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Advanced iSCSI Plugin FAQ

  1. What is Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin?

    The Open Source distribution of Openfiler comes with a basic iSCSI Target functionality. The basic iSCSI target implementation in Openfiler is suitable for small-scale deployments where performance is not a critical factor. When you wish to deploy iSCSI as a backend for virtualization, the basic iSCSI target in Openfiler is constrained in delivery of a suitable level of performance or standards compliance. For this reason, we are now shipping the Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin. Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is designed for production use in environments that demand very high I/O load and strict standards compliance from backend storage. The plugin comprises of a robust performance-oriented standards-compliant kernel iSCSI target implementation coupled with a front-end web-management interface. Deploying a feature-complete standards-compliant iSCSI storage area network could not be easier with integrated volume management and broad hardware support.

  2. How is Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin licensed?

    The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is licensed per installed instance.

  3. Is the Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin Open Source?

    The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is a proprietary product.

  4. Is the Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin license perpetual?

    No. Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is licensed, per installed instance, under an annual subscription license.

  5. I would like to purchase the Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin but do not have a Paypal account. What other methods of payment can I use?

    You do not require a Paypal account to complete the purchase. You may use any credit or debit card by entering details in the payment processing page. You may also pay via direct bank wire transfer. Please contact sales@openfiler.com if you wish to pay via bank wire.

  6. Does Openfiler Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin support my hardware?

    Openfiler Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is layered on top of the Linux-based Openfiler appliance software and is compatible with any industry standard network interface card running at 1GbE and 10GbE speeds.

  7. Can I migrate from basic Openfiler iSCSI Target to Advanced iSCSI Target?

    Yes. This can be achieved without data loss and does not require any changes to initiators accessing LUNs on the target.

  8. Will I lose any data when I migrate from basic Openfiler iSCSI Target to Advanced iSCSI Target?

    No. There will be no data loss when migrating from basic Openfiler iSCSI Target to Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin.

  9. Will I receive installation support?

    Yes. Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin includes installation and migration support from basic Openfiler iSCSI Target.

  10. Does Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin include a support plan?

    The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin license includes getting started support which covers installation and migration from basic Openfiler iSCSI Target. We recommend purchasing a support service plan to go along with your Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin deployment for added peace of mind. You may learn more about Openfiler commercial support options here: http://www.openfiler.com/support

  11. Are there any performance improvements with Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin over basic Openfiler iSCSI Target?

    Performance improvement is significant. The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin can typically function at near wire-speed on 10gb Ethernet and Infiniband.

  12. Can I use Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin with VMware vSphere?

    Yes. Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is a standards-compliant iSCSI target implementation and is fully compatible with VMware vSphere for block-based backend storage.

  13. Can I use Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin with Windows Failover Cluster?

    Yes. Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin supports persistent reservations and passes Windows Failover Cluster validation.

  14. Can I use Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin with Citrix Xenserver?

    Yes. The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is compatible with Citrix Xenserver and passes the Citrix Xenserver iSCSI backend storage test suite.

  15. Can I use Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin with Microsoft Hyper-V?

    Yes. The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin is an excellent high-performance solution for backend iSCSI block storage in Hyper-V deployments.

  16. Does Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin support replication and failover?

    Yes. The Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin can be used with the Openfiler Cluster and Replication suite, delivering highly-available backend iSCSI Target storage for production mission critical deployments.

  17. What management functionality is provided with Openfiler Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin?

    Openfiler Advanced iSCSI Target Plugin comes with an intuitive web-based management interface that provides full management capability of iSCSI target export. This includes virtual disks management, target management, LUN mapping, LUN masking and portal configuration.

  18. How much storage can I manage and export to initiators with the plugin?

    There are no capacity or initiator restrictions for the plugin. You may deploy as much storage as you wish to as many initiators as you want with no additional cost.