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    RE: iSCSI: Support Alias in the protocol



    
    Robert,
    You make good points, however, I would say that they show that an alias in
    the protocol is useful.  The items you list are not an "eui" iSCSI
    Initiator or Target Node name.  The fact that and "eui" name can be a bunch
    of Hex numbers, is the exact reason that a human way to talk about it, and
    get MIB and SNMP reports is useful and important.  There is no other item
    in the system or the SCSI level that has a method of identifying an iSCSI
    Initiator or Target via a Human oriented name.
    
    .
    .
    .
    John L. Hufferd
    Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM)
    IBM/SSG San Jose Ca
    Main Office (408) 256-0403, Tie: 276-0403,  eFax: (408) 904-4688
    Home Office (408) 997-6136
    Internet address: hufferd@us.ibm.com
    
    
    Robert Snively <rsnively@brocade.com> on 08/10/2001 12:06:54 AM
    
    To:   John Hufferd/San Jose/IBM@IBMUS, ips@ece.cmu.edu
    cc:
    Subject:  RE: iSCSI: Support Alias in the protocol
    
    
    
    John,
    
    I feel that the alias does not belong in the iSCSI architecture.
    Aliasing is already routinely provided at two other levels in
    the protocol stack and need not be redundantly inserted in iSCSI.
    
    a)  In the SCSI command set
    
    There is already available a logical unit level aliasing process
    using the SET/REPORT DEVICE IDENTIFIER service actions defined
    in the SCSI command set standard SPC-2.
    
    b)  In the operating system stack
    
    Most implementations use aliases created at the system level, not
    the protocol level, that are far more useful and can be tuned
    to the particular environment.  A particularly naive example of
    this is the mapping of identified devices to the A:, B:, or
    C: disk drives in the similarly naive MS-DOS operating system.
    More sophisticated systems and management structures use similar
    aliasing at the system level.
    
    Bob
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: John Hufferd [mailto:hufferd@us.ibm.com]
    Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 9:52 AM
    To: ips@ece.cmu.edu
    Subject: iSCSI: Support Alias in the protocol
    
    
    Today at the 51st meeting of the IETF, I presented an issue that came out
    of the Naming and Discovery Team.
    
    That was that some members of the team did not understand why we needed to
    have an Alias field, which is in the base protocol today, since it was
    technically not needed.   The position I presented to the group was that
    the Naming and Discovery Team did not have consensus, since many of us felt
    that having a Human oriented "Tagging" function was useful, and a small
    item which would be useful for Administrators especially when EUI names are
    used.
    
    One person, at the meeting today, stated that it might not be of extreme
    importance on large Networks with sophisticated Management tools, but it
    was very useful in small to medium environments, where the Management tools
    were slim.  And at least one person stated that since it was not required,
    it should not be in the protocol.
    
    As the conversations when on, it was pointed out by the area director,
    Scott  Bradner, that SLP used a similar Text field in its protocol, so
    there was clearly a president.
    
    In any event, we could not reach consensus at the meeting, so I was asked
    to bring the issue to the List.  (So here it is!)
    
    Please state your positions so that David can call a consensus.
    
    
    
    .
    .
    .
    John L. Hufferd
    Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM)
    IBM/SSG San Jose Ca
    Main Office (408) 256-0403, Tie: 276-0403,  eFax: (408) 904-4688
    Home Office (408) 997-6136
    Internet address: hufferd@us.ibm.com
    
    
    
    
    


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