{"id":6280,"date":"2021-02-02T14:14:12","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T12:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tekmart.co.za\/t-blog\/?p=6280"},"modified":"2021-02-02T15:04:06","modified_gmt":"2021-02-02T13:04:06","slug":"san-switch-storage-area-network-switch-a-tech-definition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tekmart.co.za\/t-blog\/san-switch-storage-area-network-switch-a-tech-definition\/","title":{"rendered":"SAN switch (storage area network switch)- a tech definition"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time-approximately:<\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

A storage area network (SAN)\u00a0switch\u00a0is a device that connects\u00a0servers\u00a0and shared pools of storage devices and is dedicated to moving storage traffic.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Robert<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Robert Sheldon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAN switches make it possible to build vast high-speed storage networks that interconnect thousands of servers accessing petabyte-scale data. At its most basic, a SAN switch manages traffic flow between the servers and storage devices, examining data packets and forwarding them to their intended destinations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, however, SAN switches have become more sophisticated, adding features such as path redundancy,\u00a0network diagnostics\u00a0and bandwidth autosensing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fibre Channel vs. Ethernet<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

SAN switches<\/a> fall into two main categories: Fibre Channel (FC)<\/a> and Ethernet.\u00a0Fibre Channel switches\u00a0are the most common. They’re compatible with FC technologies and are either modular or fixed. A modular switch is typically a director-class FC switch that’s expandable and offers a high port count. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fixed switch is one with a fixed configuration that can’t be expanded. Director-class FC switches often support features such as encryption and zoning for load balancing and data access control.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Although FC switches represent the most common type, Ethernet-based SAN has been growing in popularity, especially with the proliferation of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE). Ethernet switches and other Ethernet equipment are cheaper and easier to deploy and maintain because they don’t require specialized hardware or administrative skills, as is the case with Fibre Channel. In addition, 1 GbE switch ports can be aggregated to deliver higher throughput, providing more deployment flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethernet networks also support iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface), a common storage protocol built on top of TCP\/IP (Transmission Control Protocol\/Internet Protocol). Comparisons between FC SAN and Ethernet SAN typically come down to\u00a0Fibre Channel vs. iSCSI, as it’s implemented on an Ethernet network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fibre Channel has a reputation for delivering much better performance than Ethernet, especially if the Ethernet SAN is being shared with non-storage traffic. On dedicated networks, however, Ethernet is giving Fibre Channel a run for its money, especially as 25 GbE, 40 GbE and 100 GbE grow more widespread. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, Fibre Channel is still considered a more reliable and secure storage fabric, and it provides more advanced management capabilities.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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