Chapter 17: Managing Network Storage

One key purpose of most computer networks is to provide shared access to disk storage. In this chapter, you find out about several ways that a network can provide shared disk storage. Then you discover how to configure Windows Server 2003 to operate as a file server.

Understanding Network Storage

Many network servers exist solely for the purpose of making disk space available to network users. As networks grow to support more users and as users require more disk space, network administrators are continually finding ways to add more storage to their networks. The following sections describe some key concepts for providing network storage.

File servers

A file server is simply a network server whose primary role is to share its disk drives. It's the most common way to provide shared network storage.

A file server can be anything from a simple desktop computer that has been pressed into service as a file server to an expensive ($25,000 or more) server with redundant components so that the server can continue to run when a component fails. A file server can even consist of advanced disk subsystems with racks of disk drives that can be replaced without shutting down the server.

One of the most common advanced disk subsystems for file servers is RAID, or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. A RAID system, which is a type of disk storage that hardly ever fails, works by lumping together several disk drives and treating them as though they're a single humongous drive. RAID uses some fancy techniques devised by computer nerds at Berkeley. These techniques ensure that if one of the disk drives in the RAID system fails, no data is lost. The disk drive that failed can be removed and repaired, and the data that was on it can be reconstructed from the other drives.

Tip 

Most of this chapter is devoted to showing you how to configure Windows Server 2003 to run as a file server.

Storage appliances

A storage appliance is a device specifically designed for providing shared network storage. Also known as NAS, or Network Attached Storage, it's a self-contained file server that's preconfigured and ready to run. All you have to do to set it up is take it out of the box, plug it in, and turn it on. Storage appliances are easy to set up and configure, easy to maintain, and less expensive than traditional file servers.

A typical entry-level storage appliance is the Dell 725N. This self-contained file server is built into a small rack-mount chassis. It supports up to four hard drives with a total capacity of up to one terabyte (or 1,000GB). The 475N has a dual-processor motherboard that can hold up to 3GB of memory and two built-in 10/100/1000 Mbps network ports. An LCD display on the front panel displays the device's IP address.

The Dell 725N runs a special version of Windows Server 2003: Windows Storage Server 2003. This version of Windows, designed specifically for NAS devices, allows you to configure the network storage from any computer on the network by using a Web browser.

Note that some storage appliances use customized versions of Linux rather than Windows Storage Server. Also, in some systems, the operating system resides on a separate hard drive that's isolated from the shared disks so users are prevented from inadvertently damaging the operating system.