What are the current storage connection options – DAS, SAN, and IP SAN?
FAQ
Storage/RAID technology
What are the current storage connection options – DAS, SAN, and IP SAN?
DAS stands for Direct-Attached Storage. A DAS RAID system is one that is directly attached to an application server because of the benefits of dedicated performance or the simplicity in cabling. A DAS configuration often results from the limitation on cabling distance; e.g. 12 meters for a SCSI bus.
On the contrary, a SAN (Storage Area Network) configuration can expand to virtually limitless number of devices (224) where multiple servers can access a RAID system. A SAN network is constructed over fiber optical cabling that features miles of cabling distance through the use of router/extenders. A SAN network also relies on Fibre Channel switches that provide any-to-any connections, bypass for fault isolation, and intelligent functionality such as zoning.
IP SAN refers to iSCSI implementations where data is encrypted and sent within a SCSI command over IP network between an iSCSI initiator and iSCSI target. IP SAN enables data transfer in an existing IP-based infrastructure and hence saves the costs on expensive Fibre Channel cabling and networking devices.
