NETGEAR ReadyNAS 2100 - Manual (Page 37)

ReadyNAS 2100 User Manual
Managing Your ReadyNAS 2100 2-19
v1.1, June 2009
Working with iSCSI Target Volumes
The iSCSI target service enables you to create one or more iSCSI target volumes on the
ReadyNAS.
The iSCSI (Internet SCSI) protocol allows clients called initiators to send SCSI commands to
SCSI storage devices called targets on remote servers. It is a popular Storage Area Network (SAN)
protocol, allowing organizations to consolidate storage into data center storage arrays while
providing hosts such as databases and web servers with the illusion of locally-attached disks.
Unlike Fibre Channel, which requires special-purpose cabling, iSCSI can be run over long
distances using existing network infrastructure.
An iSCSI initiator sends SCSI commands over an IP network to an iSCSI target. Software to
provide an iSCSI initiator is available for most mainstream operating systems. Unlike network file
services where you access files in network share folders, the iSCSI target presents itself as a virtual
block device and can be treated like a locally attached disk to the client system acting as the iSCSI
initiator. Windows for instance could run FAT32 or NTFS on the iSCSI target device, and treat the
device as though it was locally attached.
To configure an iSCSI target volume on the ReadyNAS, go to Volumes > Volume Settings >
iSCSI.
Figure 2-20