Network attached storage (NAS) is keeping up with data growth and luring small businesses with useful new features
Fast-growing data volumes and unstructured data growth make for overstressed storage systems. Network attached storage is developing features to meet growing data storage needs, such as allowing clustering for easy scalability. NAS and storage attached network (SAN) hybrids offer flexibility for organizations, as multiprotocol or unified storage combines block- and file-based approaches. Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are adopting NAS platforms for their reasonable cost and simplified approach to growing storage.
Developments around NAS point to further use of clustering and inclusion of dedupe, solid state, multiprotocol access and replication. As 10Gb Ethernet gains traction, organizations will need to consider how it will fit with network attached storage. Cloud trends will play a role in NAS’s future; cloud technology can help keep NAS nodes under control.
Best-in-Class Network Attached Storage (NAS) Features:
- Can be clustered easily and performs scheduled backups
- Includes deduplication, solid-state disk, replication and more as appliances mature and gain functionality
- Integrates with data storage management
Top Considerations before Buying Network Attached Storage (NAS) Products:
Look for NAS appliances to keep getting smarter and incorporating features like deduplication. Advanced NAS tools are also adding acceleration hardware and data reduction techniques to handle rapidly growing storage. Clustered NAS will continue to help organizations scale quickly. SMBs in particular can take advantage of NAS to add larger disks and more NAS appliances to the network for a simple approach to compounding data growth. NAS sprawl will need to be kept under control with good management.
Key Products:
1. DataDirect Networks provides storage networking appliances, with S2A products using the Silicon Storage Architecture for data infrastructure platforms. S2A offers up to 6GB of read/write performance, predictable throughput during auto-healing and drive rebuilds and MAID for storage efficiency. DataDirect also offers the GRIDScaler file storage system, which serves LAN, SAN and NAS clients and connects up to 2,000 clients. The EXAScaler provides near-wire-speed data transfer capabilities for Linux-based applications.
2. NetApp creates storage and data management solutions. Their S Family products are unified storage platforms aimed at the midsize enterprise and remote and branch office markets. Products use a subset of NetApp’s Data ONTAP operating system. The FAS6000 series storage system offers a single platform for SAN, NAS, primary storage and secondary storage needs. Backup is also included and recovery is provided with Snapshot and SnapManager software. Boxes scale to more than 1,100 TB of raw storage capacity.
3. LSI offers ONstor NAS Gateways are diskless servers for scalable file services over a shared Fibre Channel SAN. It combines NAS with the flexibility to use any type of disk. Users can consolidate heterogeneous SAN storage in a single file management framework, operating in UNIX, Windows and Web environments. Gateways include virtual servers and are integrated with the ONstor EverON operating system for data availability. LSI also provides host bus adapters, solid-state storage, internal and external RAID and SAS switches.
4. Nexsan Technologies creates storage-centric hardware- and application-based solutions. Their SATABeast disk storage array uses Nexsan’s AutoMAID technology for disk spindown and offers high density storage up to 84TB. It includes dual function FC and iSCSI connectivity with wire-speed performance, and supports solid-state drives (SSDs). The SATABoy system includes FC, SAS and iSCSI options. The DATABeast product consolidates multiple storage systems into centrally managed storage that supports both FC SAN and NAS, and includes built-in mirroring, remote replication and snapshots.
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Definition: Network-attached storage (NAS) is file-level computer data storage connected to a computer network providing data access to heterogeneous clients.
