The ENBD (Enhanced Network Block Device) is an industrial-strength version of the Linux kernel NBD. It makes a remote disk look like a local block device, allowing cheap and safe realtime mirrors to be built over the net. It features internal block-journalling and multichannel failover.
This is a Linux kernel driver that adapts the kernel's own software RAID1 (i.e. mirroring) driver for use in the context of network attached storage. This driver tracks missed mirror updates on a faulted mirror component and when the component is repaired it updates only the missed blocks, not the whole device. This strategy is particularly suited to mirrors with remote components (see project ENBD), because faults are likely to be temporary, not catastrophic. Dis- and re-connects are noticed automatically and ensuing RAID administration is also handled automatically. Asynchronous writes cut latency to that of the fastest component. This driver is the first of several which will add network storage compatibility to the Linux kernels own software RAID drivers. It is compatible with the standard Linux raidtools2 software utilities package.
Remote vs. local Remote configuration is a different problem from local configuration. I suggest you tackle the two separately. If a remote configuration tool has access to your remote middle-layer...