A storage area network (SAN) is a dedicated, centrally managed, secure information infrastructure, which enables any-to-any interconnection of servers and storage systems.

A SAN can be configured to provide a nearly infinite pool of storage that you can grow and move between servers, as they need it. The storage can be added to and removed without requiring the server to be rebooted. The services provided by the server continue to operate without interruption.

The primary purpose for implementing a SAN is to provide a large storage pool that multiple hosts could access. Common storage configurations involve direct attachment of storage to a host. This storage is only available for use by that host. If there were another host that needed storage, you would need to buy additional storage to install on that host. The host with excess capacity would not be able to share its storage with another host.

In a SAN, all networked devices share storage capacity as peer resources; they are not the exclusive property of any one server. You can use a SAN to connect servers to storage, Servers to each other, and storage to storage through h

Gigabit Ethernet is intended for Fast Ethernet backbones and switch to server links where existing Ethernet networks are being aggregated onto the faster Gigabit Ethernet speeds. A company planning a gigabit network would purchase switches supporting Gigabit Ethernet and plug the existing Fast Ethernet switches and hubs into them. Thus surging the higher bandwidth speeds down from the wiring closet and data center to the servers and end users PCs.

* Addresses backward compatibility with 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T technologies."(GEA)

The switch is crucial to the interoperability of the different SAN entities. The switch is responsible for the conversion or the translation of disk I/O commands into a form that can be sent over the network medium. The network can be Fiber Channel, Fast or Gigabit Ethernet, ATM, FDDI, Gigabyte System Interconnect (GSN), or High Performance Parallel Interface (HIPPI).

Storage area networks improve data access. Using Fiber Channel connections, SANs provide the high-speed network communications and distance needed by remote workstations and servers to easily access shared data storage pools. IT managers can more easily centralize management of their storage systems and consolidate backups, increasing overall system efficiency. The increased distances provided by Fiber Channel technology make it easier to deploy remote disaster recovery sites. Fiber Channel and switched fabric technology eliminate single points of failure on the network. With a SAN, virtually unlimited expansion is possible with hubs and switches. Nodes can be removed or added with minimal disruption to the network.

* Allows half- and full-duplex operation at speeds of 1000 Mbps

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