Storage area network (SAN)
A storage area network (SAN) is a dedicated information infrastructure which enables interconnection of compute nodes and storage nodes. A storage area network (SAN) is a network of storage disks and may also include switches, servers, and disk subsystems. A storage area network (SAN) consists of an array of host computers and an array of storage devices coupled to a network by a network switch. Storage area networks are used to connect computing devices and storage devices over a high-bandwidth network communication path such as a fibre channel. Unlike traditional networks that utilize point-to-point communication paths and have distributed file systems, SANs may allow all computing devices access to each of the storage devices. An SAN connects multiple servers to a centralized pool of disk storage. Compared to managing hundreds of servers, each with their own disks, a SAN improves system administration. By treating all the storage as a single resource, disk maintenance and routine backups are easier to schedule and control. The SAN network allows data transfers between computers and disks at the same high peripheral channel speeds as when they are directly attached. Storage area networks facilitate sharing of storage devices with one or more different host server computer systems and applications. The storage area Network (SAN) eliminates the bandwidth bottlenecks and scalability limitations imposed by SCSI architectures by integrating LAN networking models with the core building blocks of server performance and mass storage capacity. The Fibre Channel protocol is a widely endorsed open standard for the SAN environment. Fibre channel switches connect host servers with storage devices creating a high speed switching fabric. Fiber Channel combines high bandwidth and high scalability with multiple protocol support, including SCSI and IP, over a single physical connection. This enables the SAN to serve as both a server interconnect and as a direct interface to storage devices and storage arrays.
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