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Before You Begin
A SAN or Storage Area Network allows you to create a dedicated network
that provides storage for your file server(s). The diagrams on pages 8 and 9
are basic diagrams of this concept. The LAN or Local Area Network shown in
the lower portion of the diagram is where the user's PCs, print servers, etc.
are attached. This is the network you are familiar with. The demarcation point
between these two networks is typically the use of two network adapters
placed in a file server. One adapter serves the SAN and the other serves
the LAN.
In the upper portion of the diagram appears the SAN which allows file servers
to share a storage device(s) like the xStack Storage series of products. This
SAN can be composed of standard Ethernet cabling, switches, etc. As you
can see, a dedicated network allows the servers to access shared storage
devices with high data throughput that will not affect the LAN where user's
PCs are located.
Another concept is that of iSCSI (IP Small Computer System Interface). This
protocol allows SCSI storage commands to be encapsulated in IP datagrams
that can then pass over a standard Ethernet network. This allows file servers
to send and receive storage commands with external storage devices like the
xStack Storage device.
In iSCSI, the xStack Storage device is known as the "target" and the file server
is the "initiator." Specifically, the file server must have a piece of software
loaded that provides this initiator functionality. In the case of Microsoft, this
initiator software is free and downloadable from their Website. No matter
what operating system you are using, an initiator software of some kind must
be loaded on your file server.
The goal of this Installation Guide will be to get you up and going with a
simple SAN. The xStack Storage device has been preconfigured with IP
addresses that are identified in this guide. Once you have built confidence
in your understanding of the DSN-3000 series device, the product manual
found on the accompanying CD provides details for allowing you to configure
the unit to your own specific needs.
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D-Link DSN-3200/3400 Installation Guide
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