Microsoft Corp. today announced it will deliver Internet SCSI (iSCSI) support for Windows® client and server environments in June. Microsoft's iSCSI software driver will be provided via Web download at no charge for Microsoft® Windows 2000 client and server versions, Windows XP client, and the forthcoming Windows Server 2003 family of products. iSCSI, as recently ratified by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), will provide a lower-cost option for customers that require high levels of performance and reliability for their planned storage area network (SAN) implementations. According to Gartner Dataquest,* by 2006 iSCSI will emerge to connect nearly 1.5 million servers to SANs -- more than any competing technology.
"Operating system support for the iSCSI specification will facilitate deployment of interoperable storage products" said James Opfer, chief analyst at Gartner. "These products will meet the needs of customers for whom connectivity and familiarity with IP are of paramount importance."
"Microsoft's support of the IETF-ratified iSCSI protocol signals the company's continued focus on making Windows a stronger platform for storage," said Zane Adam, director of product development and marketing for the Enterprise Storage Division at Microsoft. "We're pleased at the level of industry excitement for iSCSI and are working together with our associates to make enterprise storage operations more accessible to a broader spectrum of customers."
View: iSCSI Beta Sign-Up [Guest ID "iSCSI"]
View: Microsoft Embraces iSCSI to Foster Broader Storage Interoperability
News source: Bink WindowsXP
