Which protocol is commonly used for SAN (Storage Area Network) in conjunction with PowerEdge servers?

The correct choice, iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface), is widely utilized in SAN environments, particularly when working with PowerEdge servers. iSCSI enables the encapsulation of SCSI commands within IP packets, facilitating storage data transfer over standard Ethernet networks. This means that organizations can leverage their existing network infrastructure to create cost-effective SAN solutions without needing specialized hardware, which simplifies deployment and increases flexibility.

iSCSI's capability to operate over long distances, along with its compatibility with existing IP networks, allows for scalability and efficient management of storage resources. It's often favored in scenarios where budget constraints or existing Ethernet infrastructure play a crucial role in storage solutions.

While Fibre Channel is also a prominent protocol used for SANs, it typically requires dedicated hardware and significantly higher costs for the infrastructure, making iSCSI a more attractive option for many users. Network File System (NFS) is mainly used for file-based storage solutions rather than block storage that SANs provide, and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) is primarily used for directly attached storage systems rather than over a network, which is the focus of a SAN environment.