![]() Because DAS storage includes a minimal number of components, other than the SSD or HDD itself, the price tag tends to be much lower than the networked alternatives.ĭAS is not without its downsides, however. A DAS device can often be implemented through a simple plug-and-play operation, with little administrative overhead. Other systems that connect to the host might run into network issues, but the host itself-and the applications that run on it-have unencumbered access to data hosted on DAS.ĭAS is also cheaper and easier to implement and maintain than networked systems such as NAS or SAN. When using DAS, the host server does not need to contend with potential network bottlenecks such as sluggish network speed or network congestion, and the data is by definition in close proximity to the server. Some IT teams turn to DAS because it typically provides better performance than networked storage solutions such as NAS and SAN. (See the first article in this series for information about interfaces and related storage technologies.) Along with other storage technologies, the interface can have a significant impact on drive performance and is an important consideration when choosing a DAS drive. ![]() Other systems cannot connect to the drive directly but must communicate with the host computer to access the stored data.ĭAS connects to a computer via an interface such as Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS), Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA), Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), or Peripheral Component Internet Express (PCIe). Even in this case, however, the computer connected to the drive still controls that drive. Whether internal or external, the DAS device is dedicated to and controlled by the host computer.Ī computer’s DAS drive can be shared so that other systems can access the drive across the network. External DAS can be a single drive or part of an array or RAID configuration. Other storage types, such as optical or tape drives, can theoretically be considered DAS if they connect directly to the computer, but references to DAS nearly always refer to HDDs or SSDs, including those in this article.ĭAS can connect to a computer internally or externally. Direct-Attached StorageĪs the name suggests, DAS is a storage configuration in which HDDs or SSDs are attached directly to a computer, rather than connecting via a network such as Ethernet, Fibre Channel, or InfiniBand. Keep in mind, however, that even with these technologies, DAS, NAS, and SAN will likely still play a vital role in the modern data center. Later in this series, I’ll cover the more modern technologies so you have complete picture of the available options and what storage strategies might be best for your IT infrastructure. This article explores the three configurations in order to provide you with a better sense of how they work and when to use them. Each approach offers both advantages and disadvantages, but it’s not always clear when to use one over the other or the role they might play in more modern technologies such as cloud storage or hyperconverged infrastructures (HCIs). Not only does this include the wide range of hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs), but also technologies such as cloud storage, software-defined storage, and even converged, hyperconverged, or composable infrastructures.ĭespite the various options, many data centers continue to rely on three traditional configurations: direct-attached storage (DAS), network-attached storage (NAS), and the storage area network (SAN). Today’s IT teams are turning to a variety of technologies to provide storage for their users and applications. Storage 101: Monitoring storage metrics. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |