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    <title>About iSLB </title>
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<a name="wp1078196"> </a><h1 class="pTitle">
About iSLB

</h1>
<a name="wp1080070"> </a><p class="pBody">
The iSCSI server load balancing (iSLB) feature provides a means to easily configure large scale iSCSI 
deployments containing hundreds or even thousands of initiators. iSLB provides the following features:

</p>
<div class="pSmartList1"><ul class="pSmartList1">
<a name="wp1080071"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">The iSLB initiator configuration is simplified with support for initiator targets and auto-zones.
</li>
<a name="wp1080072"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">Cisco Fabric Services (CFS) eliminates the need for manual configuration by distributing the iSLB 
initiator configuration among all MDS switches in the fabric.
</li>
<a name="wp1080073"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">Dynamic load balancing of iSLB initiators is available using iSCSI login redirect and VRRP.
</li>
</ul></div>
<a name="wp1080076"> </a><p class="pBody">
When not using iSLB, configuring iSCSI requires the following:

</p>
<div class="pSmartList1"><ul class="pSmartList1">
<a name="wp1080077"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">You need to perform multiple configuration steps on the MDS switch, including the following:
</li>
<div class="pSmartList2"><ul class="pSmartList2">
<a name="wp1080078"> </a><li class="pSmartList2">Initiator configuration using static pWWN and VSAN.</li>
<a name="wp1080079"> </a><li class="pSmartList2">Zoning configuration for initiators and targets.</li>
<a name="wp1080080"> </a><li class="pSmartList2">Optional create virtual target and give access to the initiator.</li>
<a name="wp1080081"> </a><li class="pSmartList2">Configuration of target LUN mapping and masking on the storage system for the initiator based on the static pWWN created for the initiator on the MDS switch.</li>
</ul></div>
<a name="wp1080082"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">You need to duplicate the configuration manually on multiple MDS switches.
</li>
<a name="wp1080084"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">There is no load balancing for IPS ports. For example:
</li>
<div class="pSmartList2"><ul class="pSmartList2">
<a name="wp1080087"> </a><li class="pSmartList2">The Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) only supports active and backup, not load balancing.</li>
<a name="wp1080088"> </a><li class="pSmartList2">You must use multiple VRRP groups and configure hosts in different groups.</li>
</ul></div>
</ul></div>
<a name="wp1080089"> </a><p class="pBody">
iSLB provides the following features:

</p>
<div class="pSmartList1"><ul class="pSmartList1">
<a name="wp1080090"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">The iSLB initiator configuration is simplified with support for initiator targets and auto-zones.
</li>
<a name="wp1080091"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">Cisco Fabric Services (CFS) eliminates the need for manual configuration by distributing the iSLB 
initiator configuration among all MDS switches in the fabric.
</li>
<a name="wp1080093"> </a><p class="pBodyAutonumRel">
<strong>Note	&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong> Only statically mapped iSLB initiator configuration is distributed throughout the fabric 
using CFS. Dynamically and statically mapped iSCSI initiator configurations are not 
distributed.

</p>
<a name="wp1080096"> </a><li class="pSmartList1">Dynamic load balancing of iSLB initiators is available using iSCSI login redirect and VRRP.
</li>
</ul></div>
<hr /><br><p class="pBody">Copyright 2010-2013, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.</p> 

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