QuickSpecs

What is a storage area
network?
The simplest way of understanding a storage area
network is to compare it to an already popular type of
IT infrastructure solution—the local area network (LAN),
which enables multiple PCs to share key IT resources such
as applications, servers, shared files and printers.
SANs provide similar resource sharing, but are specifically
designed for servers to share storage devices such as disk
arrays or tape libraries.
The majority of SANs deployed today are built on the
fibre-channel (FC) protocol, which offers high levels of
performance and availability for demanding users.
However, there are now also IP SAN solutions based on
the iSCSI protocol, which enable smaller IT environments
to benefit from shared network storage at a particularly
favorable price.
What will it do for you?
Whether you choose fibre channel or iSCSI, moving to a
SAN will help you to store and manage growing amounts
of data more efficiently, while simultaneously cutting
operational and management costs.
Benefits include:
• Online scalability—so you can add storage with ease
to meet changing capacity requirements
• High levels of availability—enable your data and
applications to be fully accessible at all times, even
during backup
• Simple and centralized management—saving you vital
human resources
• High utilization of disk capacity—by creating a central
pool of storage, you can double capacity utilization
from 40 up to 80 percent, which improves cost efficiency
• Faster data restoration—to return your business to full
productivity
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Part 1:
Understanding the SAN