Windows Embraces iSCSI Storage

摘要

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) recently approved the Internet SCSI (iSCSI) specification. What's iSCSI, and what does the IP-based standard mean for you and your Windows networks? A huge paradigm shift has already taken place in Windows-based storage―the shift from host-based Direct Attached Storage (DAS) to network-based storage, which includes Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN). I believe mat another paradigm shift will occur, and iSCSI will play an important role in that shift. Specifically, iSCSI will play a pivotal role in the convergence of the two existing network-based storage technologies, resulting in one network-based storage technology. This new technology is different from NAS or SAN, and the underlying technology (e.g., SCSI, Fibre Channel) isn't as important as how clients and servers connect to that technology. Two standards will emerge for network-based storage attachment: iSCSI and Internet Fibre Channel Protocol (iFCP). Let's take a closer look at iSCSI and what it means for the Windows world.