In a shot across Brocade's bow, Cisco rails about FC switch interoperability issues: "There is no technical reason for Fibre Channel not to be as interoperable as iSCSI is, on a protocol and device level. This is the fault of incumbent vendors that view proprietary features and vendor lock-in as business advantages. Customers should demand that vendors dismiss this shortsighted thinking and provide open interoperability among Fibre Channel devices that IP networking users enjoy." We agree but feel obliged to note that Cisco has introduced proprietary technology into its Fibre Channel products as well.
Cisco Systems, (800) 553-6387, (408) 526-4000. www.cisco.com
EMC Corp.
EMC's participation came as a bit of a surprise, given its solid position in the Fibre Channel world. But we reminded ourselves that the IETF working group responsible for iSCSI development has long been chaired by a senior technologist for EMC, David Black.
The vendor's opening remarks echoed those of other respondents with feet in both protocol camps: iSCSI was characterized as an edge technology until other enabling technologies matured and entered the mainstream, including "management systems, configuration automation, security mechanisms and cost-effective 10 Gigabit Ethernet."
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