We have servers in the DMZ that the server admins and storage guys would like 
to use iSCSI with.  The problem that us network/security guys see is that the 
iSCSI network is connected to a bunch of servers that are on the inside 
network.  Since the OS of the server can see the iSCSI network (software iSCSI 
initiators), we are concerned that a server on the DMZ could use the iSCSI 
network to talk to/attack a server that's on the inside network.  In effect, 
the iSCSI network could be used to circumvent the firewall.

To address this issue, we're looking at dedicated iSCSI HBAs (hardware iSCSI 
initiators).  The thought is that the server OS sees the HBA purely as a disk 
device and has no way of talking to the iSCSI network.  Thus, if the DMZ server 
becomes compromised OR if the server admin tries to "cheat" and get around the 
firewall procedures, the iSCSI network will not be a path to the inside 
network's servers.

Does anybody know of any technical gotchas in this solution?


(For completeness...  The HBA we purchased for proof-of-concept testing is the 
QLogic QLE4062C.)

(If this doesn't work out well, the storage guys will probably just have to buy 
another iSCSI array and we'll set up another iSCSI VLAN for them, both 
dedicated to serving the DMZ hosts.)


===
Jeremy Charles
Epic - Computer and Technology Services Division
[email protected]

Phone:  608-271-9000   Fax:  608-271-7237

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