Inside an iSCSI Bridge
The iSCSI to SCSI bridge consists of several general building blocks:
SCSI interface(s): The SCSI interface inside the bridge may be embedded on the iSCSI bridge pc board. Or, a standard SCSI interface card may be connected to the iSCSI bridge pc board through a PCI or PCI-X bus interface.
Control module: The control module usually is a processor with an operating system and control software to manage the iSCSI communications between the SCSI and Ethernet ports.
iSCSI interface(s): The iSCSI interface is an Ethernet network interface, with either built-in or software-controlled iSCSI and Ethernet communications protocols. It may be embedded on the iSCSI bridge pc board or also on a card connected to the iSCSI bridge pc board through a PCI or PCI-X bus interface.
Configuration interface(s): The configuration interface may be a separate RS232, USB, or Ethernet port, or it may be handled directly through the iSCSI interface Ethernet port. It's used to configure all settings, software setups, and updates that the iSCSI bridge may need. It may have command line controls, all the way up to a built-in Web server on the more sophisticated iSCSI bridges.
There are iSCSI bridges that bridge most of the storage interfaces in use today into iSCSI. SCSI, SAS, SATA, and Fibre Channel all have versions of iSCSI bridges available to allow their storage to be accessible in an iSCSI based IP Storage Network.
iSCSI and iSCSI Bridges Are Here to Stay
The growing iSCSI-based IP SAN industry has a future that will maintain its growth for the next decade. Because iSCSI works inside the TCP/IP Ethernet protocols, advances in Ethernet directly become advances in iSCSI. Ethernet is going to 10-Gbit speeds, with NIC cards already on the market that are competitive in price with Fibre Channel interfaces that communicate at much slower rates.
iSCSI bridges also will be going to the 10-Gbit transfer speeds, guaranteeing that iSCSI-based IP SANs will be the performance leaders of the future. With price, performance, compatibility with other storage interfaces (through iSCSI bridges), and an industry-wide infrastructure of knowledgeable support, the iSCSI-based IP SAN will become the SAN of choice in the storage industry.
Inside an iSCSI Bridge
The iSCSI to SCSI bridge consists of several general building blocks:
SCSI interface(s): The SCSI interface inside the bridge may be embedded on the iSCSI bridge pc board. Or, a standard SCSI interface card may be connected to the iSCSI bridge pc board through a PCI or PCI-X bus interface.
Control module: The control module usually is a processor with an operating system and control software to manage the iSCSI communications between the SCSI and Ethernet ports.
iSCSI interface(s): The iSCSI interface is an Ethernet network interface, with either built-in or software-controlled iSCSI and Ethernet communications protocols. It may be embedded on the iSCSI bridge pc board or also on a card connected to the iSCSI bridge pc board through a PCI or PCI-X bus interface.
Configuration interface(s): The configuration interface may be a separate RS232, USB, or Ethernet port, or it may be handled directly through the iSCSI interface Ethernet port. It's used to configure all settings, software setups, and updates that the iSCSI bridge may need. It may have command line controls, all the way up to a built-in Web server on the more sophisticated iSCSI bridges.
There are iSCSI bridges that bridge most of the storage interfaces in use today into iSCSI. SCSI, SAS, SATA, and Fibre Channel all have versions of iSCSI bridges available to allow their storage to be accessible in an iSCSI based IP Storage Network.
iSCSI and iSCSI Bridges Are Here to Stay
The growing iSCSI-based IP SAN industry has a future that will maintain its growth for the next decade. Because iSCSI works inside the TCP/IP Ethernet protocols, advances in Ethernet directly become advances in iSCSI. Ethernet is going to 10-Gbit speeds, with NIC cards already on the market that are competitive in price with Fibre Channel interfaces that communicate at much slower rates.
iSCSI bridges also will be going to the 10-Gbit transfer speeds, guaranteeing that iSCSI-based IP SANs will be the performance leaders of the future. With price, performance, compatibility with other storage interfaces (through iSCSI bridges), and an industry-wide infrastructure of knowledgeable support, the iSCSI-based IP SAN will become the SAN of choice in the storage industry.