If the world will eventually go to iSCSI, what is the value proposition for multi-protocol IP storage switches that do iSCSI-to-Fibre Channel translation?
There is significant value in having an iSCSI-to-Fibre Channel switch offering. The real investment customers make today is in the storage arrays themselves. The state-of-the-art happen to have Fibre Channel currently, and will have for the next few years. There is some cost in front-ending the Fibre Channel storage with an iSCSI-to-FC switch product, but the customer immediately realizes the value of using standard IP network infrastructure for the SAN core. Our solution also allows them to displace FC switches and associated cost and support. We have had a lot of interest since the Alacritech announcement (and subsequent Intel announcement) since customers can now deploy 2/3 of the SAN with IP (host and interconnect). That provides more flexibility on the host connection side (since hosts can be plugged in anywhere within the IP network and are not bound by FC cabling to a fabric switch) and significant savings in terms of acquisition and support of high performance SAN cores built w
