NAS or Network-attached storage and (SAN) Storage area network are two data storage solutions that make stored data available to several users simultaneously. However, how these two storage options work differs by a greater margin. While NAS is a single-storage device offering access to data via Ethernet, SAN pulls together network storage capacity in a centralized place, where multiple servers can connect to and access the stored data.
Additionally, network-attached devices use networking protocols such as CIFS and NFS to deliver shared storage. On the other hand, SAN devices use SAN technology where pooled storage resources are available to the user as local drives. We have discussed more on SAN and NAS in the sections below, including how they work, benefits, limitations, and differences.
Understanding Storage Area Network
SAN or storage area network refers to a network of storage devices that provide shared storage to multiple users or computers. This dedicated storage solution is known for its high performance and low latency, thanks to fiber connections. SAN also uses a separate Ethernet network to connect clients and servers. This ensures that file-based data traffic doesn’t interfere with the fiber network. In critical applications such as video streaming and editing, SAN’s flexibility helps minimize latency issues.
SAN Benefits
Some of the critical benefits of SAN are low latency and high-speed characteristics, which make them ideal for complex applications, e.g., in distributed video editing/production environments. SAN also helps relieve performance issues on local area networks and is easily scalable to meet the varying business needs. Due to its OS-level access to shared files, NAS is often an ideal solution in high-end storage deployments that requires concurrent access to shared data.
Drawbacks of SAN
Some of the main challenges with SAN are the cost of setting up the storage system and the complex administration required. Most businesses find it hard to maintain a fiber network and a dedicated Ethernet connection for file requests. Organizations that deal with large chunks of data that must be shared remotely often have no option but to embrace SAN since, at that point, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
Understanding Network Attached Storage
As the name suggests, network-attached storage is file-based storage that allows multiple users and devices to access data from a centralized location or disk capacity. In other words, a NAS device connects to and is accessed via a dedicated network rather than connecting directly to a computer. For users in a specific network, NAS appear as network-mounted volumes with the NAS device acting as a network node, i.e., much like computers or TCP devices maintaining their unique IP addresses. Users on a LAN can access NAS storage via an Ethernet connection.
Benefits of NAS
NAS devices allow multiple distributed teams or users to access shared Data, making it a great storage solution for remote workers or those collaborating on a project. Similarly, NAS has great access controls and security features that ensure proper data management across the network. It’s also possible to achieve data redundancy with NAS, which helps minimize costly downtimes. If you are moving to the cloud, this storage solution supports quick integration with cloud storage, ideal for automatic data backup.
Limitations of NAS
One challenge with network-attached storage is performance. Since NAS uses Ethernet, data transmission is limited by the existing network traffic. And while this may not be an issue in small-scale deployments, it could be a major problem in demanding environments, e.g., where users need to access heavy and high-graphic videos. Another issue with NAS is scale. The more the number of users connects to a network, the server may not keep up as expected. Expanding the storage capacity is possible, but this will often mean upgrading the system to a more robust onboard processor, faster network connection, more memory, etc.
SAN vs. NAS
To better understand the significant differences between SAN and NAS, we will look at some aspects such as the cost, speed, use cases, and more. We’ve highlighted these differences below.
- Cost- NAS is considerably less expensive than SAN regarding setup/deployment and management.
- Typical use cases– NAS finds applications in home environments and in small businesses, while SAN is commonly used in enterprise and highly-intensive environments.
- How Data is accessed– Users see NAS as a drive attached to the network while SAN appears as the device’s hard drive.
- Speed– with NAS, speed relies on the local Ethernet network and is dependent on the total number of users within the network. They suffer from high latency and slower throughput. On the other hand, SAN uses high-speed fiber channels that can deliver speeds as high as 40 Gbps with little to no latency issues.
- Scalability- NAS is a lower-end storage solution great for general-purpose applications. SAN is more scalable and ideal for heavy-duty deployment and growing or expanding businesses.
The Bottom Line
Based on the benefits, limitations, and differences above, you probably know which storage solution is ideal for your business. What works best for you more often depends on your current and future storage and networking needs. If you are unsure which of the two storage solutions is ideal, consult an expert IT consultant.
