Low cost Network Attached Storage (NAS) is an architecture attached remote computing device that acts like a file server over a wired or wireless computing network. Devices on a NAS appear as a network drive to the operating system. A Storage Attached Network (SAN) in contrast to Network Attached Storage are attached to the network using a SCSI like protocol and appear to the operating system as a local drive. SANs are more expensive than NASs and use a mapping layer between the low-level physical layer and the network. For example, see the following mapping schemas:
Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) - mapping SCSI over Fibre Channel (FC)
iSCIS - mapping SCSI over TCP/IP
At DMDi we employ a 3TB NAS that allows anyone with a registered user name and Domain rights access to the NAS. It is a low cost solutions that recycles existing legacy storage in combination with a USB hub and portable hard drive enclosures. Here's are the specifications, it was built in just a few hours :
1. Apple Airport Extreme
2. Belkin 7 port USB Hub
3. 3 Vantec 3.5" NexStar 3
4. 2 Vantec 2.5" NexStar 3
5. 2 Seagate 1TB Barracuda 7200.11
6. 1 Seagate 500GB Barrabuda 7200.11
7. 2 Seagate 320GB Momentus 7200 FDEs
DMDi NAS is an always on solution for network storage and doesn't require a dedicated desktop computer. The next phase of our NAS roll out will be to add a RAID storage systems.
Our NAS does have it's drawbacks. It is not the ideal solution for heavy multi-user use, the stripped down OS and CPU cannot sustained heavy loads and constant I/O while transmitting data wirelessly. The DMDi NAS solution shares files over wireless G and N and should be used with WPA2 personal security in conjuction with user name and password access to individual drives. Although it is difficult to break into our wireless network, especially since it's SSID is not set to broadcast, there still exists that potential risk.
Please send me descriptions of the NAS solutions you have deloyed.
