SAN vs NAS

SAN vs NAS

1. Storage Area Network (SAN)

   • SAN is a dedicated high-performance network for consolidated block-level storage. The network interconnects storage devices, switches, and hosts.
   • A SAN is a way to provide users shared access to consolidated, block level data storage, even allowing multiple clients to access files at the same time with very high performance.
   • A SAN enhances the accessibility of storage devices such as disk arrays and tape libraries by making them appear to users as if they were external hard drives on their local system.
   • Benefits: 1. Extremely fast data access 2. Dedicated network for storage relieves stress on LAN 3. Highly expandable 4. OS level (block level) access to files 5. High quality-of-service for demanding applications such as video editing
   • The challenge of SAN can be summed up in its cost and administration requirements — having to dedicate and maintain both a separate Ethernet network for metadata file requests and implement a Fiber Channel network can be a considerable investment.

2. Network Attached Storage (NAS)

   • A NAS is a computer connected to a network that provides file-based data storage services to other devices on the network. The primary strength of NAS is how simple it is to set up and deploy.
   • NAS devices offer an easy way for multiple users in diverse locations to access data, which is valuable when uses are collaborating on projects or sharing information.
   • NAS provides good access controls and security to support collaboration, while also enabling someone who is not an IT professional to administer and manage access to the data.
   • Benefits: 1. Relatively inexpensive 2. 24/7 and remote data availability 3. Good expandability 4. Redundant storage architecture 5. Automatic backups to other devices and cloud 6. Flexibility
   • The weaknesses of a NAS are related to scale and performance. Any latency (slow or retried connections) is usually not noticed by users for small files, but can be a major problem in demanding environments such as video production, where files are extremely large and latency of more than a few milliseconds can disrupt production steps such as rendering.