NAS vs. SAN Networks

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NAS vs. SAN Networks

NAS which in full stands for network attached storage refers to a system which is made up of one or more hard drives, an operating system as well as an internet connection (Troppens & Erkens, 2004). The system links different people on the same network hence can easily share data from a central point. The storage area network on the other hand, refers to a designed network that offers access to amalgamated stored data (Dwivedi, 2006). The SANs network is usually not accessible via the LAN. Similarly, the SAN network (storage area network) is a network that utilizes its protocols such as HBA adapters, SAN switches, SAN controllers and disks among others to store data. The ability to store data in blocks instead of files makes the network store large quantities of data.

Wright technologies, is an IT company with a personnel of 500 employees (Troppens, 2009). On annual basis, the company generates a total of 5billion dollars with a data requirement of $1000 dollars per user per month (Troppens, 2009). Being an information technology a lot of data is used in the maintenance of the databases. An average of $800millionis generated in a month (Troppens, 2009). Time sharing is the most preferred data transaction system used with batch processing also used when required.

In most cases, the company prefers SANs over NAS because of its low latency and the ability as well as its specialized consistency in reading and writing of data (Troppens & Erkens, 2004). When it comes to covering large geographical areas, SANS are handy because they use hubs, routers, switches in creating fiber channel fabrics that accommodate a large number of devices as compared to NAS.

When it comes to carrying out of data operations, unlike the NAS network which can transverse the LAN, the SANS carries out several data operations without trans versing the LAN (Dwivedi, 2006). In this case, there is a higher efficiency in the transmission and dispatching of large amounts of data via the internet and IP. In incidences where the company has several data centers, the SAN network can be essential in the distribution and allowing access to storage assets without relying on the physical location whereas the NAS only allows distribution of data when the users are located at the same point.

Wright technologies are a large enterprise network and in this case, the company requires extremely high speed transfer tasks as well as a lot of terabytes of consolidated and centralized storage systems. Such operations make it completely impractical to use the NAS devices but installation of high performance SAN network increase the much desired scalability and efficiency.

Whereas at times the NAS network may experience incidences of congestion when huge packets of data require backing up during operational hours, the SAN network on the other hand is designed to create a separate network designed to store, backup and restore data without interfering with the normal operation of the IP network.

SAN is very appropriate in the transfer of large and heterogeneous blocks of data. The ability to create low latencies, being highly reliable, lossless and being fast makes the SAN network preferred over NAS especially when transacting demanding databanks such as CRM and ERP systems that require high performance (Troppens & Erkens, 2004).

Conclusion

Whereas the SAN and NAS differ in their functionality and efficiency, it is possible to utilize a combined SAN-NAS hybrid which offers advanced protocols of both file level and block level in a single system. If implemented, Wright technologies can be able to allow her servers boot from the SAN network and also easily replace defective servers because with the hybrid the SAN network can be modified to enable the replaces servers use the LUN of the faulty server (Dwivedi, 2006).

References

Dwivedi, H. (2006). Securing storage: a practical guide to SAN and NAS security. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.

Troppens, U., & Erkens, R. (2004). Storage networks explained: basics and application of fibre channel SAN, NAS, iSCSI and InfiniBand. Chichester: Wiley.

Troppens, U. (2009). Storage networks explained basics and application of Fibre Channel SAN, NAS, iSCSI, InfiniBand and FCoE (2nd ed.). Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley.