Workgroups and small and medium-sized businesses can take advantage
of SANs (storage area networks) using a Cisco Systems router.
SANs can allow for a more flexible and efficient way to store data
than by merely attaching a storage unit directly to a server.
With a SAN, a company or workgroup with several servers and storage
devices could enjoy easier storage management, centralised data
backup and more efficient use of storage resources, according to
Cisco. So far, the technology has been limited to large enterprise
data centres.
The Cisco SN 5428 Storage Router enables departments and businesses
with between five to 20 servers to set up a SAN without detailed
knowledge of Fibre Channel, claimed Doug Ingraham, senior manager
in the Cisco Storage Technology Group.
The SN 5428, equipped with Gigabit Ethernet as well as Fibre
Channel interfaces, includes iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System
Interface) capability so servers and switches can communicate using
traditional SCSI commands, but over an IP network. That means local
IS personnel can set up SANs using their existing knowledge of IP
networking, he said. These workgroups normally are staffed by an IS
staff of one to manage network, servers and storage.
By utilising IP, users also can take advantage of security systems
built for IP, such as firewalls and IPSec (IP Security) encryption
devices, that are not yet available for Fibre Channel, Ingraham
added.
To partition a few servers and storage devices into a group to
control access to data, the administrators can use either VLANs
(virtual LANs) or the Fibre Channel zoning technique. Using LUN
(Logical Unit Number) technology, they can assign each attached
server to be able to access certain storage resources.
The SN 5428 comes with two Gigabit Ethernet Fibre Channel ports and
eight Fibre Channel ports than can operate at 1Gbps (bits per
second) or 2Gbps.
In most cases, servers will be linked to the router via a Fast
Ethernet switch with a Gigabit Ethernet uplink, and storage devices
will use the Fibre Channel ports.
The router includes a Fibre Channel switching fabric, so workgroups
that have the expertise can set up a Fibre Channel network among
servers and storage.
The SN 5428 began shipping last week and carries a list price of
$11,995 (£8,266). Cisco is working with value-added resellers to
create packages that include software for storage-management tasks
such as data backup and replication.