Chapter 1. Storage Area Networks (San) Overview - IBM TotalStorage DS300 Best Practices Manual

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Storage Area Networks
Chapter 1.
(SAN) overview
What is a SAN? One definition of a SAN is a high-speed network, comparable to
a LAN, that allows the establishment of direct connections between storage
devices and processors (servers) centralized to the extent supported by the
distance of the supported network (Fibre Channel or iSCSI). The SAN can be
viewed as an extension to the storage bus concept that enables storage devices
and servers to be interconnected using similar elements as in Local Area
Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs): routers, hubs, switches,
directors and gateways. A SAN can be shared between servers and/or dedicated
to one server. It can be local or can be extended over geographical distances.
This chapter describes Storage Area Networks (SAN), what they are and what
benefits they provide in the IT environment.
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