What are the requirements for network administration of NFS and iSCSI storage?

1 NFS basics

NFS stands for Network File System and it allows multiple clients to access and share files stored on a remote server over a network. NFS is a stateless protocol, which means that it does not keep track of the status of each connection or file operation. NFS uses the TCP/IP protocol stack and operates at the application layer. NFS is widely used in Linux and Unix environments, as well as some Windows systems.

2 iSCSI basics

iSCSI stands for Internet Small Computer System Interface and it enables clients to access and manipulate block-level data stored on a remote server over a network. iSCSI is a stateful protocol, which means that it maintains a persistent connection and session between the client and the server. iSCSI uses the TCP/IP protocol stack and operates at the transport layer. iSCSI is widely used in Windows and VMware environments, as well as some Linux and Unix systems.

3 NFS vs iSCSI

NFS and iSCSI have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the use case and the performance requirements. NFS is simpler to set up and manage, as it does not require any special hardware or software on the client side. NFS also supports file-level locking and permissions, which can improve security and collaboration. However, NFS can suffer from latency and bandwidth issues, as it transfers more metadata and overhead than iSCSI. iSCSI, on the other hand, offers better performance and scalability, as it transfers raw data blocks and can leverage advanced features such as multipathing and load balancing. iSCSI also supports block-level encryption and compression, which can enhance security and efficiency. However, iSCSI requires more configuration and maintenance, as it needs dedicated initiators and targets on the client and server side, respectively.

4 Network administration skills

Network administrators need a range of skills to effectively administer NFS and iSCSI storage, including understanding the architecture and functionality of NFS and iSCSI protocols, configuring and troubleshooting servers and clients, monitoring and optimizing performance and availability, securing and protecting storage, and backing up and restoring data. This requires knowledge of tools such as nfs-utils, rpcbind, mount, showmount, iscsiadm, iscsid, tgtadm, iostat, vmstat, sar, nfsstat, nfsiostat, iscsi-iname, iscsi-ls, iptables, firewalld, tcpwrappers, SELinux, Kerberos, CHAP, LUKS, rsync, tar, dd, LVM and ZFS.

5 Network administration tools

Network administrators can use graphical or web-based tools to manage NFS and iSCSI storage, such as Webmin, Cockpit, GParted, and Nautilus. Webmin is a web-based interface that enables network administrators to configure and control various aspects of their servers. Cockpit is a web-based interface that provides a dashboard and a terminal for managing multiple servers. GParted is a graphical tool that allows network administrators to create, resize, move, copy, and delete partitions on their disks. Lastly, Nautilus is a graphical file manager that enables network administrators to browse, access, and manage files and folders on their local and remote storage.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?