ISCSI is a standardized protocol based on which protocol?

iSCSI (Internet SCSI) is indeed a standardized protocol that operates over the TCP/IP protocol suite. It allows the SCSI command protocol to be transported over IP networks, facilitating communication between computers and storage devices across a standard Ethernet network. This makes it a cost-effective solution for implementing storage area networks (SANs) without the need for specialized hardware typically required for Fibre Channel SANs.

The reason TCP/IP is essential for iSCSI is that it enables the protocol to work with existing network infrastructures, leveraging the ubiquity of IP networking. By encapsulating SCSI commands and data into TCP packets, iSCSI supports storage traffic over standard IP networks, which can lead to greater flexibility and scalability.

In contrast, the other options reference different types of storage protocols or architectures that do not accurately represent the foundational technology iSCSI is built upon. Understanding these distinctions highlights the significance of TCP/IP in the design and implementation of iSCSI.