The Definitive Resource on Storage Networks

Covers storage networking technologies including SAN, NAS, Fibre Channel, file systems, virtualization, database storage, and snapshots

This comprehensive guide helps you stay on top of storage networking innovations while understanding the realities of storage networks in the data center. Use the essential concepts of storage networks including architecture, devices, connectivity options, and data organization methods to design and apply comprehensive and successful storage solutions. Learn to work with the two major models--NAS (Network Attached Storage) and SAN (Storage Area Networking)--and their integration with IP, RAID storage architectures, and virtualization basics. Whether you're a network engineer, application designer, or IT executive, discover this useful reference to understand, plan, and maintain a storage network.

• Plan, install, and manage a successful storage network
• Analyze network file systems, volume managers, and database storage challenges used in storage networks
• Understand the realities of data protection and backup/recovery techniques using storage networks
• Compare reliability and performance by reviewing the potential and limitations of storage component technologies
• Integrate storage networking solutions with structured and unstructured data using example data center models
• Consider the best options for using disk, tape, and optical media with storage networks
• Overcome the challenges and limitations of storage networks using relational database systems and existing LAN/WAN networks
• Learn I/O workload planning and estimate your storage networking capacities and requirements

Written for storage professionals, this reference outlines the various architectural considerations of storage area networks (SAN) and network attached storage (NAS), the components that satisfy each storage architecture, and various connectivity options for a networked storage environment. Later chapters present guidelines for estimating SAN and NAS resources and configurations, consider the possible integration of storage networks, and address performance management activities and security methods. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Information technologies including the Internet, data warehousing, and e-mail are creating an unprecedented demand to store information--and storage networks are the solution. This volume covers the gamut of storage technologies that are relevant to selecting, installing, and managing a successful storage network.

Keep tabs on the vast array of storage network technologies, including SAN, NAS, Fibre Channel, file systems, virtualization, database storage, and snapshots. Plus, discover emerging technology standards such as iSCSI, InfiniBand, and storage provisioning. A profoundly useful resource for troubleshooting and coping with legacy issues such as interoperability and storage resource management.

Part I: Concepts of Storage Networking

1: The Data Storage and Data Access Problem

2: The Battle for Size and Access

3: Decoupling the Storage Component: Putting Storage on the Network

4: Decoupling the Storage Component: Creating a Network for Storage

Part II: Storage Fundamentals

5: Storage Architectures

6: Device Overviews

7: Connectivity Options

8: Data Organizational Methods

Part III: Network Attached Storage

9: Putting Storage on the Network: A Detailed Discussion

10: NAS Hardware Devices

11: NAS Software Components

12: NAS Connectivity Options

Part IV: Storage Area Networks

13: Architecture Overview

14: Hardware Devices

15: Software Components

16: Configuration Options for SANs

Part V: Application-Putting It Together

17: Defining the I/O Workload

18: Applying the SAN Solution

19: Applying the NAS Solution

20: Considerations When Integrating SAN and NAS

Part VI: Management-Keeping It Running

21: Planning Business Continuity

22: Managing Availability

(and more...)