Which IP storage type is supported in vSphere?

The type of IP storage supported in vSphere is iSCSI. iSCSI, which stands for Internet Small Computer Systems Interface, allows SCSI commands to be sent over IP networks, enabling data storage and retrieval over the network. This method provides a way for virtual machines hosted on vSphere to access remote storage devices as if they were local storage.

iSCSI is widely used in VMware environments because it allows for flexibility in storage architecture and can leverage existing IP networks. It also facilitates the deployment of centralized storage solutions that can be effectively managed and scaled as infrastructure needs grow. The ability to connect multiple servers to iSCSI storage allows for easy sharing of storage resources, which is a significant advantage in virtualized environments.

While SAN (Storage Area Network) is a term that encompasses a broader range of storage solutions, including both fiber and IP-based solutions, iSCSI specifically refers to the IP-based implementation of SCSI commands. vSAN, on the other hand, is a hyper-converged infrastructure solution that uses local storage on ESXi hosts rather than traditional network storage. Lastly, SCSI is a protocol for connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices, but it does not define a specific method for storage access over a network like