/ipsan.

* IDC Worldwide Disk Storage Systems Quarterly Tracker, March 4, 2004.