NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a device that is connected to a network and has data storage capabilities, so it is also called "network storage". It is a dedicated data storage server that is data-centric, completely separating the storage device from the server and centralizing data management, thus freeing up bandwidth, improving performance, reducing total cost of ownership, and protecting investments. Its cost is much lower than that of server storage, while its efficiency is much higher than the latter. International famous NAS companies include Netapp, EMC, OUO, etc.
Introduction A NAS is defined as a special type of dedicated data storage server, including storage devices (such as disk arrays, CD/DVD drives, tape drives, or removable storage media) and embedded system software , that provides cross-platform file sharing capabilities.NAS typically occupies its own node on a LAN without the intervention of an application server, allowing users to access data on the network, and in this configuration, the NAS centrally manages and processes all data on the network, offloading the load from the application or enterprise servers, effectively reducing the total cost of ownership and protecting the user's investment.
NAS is capable of supporting multiple protocols (e.g., NFS, CIFS, FTP, HTTP, etc.) and can support a variety of operating systems. NAS devices can be managed intuitively and easily from any workstation using IE or Netscape browser. NAS connects storage devices to network to provide data and file services. NAS servers generally consist of storage hardware, an operating system, and a file system, and so on. NAS connects directly to disk storage arrays over the network.The disk storage arrays have high capacity, high performance, and high reliability. And it connects storage devices to the Internet without a server through a standard network topology. It does not rely on a common operating system, but uses a user-oriented, simplified operating system designed specifically for data storage, with built-in protocols required to connect to the network, thus making the entire system easier to manage and set up.
Technical Features NAS solutions are typically configured as file serving devices, with file access by workstations or servers via network protocols (such as TCP/IP) and applications (such as Network File System(NFS) or Common Internet File System (CIFS)). Most NAS connections are made between workstation clients and NAS file sharing devices. These connections rely on the enterprise network infrastructure to function properly. To improve system performance and uninterrupted user access, NAS employs specialized operating systems for network file access that support both standard file access and the appropriate network protocols, so that NAS technology can meet specific user needs. For example, when some enterprises need to cope with rapid data growth or address system limitations caused by mutually independent work environments, they can adopt the new generation NAS technology to solve these problems by using centralized network file access mechanisms and sharing to reduce system management costs and improve data backup and recovery functions.
Category Appliance-based servers It is the lowest end of NAS series devices. Appliance-based servers are not specifically attached storage devices. They provide a storage location for the network, but they are relatively inexpensive due to the lack of redundant and high-performance components. In a workgroup environment, appliance-based servers have many roles to play. Typical services include network address translation (NAT), proxy, DHCP, email, web server, DNS, firewall, and VPN. Workgroup NAS Workgroup NAS is particularly well suited for small and midsize companies with relatively low storage needs, which typically range from hundreds of gigabytes to 1 terabyte. companies running e-commerce software or large databases will need several terabytes of storage, and they use what falls into the midsize NAS category. Generally speaking, when upgrading from a workgroup to a midsize NAS, you will find slight improvements regarding hot-swappable drives and some device boxes that can hold additional drives or more failover products, enhanced management capabilities, and system complexity. Large NAS It is critical for these types of storage devices that the system is easily scalable as well as highly available and redundant. These devices must also provide the performance of high-end servers, flexible management, and the ability to interact with heterogeneous network platforms. Pros and Cons Advantages (1) NAS is suitable for users who need to transfer file data to multiple clients over a network. NAS devices can work well in environments where data must be transferred over long distances. (2) NAS devices are very easy to deploy. It allows NAS hosts, clients, and other devices to be widely distributed throughout an enterprise's network environment. NAS can provide reliable file-level data consolidation because file locking is handled by the device itself. (3) NAS is used in efficient file sharing tasks where different hosts and clients access information on the NAS through file sharing agreements, enabling file sharing capabilities such as NFS in Unix and CIFS in Windows nt, where network-based file-level locking provides advanced concurrent access protection. Limitations (1) NAS devices and clients are connected through the enterprise network, so the process of data backup or storage will occupy the bandwidth of the network. It inevitably affects other network applications on the internal enterprise network; shared network bandwidth becomes a major issue to limit NAS performance. Therefore NAS system data transfer rate is not high, with only 30~50MB/s for Gigabit Ethernet. (2) The scalability of NAS is limited by the size of the device. It is very easy to add another NAS device, but it is not easy to seamlessly merge the storage space of two NAS devices, because NAS devices usually have unique network identifiers and limited expansion on storage space. Only file storage space is available, which cannot fully meet the requirements of database applications. (2) The scalability of NAS is limited by the size of the device. It is very easy to add another NAS device, but it is not easy to seamlessly merge the storage space of two NAS devices, because NAS devices usually have unique network identifiers and limited expansion on storage space. Only file storage space is available, which cannot fully meet the requirements of database applications. [3] (3) NAS access needs to go through file system format conversion, so it is accessed at file level and it is not suitable for Block-level applications, especially database systems that require the use of bare devices. (4) Higher costs for upfront installation and equipment Main applications NAS has great advantages in data storage and management for office automation, tax business integrated system, advertising industry, education and teaching, medical industry, manufacturing industry, etc. With the high performance-to-price ratio, it is widely suitable for various application environments from small and medium-sized enterprises to large and medium-sized enterprises. Shenzhen Innovative Cloud Computer co.,Ltd. is a professional Mini Pc manufacturer. It provides kinds of Industrial PC, fanless Industrial Mini Pc, software routers, Firewall Appliance, industrail computers with a fan built-in as well as normal Mini PC for home and office use. As a professional manufacturer, we provide appropriate ODM & OEM solutions. Please feel free to contact us for more information: Company: Shenzhen Innovative Cloud Computer Co., Ltd. Email: sales03@cnxcy.com.cn Whatsapp: +8615019401196 Skype: yangyang32700
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