Why iSCSI
Thanks for visiting our website as part of your interest in iSCSI.
Brighter Connections goal is to support anyone with whom we have a relationship to get the very best technical and commercial solution to meet their needs.
One way we can try and help achieve this goal is by removing some of the complexity from the technology market. We firmly believe if we can help people focus on how technology such as iSCSI can benefit any organisation in their every day business, then we are one step closer to helping that organisation become more effective and efficient.
Our specific focus for iSCSI is in the deployment of data storage solutions, and the local or wide area network supporting such a deployment.
We have listed a number of points below that we know to be common to many people currently looking at data storage solutions using iSCSI as one form of communication protocol. We will cover:
1. The typical considerations people are making in the form of an iSCSI quick check list
2. Our beliefs relating to value for money and where iSCSI fits in the value chain
ISCSI – Quick Check List
· The change in moving your data storage from a direct attach (DAS) to a storage area network (SAN) attach will almost certainly increase traffic across the network. The number of iSCSI connected devices and the rate of data change will impact the type and number of network switches you need to cope with this change. We can recommend a range of switches, each supporting Flow Control, Jumbo Frames and with a high internal bandwidth needed to support the increased traffic.
· Resilience – Am I happy with a single network switch to run my iSCSI SAN, or do I need high availability (HA). If you are looking at HA then we recommend dual switch connectivity.
· In line with switch resilience you may also need to increase the number of network interface cards (NIC’s) in your servers. Reasons for this include dual path, extra traffic and is particularly relevant if you are intending to create a virtualised server environment (VMWare being popular for Windows and Linux installations).
· Are you considering implementing an iSCSI SAN because they are a cheaper and simpler option than implementing a Fibre Channel SAN? If so, is performance to your application an issue? This may or may not be a critical consideration for you.
· Can I use iSCSI as part of my availability planning? Yes, in this situation, iSCSI is something to consider. If you are looking at a dual protocol environment (iSCSI and FC) then iSCSI can vastly reduce the overall cost of achieving this objective.
· Should I use iSCSI software initiators, or should I be using iSCSI Host Bus Adapters (HBA’s) – This answer to this is often dependant on the amount of data you are processing and any constraints on your existing servers. As mentioned earlier, in a virtualised environment such as VMWare it is often cheaper and less disruptive to budget and implement iSCSI HBA’s at the start of a project, rather than retrofit at a later date
ISCSI in the IT Value Chain
ISCSI is gaining in popularity for both storage area network (SAN) and virtual tape library (VTL) - www.brighter-connections.com/data/why-vtl-
The reasons iSCSI is gaining in popularity are numerous, so we have listed just a few that are based on our own commercial experience and feedback from existing clients as follows:
· The nature of iSCSI allows block level changes of data to be transferred over IP networks. Benefits of block level transfer can include continuous data protection (CDP). If you are looking at data mirroring, snapshot technology, CDP to tape or VTL, then iSCSI can make a real impact on your recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives.
· Nowadays, most organisations will have investments in both IP networks and the associated skills required to manage such networks. This combined with reduced costs have resulted in greater confidence from IT teams who are now happy to look at moving data storage, along with backup and recovery onto the corporate network.
· ISCSI is less complex and less expensive to implement than Fibre Channel. Whilst we would concede that iSCSI does not typically perform to the same level as Fibre channel, if your applications do not demand the extra throughput of FC, then iSCSI should be considered.
· Some vendors already deliver multi-protocol devices with iSCSI and Fibre Channel connectivity. The benefit of this approach is that you have the choice and benefit of using whichever protocol best meets the needs of your specific applications / servers, etc.
· Many devices can be supported by the use of a software based iSCSI initiator. These are freely available via the Microsoft website at www.microsoft.com.
· Short-term goals can be addressed with iSCSI devices, there is no need to spend months putting together business justification for switched Fibre Channel networks, extra training and investment for staff. Many IT professionals can self install iSCSI devices, and if not, with an element of familiarity and knowledge transfer, then ongoing operation and management is within the scope of IT literate individuals.
As an organisation that is positioned as Your IT Agent, we are here to help you look at the options available to you from a breadth of IT vendors such that you can make an educated decision, in timescales that suit your own business. Our motto is that we only sell, when YOU are ready to buy.
If you are considering your future plans and are looking at any of the following as possible investments for your own organisation:
ISCSI
Storage Area Network
Virtualisation
Backup and Recovery
Then we would love to hear from you.
Why not call now on 03707 551515 and ask for Darren, Paul or Ben. Alternatively, email us at:
We will be happy to listen / review your needs. We will take down some notes, provide some help with technical and commercial areas as promised and ensure you are given all the help we can offer as Your IT Agent.
