NETWORK ATTECHMENT STORAGE (NAS)

NAS (NETWORK ATTECHMENT STORAGE)

-        NETWORK ATTECHMENT STORAGE (NAS) is an IP-based file-sharing device attached to a local area network.

-        NAS provides the advantages of server consolidation by eliminating the need for multiple file servers. It provides storage consolidation through file-level data access and sharing.

-        NAS is a preferred storage solution that enables clients to share files quickly and directly with minimum storage management overhead. NAS also helps to eliminate bottlenecks that users face when accessing files from a general-purpose server.

-        NAS uses network and file-sharing protocols to perform filing and storage functions. These protocols include TCP/IP for data transfer and CIFS and NFS for remote file service. NAS enables both UNIX and Microsoft Windows users to share the same data seamlessly. To enable data sharing, NAS typically uses NFS for UNIX, CIFS for Windows, and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and other protocols for both environments. in Recent networking technology have enabled NAS to scale up to enterprise requirements for improved performance and reliability in accessing data.

-        A NAS device is a dedicated, high-performance, high-speed, single-purpose file serving and storage system. NAS serves a mix of clients and servers over an IP network. Most NAS devices support multiple interfaces and networks.

-        A NAS device uses its own operating system and integrated hardware, software components to meet specific file service needs. Its operating system is optimized for file I/O and, therefore, performs file I/O better than a general-purpose server.

-        NAS device can serve more clients than traditional file servers, providing the benefit of server consolidation.

WHAT IS NAS?

An NAS (NETWORK ATTECHMENT STORAGE) device is a storage device connected to a network that allows storage and retrieval of data from a central location for authorized network users and varied clients. NAS devices are flexible and scale out, meaning that as you need additional storage, you can add to what you have. NAS is like having a private cloud in the office. It’s faster, less expensive and provides all the benefits of a public cloud on site, giving you complete control.

File Systems and Remote File Sharing

A file system is a structured way of storing and organizing data files. Many file systems maintain a file access table to simplify the process of finding and accessing files.

BENEFITS OF NAS

     1)  Supports comprehensive access to information: Enables efficient file sharing and supports many-to-one and one-to-many configurations. The many-to-one configuration enables a NAS device to serve many clients simultaneously. The one-to-many configuration enables one client to connect with many NAS devices simultaneously.

     2)  Improved efficiency: Eliminates bottlenecks that occur during file access from a general-purpose file server because NAS uses an operating system specialized for file serving. It improves the utilization of general-purpose servers by relieving them of file-server operations.

     3)  Improved flexibility: Compatible for clients on both UNIX and Windows platforms using industry-standard protocols. NAS is flexible and can serve requests from different types of clients from the same source.

     4)  Centralized storage: Centralizes data storage to minimize data duplication on client workstations, simplify data management, and ensures greater data protection.

     5)  Simplified management: Provides a centralized console that makes it possible to manage file systems efficiently.

     6)  Scalability: Scales well in accordance with different utilization profiles and types of business applications because of the high performance and low-latency design.

     7)  High availability: Offers efficient replication and recovery options, enabling high data availability. NAS uses redundant networking components that provide maximum connectivity options. A NAS device can use clustering technology for failover.

     8)  Security: Ensures security, user authentication, and file locking in conjunction with industry-standard security schemas.

 COMPONANTS OF NAS

-          NAS head (CPU and Memory)

-          One or more NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS (NICs), which provide connectivity to the network. Examples of NICs include Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, ATM, and FIBER DISTRIBUTED DATA INTERFACE (FDDI).

-          An optimized operating system for managing NAS functionality

-          NFS (NETWORK FILE SYSTEM) and CIFS (COMMON INTERNET FILE SYSTEM) protocols for file sharing.

-          Industry-standard storage protocols to connect and manage physical disk resources, such as ATA(ANALOG TELEPHONE ADAPTER), SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), Fc.