Clustered File System, NAS & SAN Integration
Storage Area Networks (SANs) like those from Intransa are high performance, block-level storage networks. Originally exclusively Fibre Channel (FC) based, more and more customers are choosing scalable Internet Protocol (IP) based SAN solutions from Intransa. Our StorStac Systems provide the best of SAN performance, since we offer 1, 2 and 10GbE interfaces, yet at significantly lower price and implemented in an easy to manage manner. IP SANs provide high speed data transfer, advanced storage management, optimized storage use and performance, complementary storage to FC SANs at less cost, secondary storage and backup/recovery options, and allow "any-to-any" connectivity.
Some application environments, such as video surveillance, IPTV, video on demand, etc. typically have their own native file system, and are an ideal fit for a SAN.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) typically operate on a file level, rather than the block level of a SAN. This means that they support NFS and CIFS primarily, and provide storage and data sharing between hosts and storage subsystems, and are often departmental or SMB market focused.
There are some applications that work very well in the NAS space, and as a result there are a large number of vendors offering NAS solutions. Yet the many of those same application environments could benefit from the use of a SAN as well, particularly as they grow and need better and simpler management of storage resources, and the better performance that SANs offer.
Intransa StorStac Systems make integration of clustered file systems and NAS with SAN possible in response to customer needs. Intransa has tested and certified most industry-leading operating systems, clustered file systems, and NAS OS software and integrated them with our own solutions. Microsoft Windows 2000/2003, R2 Server and XP as well as Red Hat Linux, Sun Solaris 10, SuSE Enterprise 10, HP-UX, Novell NetWare, IBM AIX, and VMware ESX are among those tested. And for clustered file systems, the list includes IBRIX, Sanbolic, Quantum StorNext, Sun/Lustre and HP/PolyServe.
By leveraging Intransa StorStac Systems with our unique, independently scalable performance and capacity for IP SAN storage and integrating with one or more of these common file and operating systems, our customers are able to experience the best of both the SAN and NAS worlds when they need to. Intransa StorPartner Channel Partner Program members are not only experienced and knowledgeable of our StorStac Systems, but are also expert in one or more of these technologies. Thus, our StorPartners are able to provide integrated clustered file system, NAS and SAN solutions to our customers affordably and effectively. Get the best of both!