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SAN Explained — Storage (Or System) Area Networks

Here's what you need to know about this type of network

By Bradley Mitchell Bradley Mitchell Writer Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Illinois An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 16, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Home Networking The Wireless Connection Routers & Firewalls Network Hubs ISP Broadband Ethernet Installing & Upgrading Wi-Fi & Wireless The term SAN in computer networking most commonly refers to storage area networking but can also refer to system area networking. A storage area network is a type of local area network (LAN) that handles large data transfers and bulk storage of digital information. A SAN typically supports data storage, retrieval and replication on business networks using high-end servers, multiple disk arrays and interconnect technology. Terry Healy / Getty Images

Storage Networks vs Client-Server Networks

Storage networks work differently from mainstream client-server networks due to the special nature of their workloads. For example, home networks normally feature users browsing the Internet, which involves relatively small amounts of data at varying times. They can also resend some requests if they happen to get lost. Storage networks, by comparison, handle large amounts of data in bulk requests and can't afford to lose any of the data. A system area network is a cluster of high-performance computers. It's suited to distributed processing applications requiring fast local network performance to support coordinated computation and output to external users.

Fibre Channel vs iSCSI

The two dominant communication technologies for storage networks — Fibre Channel and Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) — have both appeared in SANs and competed with each other for years. Fibre Channel (FC) became the leading choice for SAN networking during the mid-1990s. Traditional Fibre Channel networks contain special-purpose hardware called Fibre Channel switches that connect the storage to the SAN. Fibre Channel HBAs (host bus adapters) connect these switches to server computers. FC connections provide data rates between 1 Gbps and 16 Gbps. iSCSI is a lower-cost, lower-performance alternative to Fibre Channel and started growing in popularity during the mid-2000s. iSCSI works with Ethernet switches and physical connections instead of specialized hardware built specifically for storage workloads. It provides data rates of 10 Gbps and higher. iSCSI appeals especially to smaller businesses that usually don't have dedicated staff to administer Fibre Channel technology. Organizations already experienced in Fibre Channel may not introduce iSCSI into their environment. An alternative form of FC called Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) lowers the cost of FC solutions by eliminating the need to purchase HBA hardware. Not all Ethernet switches support FCoE, however.

SAN Products

Well-known makers of storage area network equipment include EMC, HP, IBM, and Brocade. Along with FC switches and HBAs, vendors sell storage bays and rack enclosures for physical disk media. The cost of SAN equipment ranges from a few hundred up to thousands of dollars.

SAN vs NAS

SAN technology is similar but distinct from network attached storage (NAS) technology. While SANs traditionally employ low-level network protocols for transferring disk blocks, a NAS device typically works over TCP/IP and can easily integrate with home computer networks. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire SAN vs NAS USB4: Everything You Need to Know LANs, WANs, and Other Area Networks Explained Introduction to Client Server Networks What Is a Switch? Computer Networking A Short Guide to Computer Network Storage What Is a LAN (Local Area Network)? What Is Fibre Channel? What Is Computer Networking? What Causes Network Lag and How to Fix It Types of Network Connections What Is a Server? How Web Browsers and Web Servers Communicate The 8 Best NAS (Network Attached Storage) of 2022 Using Workgroups in Computer Networking What Is an Uplink Port in Computer Networking? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies