After installation we dove into the configuration interface. Unfortunately, it was like traveling back in time to the 1980s--the configuration utility is a command-line executable that we had to copy by hand to the hard disk. Self-explanatory text menus greeted us, reminiscent of our long-past dial-up BBS days. Although this configuration utility was better than the beta Microsoft iSCSI drivers that we had to use for the base NIC and the Alacritech card, it fell way below our expectations. When we queried Adaptec, the company said it plans to have a easy-to-use GUI configuration utility available next month--not a moment too soon.
Adaptec did include a configuration binary for Linux but said it has no plans for a Linux GUI configuration utility. Our Network Computing Linux guru, technology editor Lori MacVittie, tells us that will suit Linux wonks just fine.
Other than the aforementioned multiple-target issue, testing on the Adaptec 7211C went smoothly. It wasn't the speediest demon on our multiple-target read tests, but its performance was acceptable. On our write tests, the 7211C showed very good performance, and it was downright stingy in CPU utilization. The 7211C scored well in both the IOps and 2-Kbps database tests, while it won outright on throughput and was within a hair of the Intel Pro/1000 T IP Storage Adapter for CPU performance in our custom test.
The Adaptec 7211C demonstrated good throughput and great CPU performance, all at an attractive price.
Adaptec iSCSI Adapter 7211C, $660. Adaptec, (408) 945-8600, (800) 442-7274. www.adaptec.com
Bob Friday, Chief AI Officer for Juniper Networks, explains how the advanced technology is transforming operations.
Contact center leaders from 8x8, Awaken Intelligence, and 360insight discuss the importance of agent experience.
AI may force enterprises to rewire parts of their data centers so they are fully optimized to run such workloads. The question is do you use Ethernet or InfiniBand?
