Storage Area Network(SAN)

SAN Definition

SAN componentsFibre Channel NetworkHost Bus Adapter (HBA)Enterprise Storage

A SAN is an intelligent network environment in which storage resources are deployed and managed independently of any single server . . . .

SAN Components

Fibre Channel (FC) Network

Fibre Channel Network - Host Bus Adapter (HBA) - Enterprise Storage

A high performance (200 MB/sec) redundant network made up of fibre channel switches for deploying and sharing enterprise resources

SAN Components

Host Bus Adapter (HBA)

Fibre Channel Network - Host Bus Adapter (HBA) - Enterprise Storage

Similar to a SCSI adapter card or a LAN network interface card (NIC), provides the server with a FC interface to the SAN

SAN Components

Enterprise Storage

Fibre Channel Network - Host Bus Adapter (HBA) - Enterprise Storage

Any storage device with FC interface that is interoperable with the switches, HBAs, servers and server operating systems in the network

User Requirements

Increased storage capacity Support for multiple storage/server architecturesContinuous/High availabilityCross-platform solutions

Why SAN ?

Why SAN ?

User Requirements

Support higher levels of I/O activityHigher performance backup/restoreData sharingSecure Assets

SAN Benefits

Performance FC @ 200MB/sec vs SCSI @ 40MB/sec

AvailabilityRedundancy, non-disruptive upgrades

Scalability

Add or re-deploy storage as needed

SAN Benefits

FlexibilityNew, advanced SAN devices can easily be added as older devices wear out or become obsolete

Backup/restore/archiveMove data at FC speed vs LAN (up to 100x)

Centralized storage managementManage SAN as a single entity (shared resources)

SAN Benefits

Reduced costsStorage management, capacity overhead

Data sharing

Access to any data on SAN

Secure Assets

Multiple layers of security to ensure data integrity

SAN Benefits

Remote ReplicationGeographical data replication for disaster recovery

SAN to SAN Copy

Copy data from disk to disk geographically using SAN technology

                 

                         

Solaris

AIXHP-UX

NT/

W2K

LAN (Ethernet)

SAN (Fibre Channel)

Open Systems Servers

SAN Servers – Operating Systems

NIC NIC NIC

NIC

HBA HBA HBA

HBA

FABRIC SWITCHES

SAN Storage –Performance Connectivity

Hundreds of 2-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel interfaces allow thousands of MB/sec aggregate data rates

Reliability/AvailabilityFully redundant components allow for non-disruptive maintenance and upgrades

Scalability 28 TB disk storage now installed and growing28 GB cache, can scale to 32 GB cache memory

9960 Storage

The Network – Brocade Switches

Performance/ConnectivityHundreds of 2-Gbit/sec ports provide SAN connectivity to HDS storage and Enterprise-class tape

Reliability/AvailabilityBrocade is the market leader in FC switch technologyMultiple switches provide redundancy for SAN components

SAN Storage – Backup/Recovery

Veritas Net BackupLan-free, server-free backup, directly from SAN storage through the switch to Enterprise-class StorageTek Automated Tape Library

PerformanceBackup data moves at fibre channel speed, up to 100 times faster than LAN backup, 5 times faster than SCSI

SAN Replication – Disaster Recovery

LAN (Ethernet)Primary SAN Site

SAN Replication – Disaster Recovery

Alternate SAN Site LAN (Ethernet)

SAN Replication – Disaster Recovery…are linked together via the USDA Wide Area Network.

The link is an asynchronous channel extension for distance and secured with encryption.