The Evolving Network Connections

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There are several innovations waiting in the wings that will drive connectivity options for the SAN. Among these is the need to further integrate IP-based storage solutions into FC networks, which will be largely driven by the integration of more sophisticated usage of storage as data is distributed throughout the enterprise. If we look at current data usage scenarios, data still has to make several stops within an enterprise infrastructure.

For example, many organizations still take it upon themselves to distribute data to remote locations, something largely accomplished by a series of data subset deployments that are both time- and location-dependent. Using a combination of data replication software services and remote storage devices, these configurations depend on general- purpose servers to communicate within the enterprise network so they can ship current data to remote locations. And though some of these can be cleaned up smartly with a NAS configuration, many remain datacentric and rely on sophisticated RDBMS functions at the corporate data center, as well as the distributed location. Figure 16-6 is a conceptual picture of how this works and how it lays the groundwork for future deployments and connectivity strategies for SANs.

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Figure 16-6: A data replication strategy and potential SAN solution

There are two basic scenarios that will push these networks into integrated, global SAN infrastructures . First is the integration through IP storage devices, which offer the capability to store data without the latency and overhead general-purpose server deployments and direct-attached storage components required. This is handled in two ways, either through an enhanced NAS device that supports direct communication with the SAN infrastructure, or with an iSCSI device that supports direct I/O communications with the SAN infrastructure. Either way, the devices have to be linked through an existing IP connection and be viewed as a node device within the SAN, which means additional port functionality at the SAN switch to handle the IP file or block I/O over the IP network.

The second scenario involves the installation of SAN configurations that are both local and remote and can communicate and be controlled remotely. Figure 16-6 also shows a conceptual view of how this is accomplished, facilitating timely data replication throughout a typical corporation. Remote configurations need further extensions of fabric software to encompass remote fabrics as extensions or as recognized external fabrics .

This SAN-to-SAN scenario assumes that switch port evolution will continue to support the extended functions of an E_Port communicating with a remote switch. As noted earlier, vendors must further enhance the switch as users demand full IP connectivity and FC processing between the storage node devices. Users will also require a management scheme to operate these configurations in a physically distributed fashion.

However, once this is established, the capability to provide a vast infrastructure of storage will be in place, providing yet another step in the ubiquity of data for applications. This will further enhance effective web services, thus allowing applications to be synchronized with data.

The feasibility and availability of these solutions is now becoming based on enhancements to existing network standards, including the addition of Fibre Channel throughout the enterprise, IP standards, and SCSI integration into IP specifications. All of which have added up to an initial wave of solutions that lead to the extension of SAN technology. Figure 16-7 shows the potential future IP storage integration and SAN-to- SAN communications supporting advanced data management strategies.

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Figure 16-7: A future SAN-to-SAN configuration
 
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Storage Networks
Storage Networks: The Complete Reference
ISBN: 0072224762
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 192

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