With every server purchase comes a basic question: How much storage should you include with the new server purchase? For larger companies, you might have already addressed this question through the implementation of a storage area network. However, until fairly recently, centralised storage pricing has remained out of reach for many small- and medium- size organisations. Regardless of the specific situation at your company, one thing is certain: there are a lot of choices – and a lot of decisions to be made – in today's storage marketplace. In this article, I'll provide an overview of the current technology as well as its pros and cons. Use this article in conjunction with the Storage product comparison worksheet available for download from TechRepublic to get a better idea about the various options available for your business. In a future article, I'll provide a more in-depth view of each of these solutions.
Storage optionsThere are three overall storage options that deserve consideration: direct-attached storage (DAS), network attached storage (NAS), and a storage area network (SAN). As you might expect, each option meets specific needs and has pros and cons that you must weigh before making a decision.
Each storage option is discussed in detail over the next two pages.
Direct-attached Storage | Network-attached Storage
Storage-Area Networks
