iSCSI on the Mac

[Rosko]

I know this is a non-JAMF question, but figured this is probably the best place to go for knowledgeable SysAdmins.

We are going to be expanding one of our remote sites and are looking at local storage options at that site. At first we were planning to purchase the Drobo B800i and use the iSCSI connection to serve up shares to both a Mac an Windows servers, but then we learned that Windows Server 2012 can server up iSCSI connections and store disks in a JBOD format, much like the Drobo.

We've tested the Windows Server 2012 iSCSI shares and so far they seem to work with out any issues, but is there any drawbacks to this? Or are we loosing anything by not going to route of the Drobo?

Frankly...I am a Apple Systems Admin and our Windows Admins can't really answer this question either. They both seem like solid options, just not sure which route is the best to take.

Any input from folks would be great.

Thanks,

Joshua B Roskos
Lands' End | Apple Systems Administrator
? josh.roskos@landsend.com | ? (608) 935-6401

[johncwelch]

The only place the windows solution might get sticky is the iSCSI initiator. That you'd have to go third party for, apple doesn't include one in the OS. Part of the drobo software is the initiator.

Both are a good solution on the face of it. Are you in a windows infrastucture in terms of directory services?

[Rosko]

Correct. We've been testing with the GlobalSAN iSCSI Initiator and it seems to be working great and yes, we are tied into our Windows infrastructure.

From what I've read, the Drobo includes a copy if the ATTO version on their Mac iSCSI Initator. But otherwise both seem good and I haven't really found any drawbacks either way.

[johncwelch]

Yep. We've a couple 800i's, they're good rigs. But if you already have a solid 2012 setup, then there's a lot of other options that would probably integrate better.

[waderobson]

We had corruption issues with the GlobalSAN one. Switched to ATTO and things starting working. Plus ATTO offered us a refund if we couldn't get it working.

[Rosko]

@waderobson

What are you connecting too for your target?

[waderobson]

Sorry it was a LenovoEMC PX12-450R . Its running some proprietary web-based software to setup the targets. Not really apple's to apple's. I have no experience with windows targets.