Storage connected to servers over IP networks, also known as IP storage, enables cost-effective storage networks to be adopted by a broad, main-stream market. The Internet and the explosive growth of storage are driving the need for scalable, flexible storage architectures, which is fueling the need for storage networking solutions. Currently many companies are evaluating or studying the deployment of Fibre Channel SANs but adoption by all but the largest companies is being hindered by the need to install, manage, and maintain a new Fibre Channel infrastructure. Interest is therefore growing in ways to utilize the same network infrastructure being deployed for Intranets and Internets to implement networks of storage.