Lead Image © Vladimir Nenov, 123RF.com
Storage across the network with iSCSI and Synology DiskStation Manager
Across the Block
The Internet small computer systems interface (iSCSI) [1] is a block-level [2] interfacing protocol used in conjunction with any network-attached storage (NAS) unit. As the name implies, iSCSI uses the locally focused SCSI block storage protocol and adds the ability to reference resources across the network.
By issuing SCSI commands over the TCP/IP suite, iSCSI makes it possible to integrate a remote mountpoint located anywhere on the Internet, including in another time zone. The iSCSI protocol essentially lets you treat remote storage as if it were local. In other words, you can set up a storage area network (SAN) with existing resources – and without a lot of expensive equipment.
The iSCSI bus is a good fit for heavy read and write scenarios (e.g., high-availability (HA) environments). Even though iSCSI naturally inherits the flaws of TCP/IP, you can enhance the transmission capacity by adding additional network interface cards (NICs).
My Favorite Recipe
For an example of iSCSI in the real world, I will show you how to integrate a Synology DiskStation storage device with a Debian v12 "bookworm" environment. I assume you have already purchased drives and a NAS enclosure, and you already have a working Debian client system. Although this article is focused on Synology, the steps for configuring iSCSI in other environments are similar. My newly assembled test environment will be, on the server side,
- 1x Synology DiskStation DS414j
- 4x WDC WD201KRYZ
and on the client side:
- 1x Debian bookworm on a custom built system
Synology uses the proprietary DiskStation Manager (DSM) interface, which I will refer to in this article; other vendors offer similar GUI configuration tools.
...
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy ADMIN Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Related content
-
iSCSI: Set up and use LIO targets
The LIO multiple-protocol SCSI target is perfectly suited for complex test environments, especially because of its support for SCSI standards across the board. -
Manage Windows Server storage with PowerShell
Numerous tools are available to manage the hard drive inventory of Windows servers, but they fall short when it comes to comprehensive automation, which is where PowerShell can help. - Nexentastor 3.1 Gets Faster
-
Acquiring a Memory Image
Be ready before disaster strikes. In this article we describe some tools you should have on hand to obtain a memory image of an infected system. -
Clusters with Windows Server 2012 R2
With Windows, you can create a highly available cluster at the click of a button. The cluster will even handle fully automated, non-disruptive software upgrades.
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Most Popular
Support Our Work
ADMIN content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
