Storage Area Networks (SAN)

Storage area networks (SAN) extend their reign for enterprise storage as they become denser and more flexible

Storage area networks (SAN) have long been the domain of Fibre Channel (FC) connectivity, but iSCSI SANs have made a splash in recent years. Multiprotocol or unified SAN arrays that support both file and block storage are leading the trend toward more flexibility. Converged networks for SANs are on the horizon as Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) gains market share with the ability to link disparate networks into one.

Smaller organizations continue to adopt SAN technology. New technologies like solid-state drives (SSDs) and spindown make for more energy-efficient SAN arrays. SANs are also able to perform dynamic tiering for better storage utilization. Overall, SAN storage is becoming more object-based, making it easier to manage and more automated. Though SSDs have their place for high IOPS situations, hard disk drives will most likely continue to populate SANs.

Best-in-Class Storage Area Networks (SAN) Features:

• Supports both iSCSI and FC protocols with multiprotocol approach
• Uses thin provisioning to better utilize storage
• Manages the SAN close to the storage for lower latency

Top Considerations before Buying Storage Area Networks (SAN) Products:

Look for high-density arrays that can pack more storage into a smaller, energy-saving footprint. SAN arrays can offer multiprotocol approaches with iSCSI and FC, and as the market matures, arrays can handle multiple interfaces, including IP, enhanced IP, FC and FCoE to connect with converged fabrics. Multiprotocol SAN switches are next on the horizon as part of an overall trend toward faster, cheaper and more efficient storage. Intelligence embedded in SANs and their switches can allow automated, policy-based data management.
 

Key Products:

1. Dell provides products around both FC and iSCSI SANs. The Dell/EMC CX4 product is a dual-mode FC and iSCSI SAN array that supports FC, SATA and flash drives. The Dell EqualLogic SAN is an iSCSI product line, with virtualized architecture in a range of options. Dell’s PowerVault MD3200i is an Ethernet-based array that offers storage consolidation, scalability and optional data protection capabilities and turbo mode. The PowerVault supports solid-state drives (SSDs) and offers self-encrypting drives, optional snapshots, virtual disk copy and 2GB cache size per controller.

2. DSG Storage, Inc. is a startup specializing in iSCSI storage solutions. Their C Series is the fifth generation of appliance built using Chelsio Universal Storage Server software. The C-41 is an entry level iSCSI storage appliance, and the C Series product line continues with SANs with additional features, though all are compatible with major hardware initiators and offload cards and offer thin provisioning. The C-436 has 36 SATA II/SAS drive slots, a SAS RAID engine and 1Gb of battery-backed cache, with 10GbE options. DSG also does some customization, especially around organizations needing SAS 15K or 2.5” SSDs.

3. NEC Corporation of America provides network, IT and IT platform solutions and visual display solutions. Their storage business encompasses products and services. The D-Series SAN line includes four models along with an array management suite that comes with snapshots, replication, performance management, multipathing, failover, compliance, energy conservation and more. D-Series SANs are either FC, iSCSI or both, with different numbers of controllers and cache sizes. NEC also provides PowerConserver spindown functionality, as well as VirtualStoragePartitioning for storage consolidation and VolumeProtector for compliance.

4. Zetera Corporation is the developer of Z-SAN network storage technology, delivering Storage over IP (SoIP) technology that enables storage system manufacturers to deliver high performance network storage. Z-SAN technology eliminates the need for controllers, gateways and RAID controllers. It is a peer-to-peer protocol that works in any standard IP network with IP switches and routers. Z-SAN uses block storage for multiple servers with a unified LAN-based storage pool.

Storage Area Network (SAN)
Definition: A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a high-speed special-purpose network (or subnetwork) that interconnects different kinds of data storage devices with associated data servers on behalf of a larger network of users. Typically, a storage area network is part of the overall network of computing resources for an enterprise.