iSCSI is a protocol that allows two hosts to send SCSI commands over a TCP/IP network. By doing this, you can use SCSI but free yourself of the limitations of traditional SCSI cabling and, instead, use your LAN to connect your SCSI PCs and Server to your SCSI storage.
iSCSI is a type of storage area network (SAN) and it is typically compared to Fibre Channel (FC) – its much more expensive competitor.
With iSCSI you have a client who needs access to the storage on the server. The client uses initiator software (making it the initiator) to connect to the storage server (called the target). While the iSCSI client software initiator is included in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, the iSCSI target (the server) is usually costly to obtain.
How do I create a free iSCSI Storage Target Server? Perhaps you already have a hardware-based iSCSI Server. If so, excellent! However, if not, you should consider OpenFiler. OpenFiler is a free open-source iSCSI target server that can run on just about any PC or Server system. This is a modified Linux kernel with a GUI interface front-end. Don’t worry if you don’t know Linux. With OpenFiler, you never have to use the Linux command line (in fact, it isn’t even possible to access it).
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…and if you’re looking for completely FREE and powerful iSCSI Target for Microsoft Windows you’re welcomed to give a try to StarWind iSCSI Target from Rocket Division Software.
Just in case here’s an URL:
StarWind iSCSI Target
Arigato!
-ichiro