What is the difference between NAS, DAS and SAN? Which one is for who? Data storage is a pretty day-to-day thing now. Almost every form of data exchange you make on a daily basis can be broken down into three groups:
DAS - Direct attached storage
NAS - Network Attached Storage
SAN - Storage Area Network
Before we really delve into the difference, it is worth discussing the nature of data, how it has changed and why choosing the right one is an important decision.
What is data and why should I care about whether my data lives on a DAS, NAS or SAN?
Remember to backup your data or else be prepared to recover lost data Let's be honest, if you do not own at least one kind of data storage device, then you are either some form of luddite, a hermit or just plain stubborn! Data storage has existed in one shape or form for well over 100 years. Don't believe me? What do you think records and cassette tapes are? They are storage mediums, albeit read only, that let you store information in a compressed fashion that are able to be stored and retrieved electronically for days, weeks, months or years. If you want to be super precise, Edison's cylinder phonograph dates back to 1899 and was a means to record and playback sound - it weighed about 100x more than an iPod, but you get the idea.
Yes, data storage is not new, BUT the many methods of accessing the data have changed dramatically over those 100+ years. We can store more and more (which is lucky, because we as a species really seem to be making bigger and bigger files every minute) but now it has reached a point where we no longer need to carry the data in our pockets every day. Now data can be sent and received through the air - a concept that may well of appealed to Mr Edison.
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