Installing Isns Server For Linux; Section 12.2, "Installing Isns Server For Linux - Novell LINUX ENTERPRISE SERVER 11 - STORAGE ADMINISTRATION GUIDE 2-23-2010 Administration Manual

Figure 12-1
Both iSCSI targets and iSCSI initiators use iSNS clients to initiate transactions with iSNS servers by
using the iSNS protocol. They then register device attribute information in a common discovery
domain, download information about other registered clients, and receive asynchronous notification
of events that occur in their discovery domain.
iSNS servers respond to iSNS protocol queries and requests made by iSNS clients using the iSNS
protocol. iSNS servers initiate iSNS protocol state change notifications and store properly
authenticated information submitted by a registration request in an iSNS database.
Some of the benefits provided by iSNS for Linux include:
Provides an information facility for registration, discovery, and management of networked
storage assets.
Integrates with the DNS infrastructure.
Consolidates registration, discovery, and management of iSCSI storage.
Simplifies storage management implementations.
Improves scalability compared to other discovery methods.
An example of the benefits iSNS provides can be better understood through the following scenario:
Suppose you have a company that has 100 iSCSI initiators and 100 iSCSI targets. Depending on
your configuration, all iSCSI initiators could potentially try to discover and connect to any of the
100 iSCSI targets. This could create discovery and connection difficulties. By grouping initiators
and targets into discovery domains, you can prevent iSCSI initiators in one department from
discovering the iSCSI targets in another department. The result is that the iSCSI initiators in a
specific department only discover those iSCSI targets that are part of the department's discovery
domain.

12.2 Installing iSNS Server for Linux

iSNS Server for Linux is included with SLES 10 SP2 and later, but is not installed or configured by
default. You must install the iSNS package modules (
the iSNS service.
NOTE: iSNS can be installed on the same server where iSCSI target or iSCSI initiator software is
installed. Installing both the iSCSI target software and iSCSI initiator software on the same server is
not supported.
110 SLES 11: Storage Administration Guide
iSNS Discovery Domains and Discovery Domain Sets
and modules) and configure
isns yast2-isns