Chapter 4 Subsystem Connection And Operation; Connection Overview; Cabling - Infortrend EonStor S12E-R1132-4 Installation And Hardware Reference Manual

Subsystem Connection and Operation
4.1

Connection Overview

4.1.1

Cabling

Following are the requirements on the type of cables used to connect the
subsystem's iSCSI host ports:
․
Ethernet cables are user-supplied. Cat5e shielded STP type network
cables or better performance types (important for meeting the
requirements imposed by emission standards). A shielded STP,
twisted-pair cable is available as an accessory.
․
Straight-through Ethernet cables with RJ-45 plugs.
․
Use of cross-over cables can also be automatically detected and re-
routed for a valid connection.
Connection:
․
Directly to iSCSI initiators (software or hardware) or via Gigabit
Ethernet switches.
․
To servers equipped with iSCSI HBA [better be a hardware TOE
(TCP/IP Offload Engine) card], and then to client stations with an
Ethernet NIC or iSCSI HBA.
․
The subsystem presents its logical volumes through SCSI-like IDs
and LUNs. These RAID volumes then appear as iSCSI targets
through the network.
NOTE:
Even though iSCSI initiator software is a cost-effective way of building
an iSCSI SAN, software initiator adds additional workload to the server
CPU. It is recommended to apply iSCSI HBAs that come with TCP/IP
offload engines in order to reduce overhead.
Chapter 4
4-1