In the world of data, choosing the best network storage system is crucial for enterprises. NAS & SAN are two popular storage architectures for different needs & usage of large organizations. They solve the problem of making data available to multiple users within an enterprise network seamlessly using dedicated storage.
Let’s delve into the detailed comparison between NAS vs. SAN to help you make an informed decision.
NAS vs. SAN: Differences
Network Area Storage or NAS is an inexpensive choice for sharing data over multiple users and doesn't require complicated setup procedures. In contrast, a Storage Area Network (SAN) is an expensive choice as it is more complex to set up and couple with multiple device networks.
The following section will highlight the major differences, and possible pros & cons of each network storage system in more detail.
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Feature
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NAS
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SAN
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Access Level
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File-level access
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Block-level access
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Performance
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Slower, but can become faster upon proper network & software optimization
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Higher performance, but entry-level may be slower than high-end NAS
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Setup
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Easy configuration
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Complex configuration
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Working
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Independent devices may have server functions
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Need servers for user access
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Workloads
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Suitable for latency-tolerant applications
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Suitable for any application
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Cost
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Less expensive
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More expensive
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Scalability
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Moderately scalable
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Highly scalable
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Speed
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Limited by ethernet network
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High due to the FC network
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Target User
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Small organization
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Large organizations
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NAS vs. SAN: Architecture
NAS consists of multiple Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) arranged into logical, redundant storage containers via RAID controllers. It directly connects to a switch or a router usually by ethernet cable, and has a unique IP address to communicate with other network devices.
SAN interconnects directly to the server, computer, or host usually through fiber channels using Host Bus Adapter (HBA). It creates a separate network dedicated to data transfers, reducing the load over LAN as it transfers directly from the connected server.
NAS vs. SAN: Protocol
The NAS connects to a switch via an ethernet network and uses protocols such as Network File System (NFS) & Server Message Block (SMB) for server connection. In contrast, SAN connects with multiple servers & storage devices via Fiber Channels Protocol (FCP) for high-speed performance. While the server communicates with SAN disk drives using the SCSI protocols.
SAN may also include a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) Protocol–private ethernet network–for communication between server & clients. This private network segregates the file transfer request from the FC network, boasting the overall SAN performance.
NAS vs. SAN: Access Level
Another difference between SAN & NAS storage networks is that NAS divides the storage into logical partitions, where each partition is accessible as a network share. In contrast, SAN manages and allocates storage in smaller, fixed-size storage chunks called blocks. NAS is usually used to handle unstructured data such as images, while SAN handles structured workloads like databases.
NAS vs. SAN: Performance
The storage processing on SAN is done separately from LAN, giving them an edge over NAS. SAN is best for high-speed enterprise applications such as transaction databases, e-commerce websites & more. On the other hand, NAS depends on the LAN for data transfer, causing potential bottlenecks, and latency. However, high-speed networks can make up for the losses in performance.
NAS vs. SAN: Scalability
NAS architecture is only suitable for collaborative sharing & simple management, making it difficult to find hardware components for scalability. However, enterprises can buy multiple NAS systems & connect them for shared performance. In contrast, SAN is expandable & scalable as per the industry requirements, best for businesses dealing with data-heavy applications.
NAS vs. SAN: Security Features
User control access & redundant data structures are some security features that NAS offers. In contrast, SAN allows secure access to any files using a consistent data protection algorithm. Also, SAN stores the data in a separate dedicated network, which protects the data in case of a hack attempt on the LAN.
NAS vs. SAN: Processing & Managing Data
Dedicated Logic Unit Numbers (LUNs) allow PC servers to share files while incorporating a specialized SAN file system. This step ensures secure & efficient file-level access within the SAN environment. NAS can merge with multiple NAS file systems into a unified view to enable simple management & data accessibility from anywhere within the network.
NAS vs. SAN: Cost
NAS is less expensive than SAN, but a high-end NAS system may cost more than entry-level SAN. Moreover, NAS is much simpler to set up and has fewer hardware & software components, saving extra costs in administration & maintenance.
NAS vs. SAN: Pros & Cons
All technologies no matter how on-demand have their pros and cons based on different application workloads, some of them are as follows.
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Pros
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Cons
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NAS
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Easy to manage
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Limited performance
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Cost-effective
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Vulnerable to unauthorized access
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Remote access via VPN, SSH & more
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Dependency on network connectivity for data access
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SAN
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Higher Performance
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Complex setup
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Reduces downtime with redundancy
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More expensive
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Storage consolidation
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Limited file-level access, makes it difficult for multiple users to share without support
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NAS vs. SAN: Applications
Enterprises buy network storage devices such as NAS or SAN for a variety of applications. Here is a list of some to highlight its importance in the industry today.
Application of NAS
- File Storing & Sharing: Consolidate multiple file servers into a single NAS device, simplifying management & space allocation.
- Active Archives: A higher capacity NAS network is a good choice for easily accessible active data archives, potentially replacing tape libraries
- Big Data: Many large businesses prefer scale-out NAS for processing large volumes of files, analytics, intelligent data services, automated tiring & more.
- Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI): Offer native data management features like fast desktop cloning & data duplication through VDI. This feature is only available in mid to high-end NAS systems.
Application of SAN
- Database & Commerce Website: High-speed transactional workload needs a SAN environment for its faster performance speed & lower latency
- Fast Back Up: Provide faster backups as the server considers it as an attached storage. Also, the backup is independent of the LAN network, allowing more reliable & efficient data backup.
- Virtualization: NAS & SAN supports virtualization, but SAN offers better scalability options. Also, SAN can quickly transfer multiple I/O streams between virtual machines & hosts.
- Video Editing: Offer direct connection between video editing desktop client, enabling better performance with high data transfer rates & lower latency.
SAN Drive vs. NAS Drive: Which to Choose?
Choosing the best NAS or SAN requires careful consideration of your needs & budget. NAS is suitable for small enterprises, while SAN offers larger scalability options & features for future optimization. Computing Worlds offers a wide range of storage devices for sale to help you explore different options.
Popular NAS for Sale
Popular SAN for Sale
Frequently Ask Questions:
Is iSCSI NAS or SAN?
iSCSI is a protocol commonly used in SAN environments to enable block-level access to storage resources.
Which Is Better SAN or NAS?
NAS provides easy access to file-sharing, while SAN offers higher performance & much better data transfer protocols. Choosing anyone depends on your business requirements.
All aforementioned features of NAS & SAN have their distinct uses in enterprises. SAN is ideal for data-heavy applications, while NAS allows easy accessibility to small enterprises. Both have good scalability options, with several improvements available on the market. This marks the difference between SAN vs. NAS storage devices.
Stay tuned to the Computing Worlds blog for more tech information.
