Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router Extending Your Storage Network with iSCSI

The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router implements the Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) protocol to extend access of your Fibre Channel fabric and attached storage devices to IP servers. iSCSI combines the benefits of the TCP/IP protocol suite with SCSI, the universal standard for storage access. By utilizing iSCSI, the Cisco SN 5420 extends your Fibre Channel storage network to lower-priced/lower-performance servers in your data center and departmental servers located throughout your campus and enterprise. With the Cisco SN 5420, you can access your Fibre Channel storage-area network (SAN) from anywhere on an IP network as easily as accessing direct-attached storage. By taking advantage of the cost advantages of 10/100 Ethernet networks or the performance advantages of Gigabit Ethernet, the Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router can connect servers to your shared Fibre Channel storage pool that would have previously been cost-prohibitive.

Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router Features:

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• Provides access to Fibre Channel storage across IP networks through iSCSI technology
• Designed for high availability, providing continuous access to critical data
• Extensive security features protect valuable storage resources
• Uniquely provides standard IP networking capabilities to storage environments
• Offers full breadth of iSCSI drivers
• Offers fully integrated management tools
• Offers ease of use through standard Cisco user interfaces and configuration tools
• Provides global 24 x 7 technical support

Cisco SN 5420 supports multiple operating systems access across 10/100 or Gigabit Ethernet to Fibre Channel storage.

Key Benefits:

• Making Disk Sub-systems IP Aware
  Seamless integration with your existing applications. With the Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router, any application that can access storage using the SCSI protocol becomes an IP application. This capability enables your existing application software suites to operate without modification.
• Interoperability
  The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router fits seamlessly into existing storage and data networks. The SN 5420 Storage Router is based on both IP and storage-area network (SAN) standards, providing interoperability with existing local-area network (LAN), wide-area network (WAN), optical, and SAN equipment. Network administrators familiar with IP networking will be instantly familiar with the SN 5420 Storage Router and its management interfaces.
• Scalability
  The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router provides optimal performance and reliability for your IP network and storage systems. You can add SN 5420s to match the performance and reliability needs of your network.
• Manageability
  The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router provides full network management support through the industry standard Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), GUI and CLI.
• Security
  Using Access Control Lists, you can locate critical data on your storage arrays and be confident that access is limited to only those users that the network administrator has granted access. The SN 5420 Storage Router also has password protection to further control security.
• Investment Protection
  Including the Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router in your storage network allows you to use your existing TCP/IP and Fibre Channel networking infrastructures.

The Cisco SN 5420 provides several crucial capabilities for today's storage networks including:

• Uses the TCP/IP protocol suite for networking storage supporting the level of interoperability inherent to IP networks
• Leverages existing management and configuration tools that are already well known and understood
• Based on industry standards, maximizes your investment and enables you to retain control of total cost of ownership for the increasing storage demands on your network

Profiles:
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• Data Peer: Storage Consolidation using iSCSI
  Data Peer, a managed data and storage service provider, explains how the SN 5420 with iSCSI technology provides them with a cost-effective storageconsolidation solution. Watch the video at 56k or 100k.
• Cisco IT: Remote Backup using iSCSI
  Cisco's internal IT department explains how the SN 5420 with iSCSI technology provides a cost-effective remote backup solution. Watch the video at 56k or 100k.