What are Fibre Channel and iSCSI primarily used for?

Fibre Channel and iSCSI are primarily utilized for connecting Storage Area Networks (SANs), which are specialized networks designed to provide access to consolidated block-level storage. Fibre Channel is a high-speed networking technology that is commonly used in enterprise environments to connect servers to storage devices, ensuring high throughput and low latency. It allows for the creation of a dedicated storage network that can handle large volumes of data traffic efficiently.

iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface), on the other hand, utilizes standard Ethernet networks to enable SCSI commands to be sent over IP networks. This is especially useful for organizations looking to implement SAN solutions without the specialized hardware associated with Fibre Channel. iSCSI allows for storage devices to be accessed over existing network infrastructure, making it a cost-effective solution for storage connectivity.

Both technologies provide the means to centralize and manage data storage, improve data accessibility and resiliency, and enhance performance in environments where high data throughput and reliability are necessary. Their primary function of connecting storage devices to servers within SANs makes them essential for businesses with significant data storage requirements.