Storage area network (SAN)
A high-speed network that connects storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries, to servers. This allows servers to access the storage devices as if they were directly attached to the operating system. SANs centralize storage devices, making them easier to manage and allowing them to communicate faster. SANs can also provide a shared pool of storage space that multiple servers or computers can access. This can improve application availability and performance, and SANs can also be designed to protect data from corruption and intruders.
A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a separate network that connects devices over a high-speed link, allowing them to communicate with each other. SANs are often used by organizations with large amounts of structured data, such as government entities or medical institutions. They can provide increased performance and scalability compared to other storage systems, such as Network Attached Storage (NAS). Here are some types of connections that can be used in a SAN:
- Fibre Channel: A SAN technology that provides a high-speed switched environment where devices can connect and communicate over a dedicated link
- InfiniBand: Another SAN technology that provides a high-speed switched environment
- Non-volatile memory express (NVMe): A protocol that can be used to provide storage in a SAN environment, and is optimized for performance with solid state storage
Other systems that can be used as the foundation for a SAN include:
- Direct Access Storage (DAS): A system that is attached directly to a server or workstation, and provides a dedicated storage resource
- Small Computer System Interface (SCSI): A low-cost SAN technology that can be used in distributed networks