You Have Several Options When It Comes To Backing Up Your Data Or Having To Back Up Your Data. For Example, You Can Use An External Hard Drive.

However, this approach is helpful in the short term for archiving information that is not very bulky. A better option is to buy storage under a network (NAS) header.
Network-Attached Storage is a comprehensive mechanism for archiving, sharing folders between users, and other features. However, this approach is not very responsive in large organizations such as financial institutions.

What is a storage space network (SAN)? Large organizations need a more comprehensive Storage Area Network (SAN) solution. Each of these technologies has its advantages, disadvantages, and applications. If you want to know what network storage is, what network storage is, and the differences between the two technologies, read on.

Let’s start with the storage space network. A storage space network is a network of servers, devices, and storage equipment with high performance and speed that provides access to integrated storage space and block level. Different devices can connect to and interact with this network in a SAN-based environment. The SAN storage network can be implemented independently of the local network to improve network performance, data protection mechanism, and post-crisis recovery if needed.

What are the components of a SAN storage network?

As mentioned, storage space networks are physically implemented independently of the local network, and therefore it is possible to implement them on different sites. Typically, storage space networks consist of age switches, hosts, and storage devices connected and the LAN based on proprietary protocols and hardware interfaces.

What are the benefits of SANs?

In general, organizations use the storage space network to increase productivity, as it provides integrated storage and sharing mechanism and, in addition, enables the implementation of security solutions to protect the data available to network administrators. The essential advantages of SAN are the following:

• Extensibility: The SAN network can be adapted to the evolving needs of the business. For example, if you have more storage space, it is possible to increase storage capacity. Therefore, there is no problem in expanding this space.
• Backup: Data backup is the biggest concern of organizations and network experts. If you use a SAN, you will have access to a comprehensive solution for backing up data that may be on the organization’s various local area networks.
• Reduce LAN Bandwidth Problems: Because a large portion of network traffic is used to transmit packets, LAN-based storage systems face the problem of significant bandwidth bottlenecks. In addition, access to multimedia files on equipment may delay due to a lack of bandwidth. However, when you implement a SAN network, it has its traffic. Thus, the overall performance of the local network is maintained, and the access time to the files is shorter.
• Data security: Using the SAN network, network administrators can use different security mechanisms based on the sensitivity of the information and will have more options. In addition, because the data is on a separate network, if the hackers succeed in infiltrating the local network, the data will not be compromised because they are on another independent network.
• Post-crisis recovery: An organization’s employees can easily back up data to another device. If there is a problem with the information stored on the client equipment or servers, the information has been deleted or distorted by a hacker attack, and the recovery will make in the shortest time.

Disadvantages of SAN

While SANs have many advantages for organizations, they have their disadvantages. The most important disadvantages of these networks are the following:

• Complexity: A SAN network has a relatively complex implementation; it is not easy to maintain and manage. Experts are needed who have accurate information about the various aspects of these networks.
• Cost: Because SAN networks are made of different components, the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and implementing these networks is almost high. Therefore, they may not be a good option for small to medium-sized companies.
• Management: The process of monitoring SAN networks is challenging. Therefore, network experts are needed to manage these networks.

The most common SAN protocols

Today, the following three protocols are used when implementing SAN networks.

• Fiber Channel Protocol: A high-speed data transfer protocol transmits data at the block level with a minor loss (Lossless). A fiber channel connects storage equipment to servers in the SAN network in data centers. This protocol in the SAN network has a function similar to the TCP / IP protocol in shared networks.
• Internet Small Computer System Interface: The iSCSI protocol consists of SCSI commands within an Ethernet framework that uses an IP-based Ethernet network to transmit data.
• Fiber Channel over Ethernet: The Ethernet Fiber Channel (FCoE) protocol works like iSCSI because it puts an FC frame into the Ethernet datagram. This protocol also uses the IP Ethernet network to transmit data.

How does SAN work?

SAN provides a high-speed infrastructure for servers to connect to logical disk drives. A logical disk drive is an array of blocks based on a set of storage units represented as a logical disk on the server.

Hence, when you connect to a SAN from a local network or a server, the network is displayed as a local disk. It is done so that each client device can store the data in a logical unit, just as it stores information on any local machine.

In other words, a simple, usable solution is provided to the user by trying to abstract the technical details. Accurately implemented SAN networks offer the highest fault tolerance threshold, so minimal data loss rates.

