{"id":4678,"date":"2020-09-01T21:30:06","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T19:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tekmart.co.za\/t-blog\/?p=4678"},"modified":"2020-09-01T21:49:15","modified_gmt":"2020-09-01T19:49:15","slug":"key-differences-between-san-and-nas-storage-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tekmart.co.za\/t-blog\/key-differences-between-san-and-nas-storage-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Key differences between SAN and NAS storage systems."},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time-approximately:<\/span> 7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"SAN\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Compare SAN and NAS and find out what to consider when using each storage system format. Object storage and the cloud are also affecting the storage options that are available.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randy Kerns,<\/a>\u00a0Evaluator Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stacey Peterson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rodney Brown<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published: 28 Aug 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enterprise storage comes in many different shapes. Two of the most common — and long-standing — ways to add storage capacity to a network architecture are through a storage area network or network-attached storage. There is much to consider when assessing SAN vs. NAS, so the best option isn’t the same for every organization. However, by looking at the benefits and drawbacks of each, you should be able to choose the right data storage system for your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally speaking, if your application requires block I\/O or if there is a significant performance requirement, use a\u00a0SAN. If your application uses file-based I\/O or if you’re file sharing and you want simple administration,\u00a0NAS\u00a0would be the best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although that’s a good rule of thumb for knowing when to use each system, there are nuances to each approach and to every use case. Below, with the help of some simple visuals, we’ll outline the differences between SAN vs. NAS, how each system works and where it works best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is SAN?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A SAN is a dedicated high-speed network that interconnects and presents shared pools of storage to servers. A SAN is an independent storage network that enables high performance and access to storage similar to how DAS works. There are three components to a SAN: cabling, host bus adapters (HBAs) and switches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HBAs used for storage are typically protocols such as Fibre Channel (FC) or Serial-Attached SCSI. Ethernet-based iSCSI is another protocol option that small and midsize organizations more commonly use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a SAN, the switch connects servers and shared pools of storage. An FC switch is most often used in a SAN, because it is compatible with the FC protocol and is designed for high performance and low latency. Ethernet switches are also common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n