Fast Reference: Storage

DAS, NAS, SAN? You know what they are, but how about a guide to knowing what's what? This Fast Reference gives the key points to each storage technology--including the pros and cons.

DAS, NAS, SAN? You know what they are, but how about a guide to knowing what's what? This Fast Reference gives...

Step 2 of 2:

You forgot to provide an Email Address.

This email address doesn’t appear to be valid.

This email address is already registered. Please login.

You have exceeded the maximum character limit.

Please provide a Corporate E-mail Address.
- I agree to TechTarget’s Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy.
Please check the box if you want to proceed.
- I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time.
Please check the box if you want to proceed.

the key points to each storage technology--including the pros and cons.

Type of Storage	Pros	Cons	General use
Direct-attached storage (DAS)	Simple Low starting cost Easy to use	Needs separate storage for each server Not easy to transfer data in network Server takes application processing load	Data and application sharing Data backup Archiving
Disk library	Fast High storage capacity High data availability	Not as easily accessible as DAS Intended for write once, read rarely info	Disk-to-disk backup Archiving Near line storage
Magnetic tape	Low cost per megabite Portable Unlimited capacity (with multiple tapes)	Inconvienient for fast recovery of individual or group files	Archiving Limited-budget businesses Offsite storage
Network-attached storage (NAS)	Fast file access for multiple clients Ease of data sharing High storage capacity Redundancy Ease of drive mirroring Consolidated resources	Less convienient than SAN for moving large blocks of data	Backup Archiving Redundant storage
Redundant array of independent disks (RAID)	Fast High storage capacity High data availability Reliable Security Fault tolerance	Possible false sense of security Some recovery difficulty on some systems High cost for optimum systems	Swap files Internet service providers Redundant storage
Storage area network (SAN)	Excellent for moving large blocks of data Exceptional reliability Easily availible Fault tolerance Scalability	Expensive Lack of standardization Management complexity	Large databases Bandwith-intensive applications Mission-critical applications

This was last published in March 2006

This Content Component encountered an error

Please create a username to comment.

Mastering PowerShell commands for Exchange by the book

Breaking down the Exchange Online vs. on-premises choice

The top 5 unheralded Windows Server 2016 features

Test your private vs. public cloud knowledge

Top 5 features to look for in private cloud services offerings

Amazon Virtual Private Cloud 101: Features, pricing and more

Azure Availability Zones enable more resilient cloud apps

Cloud certifications play supporting role in IT hiring decisions

In a serverless architecture age, infrastructure still matters

Related Resources

Start the conversation

0 comments

Register

Login

Forgot your password?

Your password has been sent to:

Please create a username to comment.