03 Feb Defining SAN and Why It’s Essential
SAN is an acronym that stands for Storage Area Network. It connects servers with storage and in the process, optimizes and pools resources so systems can function better.
When storage becomes a collective resource there are many benefits to businesses, especially those with enterprise level computing needs.
This is why SAN is typically the preferred format in the networked storage market, representing nearly ⅔ of the systems in use by companies with high computing and security demands.
SAN Eliminates Risk from a Single Point of Failure
Because SAN doesn’t rely on a single device, it reduces the overall risk posed from a single point of failure. In fact, a SAN with solid architecture can withstand multiple device and component failures and remain operational.
In fact, in most primary use cases for SAN, businesses that implement it find that SAN improves their regulatory compliance, mitigates disaster recovery risks, and increases business continuity by providing an environment where a dedicated in-house IT department can build and maintain a system that supports enterprise level demands and workloads while end users enjoy responsive applications.
SAN Will Keep Demand Off Your LAN
When you route storage demands through a separate network, you take pressure off your LAN and this proves beneficial to the overall performance of both networks.
Keeping high-impact storage demands from running through your local area network (LAN) frees up bandwidth where you need it while giving the system’s storage demands access to astounding volume.
This means that demanding tasks that require large amounts of storage capacity to operate efficiently can scale up to meet demand without taxing the entire system.
The Trouble with Traditional SAN
The issue for a lot of businesses is the intense, hands-on demands of managing an onsite SAN. When every aspect of the system is locally supported, it requires key employees to constantly monitor the system, to reconfigure switches, and to manually update drivers and security patches.
Can You Benefit from a Hybrid Storage Protocol?
Today’s hybrid cloud has made enterprise level storage more accessible, flexible, and scalable.
By using a hybrid approach, the focus changes at the fundamental level:
• Capital Expense Model to Operating Expense Model: With the primary focus of SAN management being on hardware lifecycles and service contracts, and future acquisitions, sticking to a SAN model can be a challenge in a time of shrinking budgets.
Cloud based costs are an operating expense that is controlled by smart sizing of resources and careful oversight of contracts.
• Improved Security from Partners You Can Trust: There’s no getting around it — when you move to a cloud-supported system, security is a must. Most vendors offer security protocols to satisfy even the most tightly regulated industries. But always make sure that you know your security goals and requirements for data protection. Some aspects will be built into the suite of products and services offered by the vendor while others will be add-ons.
• Understanding What You’re Buying: Coming off in-house SAN management likely means that you’re well versed in the level of control you feel comfortable with when it comes to shared infrastructure. Knowing exactly what you need will help you better assess the tools and products offered by cloud computing vendors.
SAN vs. a Hybrid Storage Model
While scalability, accessibility, and cost control are all attractive aspects of a hybrid cloud storage model, if control is important to your organization, you may prefer a local SAN to handle your data and storage needs.
On the other hand, a reduced TCO on tech might be beneficial to your organization’s bottom line.
In order to determine which path is best for your business, it might be worth it to talk to an expert service provider to get a sense of what the overall costs would be for moving some of your storage needs to a cloud-based environment.
We have a skilled team of customer service professionals who can answer your industry specific questions and build a customized quote to meet your needs.