Which IP storage type is supported in vSphere?

In vSphere, iSCSI is a supported IP storage type that allows the use of existing Ethernet networking infrastructure to facilitate storage network communications. By using the iSCSI protocol, vSphere can connect to iSCSI storage devices over an IP network, making it a flexible option for organizations that want to leverage their Ethernet networks for storage purposes.

iSCSI stands out due to its ability to encapsulate SCSI commands into IP packets, enabling remote storage access as if it were local storage. It is particularly beneficial for virtualized environments, like those managed by vSphere, because it simplifies the storage configuration and deployment while providing the necessary performance and reliability for virtual machines.

The other options, while related to storage in some capacity, do not specifically apply as IP storage types within the vSphere context. For example, vSAN is a software-defined storage solution that aggregates local storage from multiple hosts rather than utilizing IP storage. SCSI is a traditional protocol for connecting storage devices that does not use IP, and while SAN (Storage Area Network) encompasses a wide variety of technologies, it typically refers to block-level storage accessed via Fibre Channel rather than IP. Thus, the selection of iSCSI is based on its compatibility and functionality within the vSphere