Storage Networking Protocol Fundamentals

A comparative analysis of Ethernet, TCP/IP, and Fibre Channel in the context of SCSI

• Introduces network administrators to the requirements of storage protocols
• Explains the operation of network protocols to storage administrators
• Compares and contrasts the functionality of Ethernet, TCP/IP, and Fibre Channel
• Documents the details of the major protocol suites, explains how they operate, and identifies common misunderstandings
• References the original standards and specifications so you can get a complete understanding of each protocol
• Helps you understand the implications of network design choices
• Discusses advanced network functionality such as QoS, security, management, and protocol analysis 

Corporations increasingly depend on computer and communication technologies to remain competitive in the global economy. Customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, and e-mail are a few of the many applications that generate new data every day. Effectively storing, managing, and accessing that data is a primary business challenge in the information age. Storage networking is a crucial component of the solution to meet that challenge.

 

Written for both storage administrators who need to learn more about networking and network administrators who need to learn more about storage, Storage Networking Protocol Fundamentals is a concise introduction to storage networking protocols. The book picks up where Storage Networking Fundamentals left off by focusing on the networking protocols that underlie modern open systems: block-oriented storage networks.

 

The first part of the book introduces you to the field of storage networking and the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model. The second part compares networked storage technologies, including iSCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface over IP) and Fibre Channel. It also examines in detail each of the major protocol suites layer-by-layer within the OSI reference model. The third part discusses advanced functionalities of these technologies, such as quality of service (QoS), load-balancing functions, security, management, and protocol analysis. You can read this book cover to cover or use it as a reference, directly accessing the particular topics of interest to you.

 

“Storage networking is a critical concept for today’s businesses, and this book provides a unique and helpful way to better understand it. Storage networking is also continuously evolving, and as such this book may be seen as an introduction to the information technology infrastructures of the future.”

—from the foreword by Claudio DeSanti, vice-chairman of the ANSI INCITS T11 Technical Committee

 

 

Table of contents

Part I   Storage Networking Landscape

Chapter 1  Overview of Storage Networking

Brief History of Storage

    Intelligent Interface Models

    Serial Transmission Techniques

    Modern Storage Networks

Drivers for Change

What Is a Storage Network?

Block Storage Protocol Review: ATA, SCSI, and SBCCS

    ATA

    SCSI

    SBCCS

Mainframe Storage Networking: ESCON and FICON

    ESCON

    FICON

File Server Protocol Review: CIFS, NFS, and DAFS

    CIFS

    NFS

    DAFS

Backup Protocols: NDMP and EXTENDED COPY

    NDMP

    SCSI-3 EXTENDED COPY

Optical Technologies: SONET/SDH, DWDM/CWDM, and RPR/802.17

    SONET/SDH

    DWDM/CWDM

    RPR/802.17

Virtualization Implementations: Host, Storage Subsystem, and Network

    Host Implementations

    Storage Subsystem Implementations

    Network Implementations

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 2  OSI Reference Model Versus Other Network Models

OSI Reference Model

    Network Models, Specifications, and Implementations

    Seven-Layer Model

    Implementation Considerations

SCSI Bus Interface and the ANSI T10 SCSI-3 Architecture Model

Ethernet and the IEEE 802 Reference Model

TCP/IP Suite and the ARPANET Model

Fibre Channel Architecture and ANSI T11 Model

    Fibre Channel Model and the OSI Reference Model

    Fibre Channel Specifications

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 3  Overview of Network Operating Principles

Conceptual Underpinnings

    Throughput

    Topologies

    Service and Device Discovery

SCSI Parallel Interface

    The Right Tool for the Job

    SPI Throughput

    SPI Topologies

    SPI Service and Device Discovery

Ethernet

    Low Overhead Paradigm

    Ethernet Throughput

    Ethernet Topologies

    Ethernet Service and Device Discovery

TCP/IP Suite

    Value of Ubiquitous Connectivity

    TCP/IP Throughput

    TCP/IP Topologies

    TCP/IP Service and Device Discovery

Fibre Channel

    Merger of Channels and Packet Switching

    FC Throughput

    FC Topologies

    FC Service and Device Discovery

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 4  Overview of Modern SCSI Networking Protocols

