Contrary to general opinion, FC SANS are no more secure than ISCSI SANs. Rather, FC installations have benefited indirectly from their complexity and their relative isolation in data centers. When comparing the two, it’s worth noting that iSCSI supports a pretty extensive list of security features, including Access Control Lists (ACLs), the IP Security Protocol (IPSec), the Challenge Handshake AUTHENTICATION Protocol (CHAP) and the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNS). Anytime an iSCSI SAN EXTENDS beyond the data center, the storage administrator must take the necessary steps to ensure secure access. The trick when it comes to iSCSI security is not to find the right tools for the job, but to use the best methods and make the most of the tools that already exist.

Contrary to general opinion, FC SANs are no more secure than iSCSI SANs. Rather, FC installations have benefited indirectly from their complexity and their relative isolation in data centers. When comparing the two, it’s worth noting that iSCSI supports a pretty extensive list of security features, including Access Control Lists (ACLs), the IP Security Protocol (IPSec), the Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) and the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Anytime an iSCSI SAN extends beyond the data center, the storage administrator must take the necessary steps to ensure secure access. The trick when it comes to iSCSI security is not to find the right tools for the job, but to use the best methods and make the most of the tools that already exist.