Chapter 25. Utilizing Storage Area Networks

In this Chapter

Defining the Technologies

When Is the Right Time to Implement NAS and SAN Devices?

Designing the Right Data Storage Structure

Adding in Fault Tolerance for External Storage Systems

Combining Hardware Fault Tolerance with Windows Server 2003 Technologies

Best Practices for SAN and NAS

Recovering from a System Failure

Leveraging NAS and SAN Solutions for Server Consolidation

BEST PRACTICES

Be Sure to Carefully Document the Entire Installation and Configuration Process

Pilot the Storage Solution with an Engineering or Development Group

Consolidating Exchange Servers

Considering NAS or SAN Consolidation

Few items in the data center invoke more awe and respect than the shiny black monolith that is the SAN. SANs , or Storage Area Networks , are extremely high-performance collections of disks that can be sliced and diced dynamically and attached to remote systems as though they were directly attached. SANs differ from traditional DAS, or Direct Attached Storage, in that the disks are no longer attached to the local system through SCSI or IDE connections. The SAN is viewed as a cloud and is literally a separate high-speed network with the sole purpose of connectivity between hosts and high-speed disks. From the server's point of view, the remote disk acts exactly the same as the locally attached disk. By consolidating the disks into a central location, you are able to take advantage of situations that just weren't possible in the past.

This chapter compares and contrasts Storage Area Networks, Direct Attached Storage, and Network Attached Storage (NAS), and shows you when to take advantage of one technology over another. This chapter will explain the requirements of each technology to help you avoid common mistakes when choosing a storage technology. It will also touch on industry best practices for using NAS and SAN technologies with specific applications.