Chapter 3. Network-Attached Storage

   

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The previous chapter discussed direct-attached storage, wherein storage devices are connected directly to a server. Regardless of whether the devices are within the server cage or external, only that particular server has access to that storage. This chapter looks at the next iteration of storage: network-attached storage (NAS).

We begin with a brief history of NAS, followed by an overview of the Windows Server family networking stack. Following that, some details of Common Internet File System (CIFS) and Network File System (NFS) are presented. Next follows a brief discussion about the technical issues involved in having a NAS device serve clients with various different operating systems and various different kinds of file systems. The chapter closes with a discussion of the role of Windows as a NAS device operating system.

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