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SCSI, or Small Computer System Interface, is a set of standards for connecting and communicating between computers and peripheral devices like hard drives, tape drives, and scanners. It is a high-speed, intelligent interface that was originally a parallel connection but has evolved into serial versions like Serial Attached SCSI (SAS), which is now common in enterprise storage and servers. SCSI can also be used over a network using Internet SCSI (iSCSI) to make network storage appear local.

Key aspects of SCSI

Function: SCSI defines how a computer can communicate with and transfer data to multiple peripherals, such as hard drives, tape drives, CD/DVD drives, and scanners.

Interface: It acts as a local bus interface, connecting devices on a single bus. Early SCSI used a parallel connection, but newer versions, like SAS, are serial to allow for higher speeds.

Evolution: SCSI has gone through many revisions, increasing in speed and capabilities. The original parallel standard has largely been replaced by its serial successors, but the fundamental concepts are still in use.

Modern usage: While it was once common in high-performance workstations, the modern versions (SAS and iSCSI) are primarily found in enterprise and professional settings, especially in server environments and cloud storage.

Network integration: iSCSI allows SCSI commands and data to be transmitted over standard IP networks, enabling block-level access to storage over a network, making it look like a local drive.