With burgeoning amounts of data produced on business computer systems daily, data storage has become the next IT `must have`. And with the growing need for storage, a whole new slew of bewildering acronyms have come about.
The terms SAN, NAS and DAS are among these acronyms, sending many users running for cover. But storage solutions need not be costly or complicated.
Storage is not rocket science. In fact it`s really very simple: In the same way that a traditional filing cabinet will eventually not be enough to hold all your paper files, so a computer hard drive will also run out of space. The solution? Add more hard drives, in the same way that you would add more filing cabinets.
The first step to implementing a new storage solution is to identify what your needs are, then to determine what solution would best solve the problem. But before picking up the product brochures, here`s a lesson on the most important acronyms.
DAS (Direct Attached Storage) is the most basic form of storage, disk drives contained within a computer cabinet plug into the server, which adds storage space. This contrasts with SAN and NAS in that it plugs directly into a unit and doesn`t operate over a network.
NAS (Network Attached Storage) plugs into a network point, allowing users to access the stored data over the network. Network speed as opposed to server speed is used to access data.
SAN (Storage Area Network) is the most advanced form of storage. It`s a central network that attaches a number of storage boxes via a switch to the server. These storage boxes are managed separately from the personal workstation system. A SAN is not dependent on the operating system of any one particular server, which means one server could be running Windows NT, another running Linux and another running Unix. Because all connect to the same switch, they are able to access the SAN simultaneously.
Acer has recognised the need for affordable, high performance and scalable data storage options within the SME market and has recently unveiled two new ranges, AccuSTOR and AccuRAID.
The AccuRAID storage series has been designed as a low cost solution for small businesses with 5-50 users needing storage to backup data and create more space on their servers. And the AccuSTOR range meets the needs of medium sized enterprises, that require a high end product to run large applications such as ERP, databases and warehousing.
With product offerings to suit a variety of needs, we have simplified the process of adding storage, while complementing Acer`s end to end networking solution.
Share
Editorial contacts