iSCSI

    iSCSI Functional Overview

    iSCSI Procedural Overview

FCP

    FCP Functional Overview

    FCP Procedural Overview

FCIP

    FCIP Functional Overview

    FCIP Procedural Overview

iFCP

    iFCP Functional Overview

    iFCP Procedural Overview

Summary

Review Questions

Part II  OSI Layers

Chapter 5  OSI Physical and Data-Link Layers

Conceptual Underpinnings

    Addressing Schemes

    Address Formats

    Delivery Mechanisms

    Link Aggregation

    Transceivers

SCSI Parallel Interface

    SPI Media, Connectors, Transceivers, and Operating Ranges

    SPI Encoding and Signaling

    SPI Addressing Scheme

    SPI Name Assignment and Resolution

    SPI Address Assignment and Resolution

    SPI Media Access

    SPI Network Boundaries

    SPI Frame Formats

    SPI Delivery Mechanisms

    SPI Link Aggregation

    SPI Link Initialization

Ethernet

    Ethernet Media, Connectors, Transceivers, and Operating Ranges

    Ethernet Encoding and Signaling

    Ethernet Addressing Scheme

    Ethernet Name Assignment and Resolution

    Ethernet Address Assignment and Resolution

    Ethernet Media Access

    Ethernet Network Boundaries

    Ethernet Frame Formats

    Ethernet Delivery Mechanisms

    Ethernet Link Aggregation

    Ethernet Link Initialization

Fibre Channel

    FC Media, Connectors, Transceivers, and Operating Ranges

    FC Encoding and Signaling

    FC Addressing Scheme

    FC Name Assignment and Resolution

    FC Address Assignment and Resolution

    FC Media Access

    FC Network Boundaries

    FC Frame Formats

    FC Delivery Mechanisms

    FC Link Aggregation

    FC Link Initialization

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 6  OSI Network Layer

Internet Protocol

    IPv4 Overview

    Data-Link Support

    Addressing Scheme

    Name Assignment and Resolution

    Address Assignment and Resolution

Network Boundaries

    Packet Formats

    Delivery Mechanisms

ICMP

Interface and Port Initialization

Fibre Channel

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 7  OSI Transport Layer

TCP/IP Suite

UDP

  UDP Operational Overview

  UDP Packet Formats

  UDP Delivery Mechanisms

  UDP Connection Initialization

TCP

  TCP Operational Overview

  TCP Packet Formats

  TCP Options

  TCP Delivery Mechanisms

  TCP Connection Initialization

Fibre Channel

    FC Operational Overview

    FC Frame Formats

    FC Delivery Mechanisms

    FC Connection Initialization

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 8  OSI Session, Presentation, and Application Layers

iSCSI Operational Details

    iSCSI Addressing Scheme

    iSCSI Name Assignment and Resolution

    iSCSI Address Assignment and Resolution

    iSCSI Session Types, Phases, and Stages

    iSCSI Data Transfer Optimizations

    iSCSI PDU Formats

    iSCSI Login Parameters

    iSCSI Delivery Mechanisms

FCP Operational Details

    FCP Addressing Scheme

    FCP Name Assignment and Resolution

    FCP Address Assignment and Resolution

    FCP Session Establishment

    FCP Data Transfer Optimizations

    FCP IU Formats

    FCP Additional Login Parameters

    FCP Delivery Mechanisms

FCIP Operational Details

    Architecture and Functional Models

    FCIP Addressing Scheme

    FCIP Packet and Frame Formats

    FCIP Session Establishment

    FCIP Delivery Mechanisms

    FCIP Data Transfer Optimizations

Summary

Review Questions

Part III Advanced Network Functionality

Chapter 9  Flow Control and Quality of Service

Conceptual Underpinnings of Flow Control and Quality of Service

Ethernet Flow Control and QoS

    Ethernet Flow Control

    Ethernet QoS

IP Flow Control and QoS

    IP Flow Control

    IP QoS

TCP Flow Control and QoS

    TCP Flow Control

    TCP QoS

iSCSI Flow Control and QoS

    iSCSI Flow Control

    iSCSI QoS

FC Flow Control and QoS

    FC Flow Control

    FC QoS

FCP Flow Control and QoS

    FCP Flow Control

    FCP QoS

FCIP Flow Control and QoS

    FCIP Flow Control

    FCIP QoS

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 10 Routing and Switching Protocols

Conceptual Underpinnings of Routing and Switching Protocols

Ethernet Switching Protocols

IP Routing Protocols

FC Switching Protocols

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 11 Load Balancing

Conceptual Underpinnings of Load Balancing

Load Balancing with Networking Technologies

    Ethernet Load Balancing

    IP Load Balancing

    FC Load Balancing

Load Balancing with Session-Oriented Technologies

    iSCSI Load Balancing

    FCP Load Balancing

    FCIP Load Balancing

End Node Load-Balancing Techniques

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 12 Storage Network Security

Conceptual Underpinnings of Storage Network Security

AAA Protocols

Management Protocols

Ethernet Security

IP Security

TCP Security

iSCSI Security

Fibre Channel Security

FCP Security

FCIP Security

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 13 Storage Management Protocols

Conceptual Underpinnings of Storage Management Protocols

TCP/IP Management

FC Management

SCSI Management

Summary

Review Questions

Chapter 14 Protocol Decoding and Traffic Analysis

The Purpose of Protocol Decoding

Methods of Traffic Capture

Types of Protocol Decoders

Protocol Decoder Screenshots

Purpose of Traffic Analysis

Types of Traffic Analyzers

Summary

Review Questions

Part IV  Appendixes

Appendix A  Standards and Specifications

Appendix B  Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix C  Answers to Review Questions

Glossary