Storage Area Network

Storage Area Network (SAN) is a specialized, high-speed network, consisting of servers and storage assets. Usually connected by Fibre Channel, high-speed transmission technology, SAN is a dedicated, platform-independent network "behind the server." A SAN consists of a communication infrastructure, which provides for physical connections, and a management layer, which organizes the connections, storage elements and computer systems making data transfer extremely secure and robust.

Storage Area Network (SAN) is a specialized, high-speed network, consisting of servers and storage assets. Usually connected by Fibre Channel, high-speed transmission technology, SAN is a dedicated, platform-independent network "behind the server." A SAN consists of a communication infrastructure, which provides for physical connections, and a management layer, which organizes the connections, storage elements and computer systems making data transfer extremely secure and robust.

The primary benefits of SAN

Availability
A single copy data is accessible to any and all hosts via multiple paths, and all data is more efficiently managed.

Reliability
Dependable data transportation ensures a minimal error rate, and an ability to recover from failures is provided.

Scalability
Servers and storage devices may be added independently of one another, and are not restricted by the limitations of using proprietary systems.

Performance
Fibre Channel (the standard enabling technology for SAN interconnectivity) has a 100MB/sec bandwidth and low overhead, and it keeps the backup traffic separate from standard LAN/WAN traffic.

Manageability
Single centralized management and proactive error detection and correction for emerging software and standards like FC-AL (Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop) and Fibre Channel fabric.

Return On Information Management
Because of increased redundancy and superior manageability, as well as the ability to add servers and storage devices independently, SAN provides a lower cost of ownership and a Higher Return On Information Management (ROIM) than traditional storage methods.