question about SAN

[SelArom]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Think of a SAN as a really complicated SCSI controller. It's a disk server, not a file server.

ohhhh that makes things a lot clearer! I was noticing how the protocols are internet extensions of SCSI and ATA, so that makes sense! so if that's true, what are the steps for a machine to connect to a SAN? do you just need a NIC that uses these protocols? to connect to a host, you use an IP, what do you supply when you want to connect to a device on a SAN?

-SelArom

 

[Nothinman]

ohhhh that makes things a lot clearer! I was noticing how the protocols are internet extensions of SCSI and ATA, so that makes sense! so if that's true, what are the steps for a machine to connect to a SAN? do you just need a NIC that uses these protocols? to connect to a host, you use an IP, what do you supply when you want to connect to a device on a SAN?

The NIC isn't involved any more than it is with any other protocol. You just need a driver on the system that understands iSCSI or AoE, the NIC handles the packets just like normal. If you're using fiber then you'll obviously need a driver for that card and TCP/IP may or may not be involved.

And configuration of the client will depend on the driver/application that you're using. But if you're using something that uses iSCSI or AoE you'll definitely have to specify an IP, hostname, MAC address or something. At that point the driver/application will figure out what disks the SAN is presenting to it and present them as normal disks to the OS.

Realize though that I'm speculating on the iSCSI and AoE stuff since all of our SAN stuff is fiber, but I can't see how it would work any other way.

 

[ktwebb]

There is some fiber channel over IP. Cisco makes FCIP devices. I would guess most SAN hardware out there does not need IP connectivity. Our hardware does not so I am just projecting. With ISCSI gaining ground and other emerging technologies I would expect that to change though. It's a TCP/IP world.

The guy I deal with the most from our SAN team is gone for the day but if you still have questions on monday message me. He is OCD when it comes to SAN technologies. I am sure he has literature links that you can use though with him, it could be in language that would be greek to most, including me.