Storage area network infrastructure allows users to create multiple iSCSI targets. iSCSI is the leading protocol used in SAN systems, which is faster and more efficient than other solutions, for example fibre channel, which is also used in SAN networks.
iSCSI target features can be created on a network device by means of iSCSI software. In order to transform a device into an iSCSI target it is possible to use either an iSCSI software available in the operating system of SAN server or the applications available separately from SAN devices. A system device with an iSCSI target feature will be able to receive SCSI commands sent via iSCSI from iSCSI initiator. Moreover, most modern operating systems are already adapted to provide the services of iSCSI targets and initiators.
Using the feature of iSCSI targets allows the users to consolidate, share and have access to all of their storage resources inside a high-availability system. iSCSI is definitely a more cost-effective solution when one considers the construction of SAN iSCSI.
iSCSI target can also refer to a virtualised device, since many network storage devices can be virtualised machines that store the resources on multiple devices which are not often many kilometres apart from the iSCSI initiator. In this way, client can access remote iSCSI storage as local disk resources.
Using iSCSI SAN allows to share server’s disk, partition, VMDK file, cluster, ESX or ISO file with iSCSI targets and initiators. iSCSI targets offer safe storage share and makes the user stop worrying about the safety of shared data on server because everything will be recovered after client disconnects. The SAN system applications with iSCSI allow for maintaining business continuity and provide disaster recovery by means of automatic failover and data reduplication technologies.
Offsite storage 