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Storage protocol, such as iSCSI, has “two ends” in the connection. These ends
are initiator and target. In iSCSI, we call them iSCSI initiator and iSCSI target.
The iSCSI initiator requests or initiates any iSCSI communication. It requests all
SCSI operations like read or write. An initiator is usually located on the
host/server 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 2.2.1
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 and Mac provide iSCSI initiator driver. 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
Please refer to Appendix D for Microsoft iSCSI initiator installation
procedure.
iSCSI device 1
(target)
Host 1
(initiator)
NIC
IP SAN
Host 2
(initiator)
iSCSI
HBA
iSCSI device 2
(target)
Summary of Contents for i8500
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