Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) announced today that it will deliver iSCSI drivers for its Windows client and server products in June, blaming the late ratification of the standard for its delayed support (see Microsoft Announces iSCSI Plans).
Advocates of the specification, which enables SCSI commands to run over TCP/IP networks, had been hoping Microsoft would include a native iSCSI driver as part of its upcoming Windows Server 2003 (formerly called Windows .NET), instead of a bolt-on offering after the launch (see Microsoft Won't Ship iSCSI in .NET).
Microsoft officials say the final version of the spec, ratified by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) one month ago, came too late to be included in the first release of the operating system. But the company says nothing prohibits iSCSI from being locked in to the next iteration (see iSCSI Gets Go-Ahead).
"Customers have been asking us for iSCSI," says Zane Adam, director of product development and marketing in Microsoft's enterprise storage division. "Our support of the IETF-ratified iSCSI protocol signals the company's focus on making Windows a stronger platform for storage."
Microsoft will provide the iSCSI software driver via a free Web download, and it will be available for Windows 2000 client and server versions, Windows XP client, and the Windows Server 2003 family.
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