IP storage using Internet SCSI (iSCSI) provides opportunity for many organizations looking to extend existing Fibre Channel SANs to stranded servers, or looking to deploy Ethernet-based SANs. It can reduce costs by allowing IT managers to take advantage of existing, familiar Ethernet networks. Often the biggest complaint white new technology like iSCSI is its ability to provide more than simple functionality and connectivity.
Building High-Performance iSCSI SAN Configurations
An Alacritech and McDATA Technical NoteBuilding High-Performance iSCSI SAN ConfigurationsAn Alacritech and McDATA Technical Note
Internet SCSI (iSCSI) Reaching Maximum PerformanceIP storage using Internet SCSI (iSCSI) provides opportunity for many organizations looking to extend existing FibreChannel SANs to stranded servers, or looking to deploy Ethernet-based SANs. It can reduce costs by allowing IT managersto take advantage of existing, familiar Ethernet networks. Often the biggest complaint with new technology like iSCSI isits ability to provide more than simple functionality and connectivity. That argument is addressed by leveraging fast,wire-speed TCP/IP products common to networking today with fast storage systems. This combination can offer maximumperformance and efficiency comparable to many Fibre Channel-based solutions.
iSCSI encompasses several components of storage networking. This includes host-based connection devices commonlyreferred to as initiators, and storage systems known as targets.
iSCSI Initiators can take several forms including:. Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) with the iSCSI initiator implemented in the hardware adapter card. Software initiators running over standard network interfaces, such as Network Interface Cards (NICs), TCP Offload Engine (TOE) NICs (TNICs), or iSCSI controllers
iSCSI targets also come in various forms, including:. Disk storage systems. Tape storage systems. IP storage switches
Since completion of the iSCSI standard in early 2003, a number of standards compliant products have entered the IPstorage market. Many of these products have completed interoperability and conformance testing from organizationssuch as the University of New Hampshire's Interoperability Lab1 and Microsoft's Designed for Windows Logo Program2.While many of these products have achieved general interoperability and functionality, most lack the levels ofperformance necessary to compete against other technologies in the global storage market.
Despite the lack of performance from some IP storage devices, there are a few iSCSI products that can be used to buildhigh-performance iSCSI (Storage Area Networks) SANs to meet high transaction rates and/or high throughput requirements.This note examines the performance capabilities of the McDATA IPS Multi-Protocol Storage Switches and serversequipped with the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator and hardware accelerators like the Alacritech Accelerator familyof TNICs or Alacritech iSCSI Accelerator family of iSCSI controllers to build such a high-performance iSCSI SAN.1 http://www.iol.unh.edu/consortiums/iscsi/index.html2 http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/storage/technologies/iscsi/default.mspx
Performance Test ObjectivesThe objectives of the iSCSI performance testing aimed to show the McDATA IPS Multi-Protocol Storage Switch inconjunction with Alacritech iSCSI Accelerators and the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator on Windows-based servers,sustaining wire-speed iSCSI throughput at larger transaction sizes and a substantial transaction rate, measured inInput/Output Operations per Second (IOPs). In the case of saturating a single IP Storage Gigabit Ethernet link, the full-duplex wire-speed throughput is over 210 Megabytes per second. For more details please see Appendix B: StorageNetworking Bandwidth.
This test looks at a balanced single test configuration tuned for performance over a broad spectrum of operation sizes.Tests and iSCSI SANs can be more specifically tuned for optimal throughput or optimal transaction rate.
Performance Configuration DetailsTest ExecutionAlacritech commissioned VeriTest, a division of Lionbridge Technologies, to compare the performance of a number ofiSCSI initiator products. Performance reported in this note reflects the subset of testing specific to the Alacritech andMcDATA configuration. The full test report is available from VeriTest at http://www.veritest.com/clients/reports/alacritech/
Page 2 TAccelerating Data DeliveryEquipmentThe iSCSI server configuration used an SuperMicro X5DPE-G2 motherboard with dual Intel Xeon processors, and anAlacritech SES1001T iSCSI Accelerator. Alacritech's acceleration solutions are based on the company's high-performanceSLIC Technology® architecture. Products based on SLIC Technology remove I/O bottlenecks for both storage and net-working systems by ... [download for more]
