User manual

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operations like read or write. An initiator is usually located on the host side (either an

iSCSI HBA or iSCSI SW initiator).

The target is the storage device itself or an appliance which controls and serves

volumes or virtual volumes. The target is the device which performs SCSI command

or bridge to an attached storage device.

Figure 1.3.1

The host side needs an iSCSI initiator. The initiator is a driver which handles the

SCSI traffic over iSCSI. The initiator can be software or hardware (HBA). Please refer

to the certification list of iSCSI HBA(s) in Appendix A. OS native initiators or other

software initiators use standard TCP/IP stack and Ethernet hardware, while iSCSI

HBA(s) use their own iSCSI and TCP/IP stacks on board.

Hardware iSCSI HBA(s) provide its own initiator tool. Please refer to the vendors’

HBA user manual. Microsoft, Linux, Solaris and Mac provide iSCSI initiator driver.

Please contact us for the latest certification list. Below are the available

links:

1. Link to download the Microsoft iSCSI software initiator:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=12cb3c1a-15d6-

4585-b385-befd1319f825&DisplayLang=en

2. In current Linux distributions, OS built-in iSCSI initiators are usually available.

For different kernels, there are different iSCSI drivers. Please check Appendix A

for iSCSI initiator certification list. If user needs the latest Linux iSCSI initiator,

please visit Open-iSCSI project for most update information. Linux-iSCSI (sfnet)

and Open-iSCSI projects merged in April 11, 2005.

Open-iSCSI website:

http://www.open-iscsi.org/

Open-iSCSI README:

http://www.open-iscsi.org/docs/README

Features:

http://www.open-iscsi.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/Roadmap

iSCSI device 1

(target)

Host 1

(initiator)

NIC

IP SAN

Host 2

(initiator)

iSCSI

HBA

iSCSI device 2

(target)

RAG362