Typical SAN (STorage Area Network) - Introduction To IP SAN Network Architecture

SAN (Storage Area Network) Storage Area Network is a block-based storage that utilizes a high-speed architecture to connect storage devices such as servers and disk arrays. In this network, all servers can read and write to storage devices, characterized by high throughput and low latency. Common network architectures are FC SAN based on FC (Fibre Channel) and IP SAN based on TCP/IP (Ethernet.) This article focuses on IP SAN network architecture based on TCP/IP (Ethernet).

IP SAN, also known as ISCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface), is a storage network based on TCP/IP (Ethernet) technology. SAN networks built using ISCSI can follow the current Ethernet equipment, greatly reducing construction costs, and are now widely used in storage integration, disaster recovery, etc. ISCSI is considered a low-cost alternative to Fibre Channel, the former does not require dedicated infrastructure, while the latter requires dedicated infrastructure.

The following figure gives a typical IP SAN network topology based on ISCSI technology.

Figure 1 a typical IP SAN network topology

ISCSI storage devices, mainly refers to disk arrays, tapes, etc. that support ISCSI technology. HBA cards can be added to the storage devices or ISCSI software can be installed; the former has the best performance and consumes a small amount of CPU resources, while the latter has poor performance and consumes a large amount of CPU resources;

Ethernet switch, responsible for metadata and actual data transmission and exchange between the MDC server and each ISCSI workstation\server, between ISCSI workstation\servers, and between ISCSI workstation\servers and ISCSI storage devices;

The MDC server, Meta Data Controller, can be understood as a "scheduler" that the workstation\server consults before accessing the data in the storage device to see where the data is, and then goes directly to the corresponding location in the storage device to access the data;

ISCSI workstation\server, can be understood as a variety of users, can be added to the workstation\server HBA card or install ISCSI software to achieve ISCSI support;

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Typical SAN (STorage Area Network) - Introduction To IP SAN Network Architecture