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SAN based Storage

 

The most important asset of every company is the data that is stored on the hard disks of their servers.
Fast access to this data and efficient administration is essential. But as data grows so does complexity.
Central storage on a Storage Area Network (SAN) offers a long term highly manageable solution.

First, let us explain the different storage methods that are in use today:

DAS, Direct Attached Storage

Harddisks reside in the server. Relatively low costs but there are disadvantages. DAS is poorly extensible and requires long periods of downtime when upgrading storage.




 (zelfde plaatjes als in NL versie gebruiken.)

A lot of companies use DAS but even with a mere 5 servers companies run into the restrictions imposed by DAS. Backups fail frequently and take a long time to finish, performance is low, upgrading to larger disks is a hassle and requires extended periods of downtime and taking a snapshot of a volume takes many hours. SAN's provide perspective.

SAN, Storage Area Networking Solutions

A storage area network (SAN) is a specialized network that provides access to high performance and highly available storage subsystems using block storage protocols. The SAN is made up of specific devices, such as host bus adapters (HBAs) in the host servers, switches that help route storage traffic, and disk storage subsystems. The main characteristic of a SAN is that the storage subsystems are generally available to multiple hosts at the same time, which makes them scalable and flexible.

iSCSI over IP

In the past a SAN was based on fibre channel technology. This was a complex and costly technology requiring expensive fibre channel switches and high level expertise just to get one server online.

Nowadays modern SAN's are based on iSCSI which is familiar Ethernet and IP technology, providing fast and efficient rollouts using low cost gigabit switches.

 (zelfde plaatjes als in NL versie gebruiken.)

The main advantages of a SAN infrastructure are:

  • Data protection / high availability
  • Very high performance
  • Storage consolidation
  • Boot from SAN (Diskless servers)
  • Scalability
  • Central management and strong reduction of  TCO and downtime
  • New possibilities like remote storage, data replication, cloning of volumes, snapshots

     

iTraction has selected EqualLogic as a strategic partner.
Read why here.

 

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For Independent Software Vendors there is a strong need to rely on ICT solutions, their data and their Internet connections. Customers expect applications to run on time and have a minimum of downtime. Itraction had two state of the art datacenters available and configured of which one is used as a backup for the other.