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[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] RE: profiles - a way to simplify iSCSIJulo: That is exactly what the MMC and ATA/ATAPI specifications do, the declare the basics; options and required, then group them into functional profiles or feature sets. Setting off minimums, maximums and middle ranges will create classes and sub-classes of implementations. This will force those who don't create end-node targets to have deep understandings of problems associated with feature set misinterpretations, and convert un-implemented commands and responses for different levels of feature implementation. I am all for making it easier, and if this group can make it easier and more reliable with this effort, then I am up to learning all about it. My past experience tells me this could be difficult. I will attempt an unbiased watching of this as it develops. Good Luck. Bob Robert Griswold Technologist Crossroads Systems, Inc. 512-928-7272 -----Original Message----- From: julian_satran@il.ibm.com [mailto:julian_satran@il.ibm.com] Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 10:15 AM To: ips@ece.cmu.edu Subject: RE: profiles - a way to simplify iSCSI Robert, Profiles are meant INSTEAD -OF not in addition to the current set of features. I appreciate your concerns but I think that I must have misstated the profile intention. A profile will be an exact mapping of a set of functions we have today. As such it will be SIMPLER both to implement and test. Julo "Robert Griswold" <rgriswold@crossroads.com> on 22-06-2001 17:19:47 Please respond to "Robert Griswold" <rgriswold@crossroads.com> To: Julian Satran/Haifa/IBM@IBMIL cc: ips@ece.cmu.edu Subject: RE: profiles - a way to simplify iSCSI Julian: Well, drawing on my experience from the consumer storage specs (ATA/ATAPI/MMC), profiles and features lead to huge interoperability problems. The issue for robust (full featured) targets and initiators is they have to chase down every single interpretation of feature sets, some that they don't even care about, so the devices are not caught in transport or command sequences they have no idea about. I am in agreement with David Black and others who have specified that the iSCSI transport needs simplicity rather than complexity; I fear that providing still more optional implementations would lead to more problems. If we believe the hype from the press, then iSCSI will make for cheap targets, which means fast product schedules and low engineering and test coverage from companies that could ship millions of little iSCSI boxes. A tighter iSCSI specification might help keep some of these potential interoperability problems from becoming wildfires. Bob Robert Griswold Technologist Crossroads Systems, Inc. 512-928-7272 -----Original Message----- From: julian_satran@il.ibm.com [mailto:julian_satran@il.ibm.com] Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2001 12:15 PM To: ips@ece.cmu.edu Subject: profiles - a way to simplify iSCSI Dear colleagues, iSCSI keeps getting richer in negotiable parameters/features. Although flexibility is a great thing every new negotiable parameter/feature get us all worrying about: what it will break when used in combination with other parameters/features how are we going to test that all our combinations work as we think that they are specified are we understanding/specifying the combinations the same way as anybody else I assume that many of you are wondering, as I do, if all this flexibility is really worth it's price. Would the community not be better served by specifying profiles that are a complete-and-invariable combination of features and very small set of numerical parameters? I would start with 2 profiles: the minimal profile (only basic features) the maximum profile (all the features) and then (only if we are strongly convinced it is needed) add a middle point. Please comment, Julo
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