A Comparative Analysis Of Open Source Storage Area Networks With Esxi 5.1

Storage Area Networks have increased in popularity with the advancement of virtualization technologies. SANs consist of a central repository of hard disks allowing multiple clients to access and share data over a computer network. In recent years, multiple commercial and open source SAN technologies have been introduced to the market. Unlike commercial products, the open source SAN technologies lack formal documentation and research making implementation best practices scarce. This research analyzed the performance of different SAN architectures and implementation strategies. In addition, this paper expands upon previous research by using current hardware and software technologies. The test results of prominent open source SAN technologies and an analysis of acquired data has added to the body of knowledge regarding SAN best practices