For structured workloads, a Storage Area Network (SAN) is a high-performance iSCSI or Fibre Channel block storage network with shared resource pools that are made available to various servers.

SAN systems use Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs) to create a high speed architecture and are specifically designed for critical workloads with low latency tolerance and high performance needs. SAN systems are the industry standard for a wide range of enterprise applications and use-cases due to their support for IOPS-intensive workloads.

In datacenters all over the world, storage area network (SAN) systems are installed to support use-cases like:

Databases used for mission-critical tasks: Databases like Oracle or Microsoft SQL are frequently used for crucial day-to-day tasks, hence latency is undesirable and excellent performance is a must.

Virtualized Environments: Storage area Network Systems are perfect for large-scale deployments of industry-standard hypervisors like VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, Citrix (or XenServer), and StoneFly Persepolis. These systems are frequently used to Host thousands of Virtual Machines (VMs).

ERP and CRM Environments: Storage area network systems make the best host platforms for large deployments of enterprise programmes like SAP and other ERP or CRM applications because they offer high availability, performance, and zero downtime requirements.

VDIs (Virtual Desktop Infrastructures): Storage area networks offer a high-performance, central location for storing data capable of supporting huge numbers of virtual desktops, which makes managing large-scale deployments easier.

How does storage area network work?

Storage area networks pool accessible storage and provide it to preconfigured iSCSI initiators as a centrally managed target storage. Software like StoneFly StoneFusion, which instals directly on bare metal, or programmes like StoneFly SCVM or VMware vSAN, which make use of virtualization, are used to do this.

The following three levels can be used to categorise storage area networks according to their architecture:

The host layer is made up of the servers connected to the storage infrastructure. Structured workloads that require access to block storage, such as databases and apps, are made easier by this layer.

The fabric layer, which connects hosts and storage, is made up of the network equipment and cables that serve as the SANs' communication channel.

The storage layer represents the storage resources that have been gathered for different storage pools and layers, as its name suggests. Storage is offered in a variety of configurations, including RAID arrays, expansion units, tape arrays, integrated HDDs, flash (SSDs), and/or NVMe.

The iSCSI storage protocol was developed, deployed, and pioneered by Thomastech, who also contributed to it becoming the common block storage protocol used in datacenters all over the world. Thomastech provides the best low cost storage area network services.

The storage area networks, which come pre-configured with Thomastech's unique SAN operating system, provide a variety of enterprise data services, including deduplication, thin provisioning, sophisticated encryption, etc., to optimise block data storage and support mission-critical workloads.