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View Full Version : iSCSI - Why should I use it?


kscircular
08-29-2011, 02:22 PM
I am new to NAS's and iSCSI. I'm wondering if someone here can point me to the following:

1. How to properly use iSCSI with this NAS and
2. What are the benefits of using iSCSI. What are the advantages?

Thanks!
BadIntentions
08-29-2011, 04:47 PM
iSCSI is a method of making drives in the NAS appear to be directly connected to your PC. For example, if you have an iSCSI HBA, you can actually boot your computer from the Javelin, with no hard drives inside the computer at all. This is frequently used by servers for virtualization (Such as VMWare ESXi, Microsoft Virtual PC, etc)

It is advanced functionality targeted at Small and Medium businesses. Most home users will have no need for it.
BoostedGen2010
09-12-2011, 05:50 PM
If you want another simple use for it that might come in handy. On a Win7 PC I have setup for my girlfriend I mapped a connection as D: on her computer and created a 250GB iscsi target for her. I have all over her music, video and document folders mapped to D: so if she saved anything or does anything is stores it right on the NAS. Saves me from having to worry about doing backups and making sure her PC in on so it runs all the time or whatever just keeps it simple so I don't have to do anything else!

Just to give you an idea of something you can do with it. Hope this helps.
kscircular
09-12-2011, 06:03 PM
If you want another simple use for it that might come in handy. On a Win7 PC I have setup for my girlfriend I mapped a connection as D: on her computer and created a 250GB iscsi target for her. I have all over her music, video and document folders mapped to D: so if she saved anything or does anything is stores it right on the NAS. Saves me from having to worry about doing backups and making sure her PC in on so it runs all the time or whatever just keeps it simple so I don't have to do anything else!

Just to give you an idea of something you can do with it. Hope this helps.


Wouldn't a non iSCSI mapped drive provide the same functionality?
BadIntentions
09-12-2011, 07:37 PM
Wouldn't a non iSCSI mapped drive provide the same functionality?

Mostly. Some applications try to be fancy and 'network aware,' changing their behavior with a mapped drive. Microsoft's Windows Media Center (not the player, but the full fledged media center) comes to mind. It disallows recording of 'copy protected' flagged TV shows onto network media.

Barring these seriously unique cases, 99% of users are better off with a mapped network drive.
BoostedGen2010
09-19-2011, 06:21 PM
Wouldn't a non iSCSI mapped drive provide the same functionality?

Yes and No, I do it this way so they don't see the change and the PC isn't aware of a mapped drive. I get better performance and it doesn't lose the mapped drive sometimes like with windows. It is very stable and gives me the whole set it and forget it feel. I never have to worry about iscsi not being there when they login. EVER lol

Also it is works better because some things I have them install to the D: drive some products don't like to install to a mapped drive.