Extended Distance; Media And Network Attachments - IBM TotalStorage DS300 Best Practices Manual

SCSI Protocol
iSCSI Appliance
Figure 2-7 iSCSI appliance connection options

2.4.2 Extended distance

IP networks offer the capability easily to extend beyond the confines of a LAN, to
include Metropolitan and Wide Area Networks (MANs and WANs). This gives
greater flexibility, and at far less cost and complexity, compared to the inter
connection of Fibre Channel SANs over wide areas.

2.4.3 Media and network attachments

iSCSI and NAS devices both attach to IP networks. This is attractive compared to
Fibre Channel, because of the widespread use of IP networks. IP networks are
already in place in most organizations and are supported by existing IT skills.
TCP/IP-based networks can potentially support much longer distances than can
pure Fibre Channel SANs, promising the possibility of scaling IP SANs to
Storage Wide Area Networks (SWAN). Purchasing of attachment technologies is
simplified, as they are the same as for LAN attachments.
22
IBM TotalStorage DS300 and DS400 Best Practices Guide
iSCSI
Client
Software
IP LAN
SCSI Protocol
iSCSI Appliance
Pooled storage
iSCSI
Client
Software
IP LAN
IP SAN
SCSI Protocol
iSCSI Appliance
Pooled storage