Evaluation of SCSI over TCP/IP and SCSI over fibre channel connections

Author

Simitci, Huseyin ; Malakapalli, Chris ; Gunturu, Vamsi

Author_Institution

XIOtech Corp., Eden Prairie, MN, USA

fYear

2001

fDate

22-24 Aug. 2001

Firstpage

87

Lastpage

91

Abstract

This study explores the performance implications of an IP storage protocol (iSCSI) in a storage network. The results are compared with the characteristics of the fibre channel protocol. We set up a test-bed consisting of Linux PCs connected together with both fibre channel and Gigabit Ethernet adapters. We conducted experiments on user and kernel level TCP/IP communication and iSCSI data transfers over TCP/IP. By instrumenting the network and iSCSI device drivers on the initiator and target machines, we have collected performance data on various aspects of the protocols. Using a prototype SCSI target mode driver on the target machine, we were able to conduct similar experiments with the Fibre Channel protocol and interconnects. We present preliminary performance data for iSCSI and ways to improve the underlying TCP/IP bandwidth on Gigabit Ethernet.

Keywords

device drivers; local area networks; operating systems (computers); performance evaluation; peripheral interfaces; transport protocols; Gigabit Ethernet adapters; IP storage protocol; Linux PCs; SCSI; SCSP; TCP/IP; fibre channel connections; fibre channel protocol; iSCSI; performance data; prototype SCSI target mode driver; test-bed; Ethernet networks; Instruments; Kernel; Linux; Optical fiber communication; Optical fiber devices; Optical fiber testing; Personal communication networks; Protocols; TCPIP;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Hot Interconnects 9, 2001.

Conference_Location

Stanford, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7695-1357-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/HIS.2001.946698

Filename

946698