Simple, Reliable Performance for iSCSI Connectivity

Intel® Ethernet Server Adapters:
Ideal for iSCSI
The ubiquity of Ethernet in the data
center means that no new topology
needs to be added to the environment to
support iSCSI. The network connectivity
to support iSCSI SANs can share existing
server adapters, use dedicated adapters
identical to the ones already in use for
local area network (LAN) trafc, or a
combination of both. Likewise, adding
iSCSI to existing switching infrastructures
does not require the addition of new
types of equipment. The technologies
used for the associated networking, such
as IP address conguration and routing,
are well understood by administrators.
IT organizations broadly prefer Gigabit
Ethernet (GbE) and 10GbE Intel Ethernet
Server Adapters for iSCSI because of the
advantages they offer:
• Native OS support for dependable
simplicity and lower costs. Avoiding
proprietary initiators, TCP/IP stacks, and
management tools reduces the number
of vendors involved in iSCSI solutions,
lowering complexity to help alleviate the
possibility of human error and decrease
operational overhead.
• Consistent, reliable performance.
Using Intel Ethernet Server Adapters
in iSCSI solutions combines high
throughput, intelligent hardware-based
offloads with native iSCSI initiators,
and stable hardware while leaving
processor cycles available for
application workloads.
• Next-generation virtualization
support. Intel Ethernet Server Adapters
implement the hardware assists in
Intel® Virtualization Technology for
Connectivity (Intel® VT-c) to accelerate
I/O in virtualized servers.
Intel provides all of this functionality
across its Ethernet adapter product
line and at a lower cost than dedicated,
proprietary iSCSI Host Bus Adapters
(HBAs). Using Intel Ethernet Server
Adapters for iSCSI SAN trafc offers
mature, standards-based technology
instead of unpredictable, proprietary
alternatives.
Native OS Support for Dependable
Simplicity and Lower Costs
Intel Ethernet Server Adapters are
engineered to use the native iSCSI
initiators, TCP/IP, and network stacks built
into OSs, including Microsoft Windows*,
Linux*, and VMware ESX*. Intel works
with OS providers to ensure robust
optimized support and ease of use. These
native initiators are broadly tested using
multiple generations of OSs, storage
disk systems, OS conguration tools, and
other applications to ensure reliability.
That design precept removes the need for
proprietary, special-purpose hardware or
software that would add complexity to
the environment and potentially interfere
with management tools and other
applications.
Standardizing on Intel Ethernet Server
Adapters for iSCSI allows IT to use a
single initiator, TCP/IP stack, and set of
management tools and IT policies. Easier
server provisioning, lower likelihood of
human error, and simpler management
enable lower capital and operational
expenditures. That standardization also
allows IT to avoid the disparate sets
of tools that result from assembling
solutions from a variety of vendors.
In addition, the native OS initiators, such
as the Microsoft iSCSI initiator, have
consistently delivered advanced features
that either are not available from or
have limited functionality in proprietary
initiators. Examples include multipathing
solutions (MPIO), the ability to establish
multiple connections per session (MCS),
and IPsec. Moreover, native OS initiator
support for the CRC-32 Digest instruction
set included in the Intel® Xeon® processor
5500 series (discussed later) avoids the
transmission of data in a vulnerable state
to a proprietary iSCSI ofoad adapter.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .............. 1
Overview ........................ 1
Intel® Ethernet Server Adapters:
Ideal for iSCSI .................... 2
Native OS Support for Dependable
Simplicity and Lower Costs . . . . . . . 2
Extending the Value of Centralized
Data Storage with Remote Boot ... 3
Consistent, Reliable Performance
across the Product Family . . . . . . . . 3
Hardware-based Native iSCSI
Initiator Acceleration . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Optimizations for
Multicore Servers ..................4
Platform Advancements . . . . . . . . . . .4
Advanced Support
for Virtualization ................. 5
Performance Results ............. 5
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
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Simple, Reliable Performance for iSCSI Connectivity
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