Examples of real-time SAN applications

SANs have their local file system that enables servers to partition and format blocks for use as local storage units. SANs can be used as a backup mechanism for Performance-Sensitive applications. These applications include the following:

• Oracle Databases: Oracle databases are used for business-sensitive operations because they provide the highest rates of performance and accessibility.
• Microsoft SQL Server: Microsoft SQL Server databases store valuable organizational information and provide the highest performance and accessibility, as in the example above. However, Oracle databases are the first choice on a large scale and organizationally.
• Virtualization Deployments Using Microsoft Hyper-V, WiMAV, and KVM: These environments host thousands of virtual machines that run various operating systems and applications and are scalable. Because virtual machines support multiple applications, infrastructure reliability is important because a simple failure can cause applications to malfunction.
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructures (VDIs): Organizations use virtual desktop environments to reduce costs. Organizations can improve data security and simplify management by centralizing user access to a single location. In this way, users connect to the central server through not-so-expensive equipment.
• SAP, Large ERP, or CRM environments: SAN architectures can be the best choice for accurate resource management so that users and applications can access resources based on a precise schedule.

It should note that hard disks are being replaced or integrated with solid-state memory, so today’s SAN storage environments are a combination of solid-state memory and hard disks that achieve both high speed and storage space standards.

What is a network storage device?

Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Network-Attached Storage, as its name implies, is a network-based storage solution. NAS -based storage provides a central storage management method for sharing storage space across multiple servers. NAS uses an Ethernet-based communication mechanism instead of the SAN network, which uses Ethernet and FC. In addition, NAS focuses on ease of use, lower ownership costs, and ease of management.

Another critical difference between the two is the partitioning of storage space by NAS controllers. While data storage in the SAN is block-level, NAS accesses data based on the file system. It can use the NAS server like any other file server based on the client-server architecture.

Advantages of NAS

Like the network storage space, the network-based storage mechanism has its advantages. The advantages of NAS include the following:

• Architecture: NAS data is located in files and folders instead of blocks.
• Security: NAS provides good protection by controlling user access and additional data structures.
• Productivity: NAS delivers an easy, fast and inexpensive way to store data.
• Cost: Purchasing and maintaining NAS is cost-effective. Sometimes it may cost more to buy a high-end NAS than a regular SAN; however, it is more cost-effective than a SAN.
• Stability: Network storage provides better stability by eliminating individual servers used as a single point of failure, provided it is appropriately configured based on RAID.

Disadvantages of NAS

While networked storage has its advantages, it also has its disadvantages. Among these disadvantages are the following:

• Single Point of Failure: A single point of failure refers to a state where different parts’ performance will stop if other components fail. Because the NAS is implemented as a local backup drive on the network, it may cause data loss if it encounters a problem unless the proper read architecture is used.
• Speed ​​problem: Excessive access to NAS increases network traffic and slows down its performance.
• Scalability: Scalability is not readily available on NAS devices due to hardware limitations.
• Storage space quota: System administrators should apply a storage space quota to users to prevent excessive use of userspace by a particular client.
• Management: To implement NAS, you must have a basic knowledge of networking and hardware requirements such as hard disks and solid-state memory.
• Performance: The capabilities of a NAS device depend on the type of design and its hardware components. Typically, NASs are used for storage purposes only.

The table below shows the essential differences between the two technologies, SAN and NAS.

The most common NAS protocols

Typically, NAS equipment is used based on the following two protocols:

• Common Internet File Services / Server Message Block: A protocol used by the Windows operating system.
• Network File System: A protocol first developed for use with Unix servers and is used today in Linux operating systems.

How to choose between NAS and SAN?

Small to medium-sized businesses typically use NAS, but larger organizations use SANs to manage large volumes of data. Before investing in a storage system, you can choose one that suits the organization’s needs by evaluating the following.

•  Review of architectural requirements.
•  Data processing models.
•  Network protocols and capabilities.
•  Functional limitations.
•  Scalability requirements.
•  Assets to be managed.
•  Backup Challenges.
•  Redundancy requirements.
•  Post-crisis recovery.
•  Virtualization options.
•  Price.

Flexible storage selector

Whether you are storing databases or other types of data, the flexible storage space that SAN provides is not comparable to NAS. SAN is cost-effective in the long run, offers good remote management and control capabilities, and offers better security against cyber attacks; Therefore, it provides good capabilities to organizations with teleworkers. However, SAN is more suitable for large organizations or companies.