Question : Problem: ISCSI versus SAN

Would like to know opinions. I have been using EMC's DMX/Clariion etc. My management has asked me to look for alternatives to EMC (due to the price and attitude).

Looking at ISCSI seems to be much cheaper, less infrastructure costs and no additional personnel to manage my switches since we have the network folks to manage the network.

Also, which company's are on the forefront.

Please advise.

UNC

Answer : Problem: ISCSI versus SAN

Well, Many companies support iSCSI, HDS IBM HP to name a few. The DMX is iSCSI capable also. Clariion is not. You can also get iSCSI software from storageTek that will turn a normal windows file server into an iSCSI share box.
You need to be careful about your assumptions of iSCSI. It is only good if you have a dedicated gig ethernet network, and all servers are on gig. Any host on less than gig will bomb badly. You're correct in saying that it is cheaper and less management overhead, but typically you need to invest in a separate LAN to segregate out traditional IP from  iSCSI (at least separate core switches), and thioe core gig switches are not cheap.
Overall it's worth doing, but remember that iSCSI is still in it's infantcy and it maybe worth running a pilot for a few non critical servers first before leaping in.

My overall opinion is talk to HDS, their pricepoint is a lot less that EMC, and they are very flexible and will talk through this with you, and can even setup a lab for you to play with options (depends upon which country you are in). HDS main labs are in Silicon Valley in US and in Stoke Pogen (N Slough) in UK. Manybe i'm Biased...I used to work for them in storage division.

Da Proff