Network Attached Storage in a nutshell

A Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a kind of storage space system which can be connected to a data network. A NAS is useful for storage connected with non mission-critical data. It's more cost-effective and simpler to look after over a Storage Area Network (SAN) but won't quite deliver the performance an company can acquire from a SAN.

File transfer protocols supported by NAS incorporate Network File System, Common Internet File System, File Transfer Protocol, etc. NAS servers offer versatility in terms of connection to the network; this can be achieved either via the Ethernet or a fiber channel network. Nowadays you can also get wireless 802.11 NAS devices. The advantage of NAS devices is in their simplicity, they could be built using just about any hard drive technology although they're usually developed using Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI). NAS devices may also be used for additional storage techniques for example magnetic tape, CD, and DVD.

NAS offers the following advantages -

1.Faster access to stored data via the LAN.

2.Minimal prices since the RAID arrays are a part of the LAN.

3.Effortless to setup, are generally up and running in less than thirty minutes.

These properties of NAS storage plus it's low-cost of ownership allow it to be well suited for SMBs. A dual advantage of Raid 5 NAS is the fact that it allows administrators to either improve or combine the storage infrastructure. Storage expansion will be essentially unlimited as one is freed from the restriction of storage capabilities of individual servers and also the quantity of hard disks they are able to hold. At the same time, one NAS set-up is good enough to replace many file servers that are operating separately, this leads to consolidation. NAS is often run on commonly accessible os's for example Windows. NAS status may be checked from anyplace on the LAN, this provides storage administrators a chance to diagnose issues and alter NAS configurations when needed.

NAS system performance depends upon the drive support, the quantity of disks used and also the overall capacity. SATA hard disks that provide superb low-cost bulk storage are most preferred. SCSI hard disks are offered also. Since the NAS makes use of the LAN for data transfer there's always a chance of a bottleneck developing someplace across the LAN, usually it's the network interface that causes issues. If utilizing a NAS, search for products that support Gigabit Ethernet for fast data transfer and multiple connections so that network load is spread and interface redundancy is supplied.

When choosing a NAS solution always keep security in mind and look for suppliers that include native encryption with the system.