SAN – Storage Area Network
Storage Area Network (SAN) is a specialized, high-speed network that provides block-level access to data storage. SANs are primarily used to enhance the performance and availability of storage resources, while also providing a level of data isolation and security.
A SAN typically consists of host servers, switches, storage arrays, and storage devices that are connected together using a variety of technologies, such as Fibre Channel or iSCSI. The SAN infrastructure provides a dedicated storage network, separate from the traditional network infrastructure, allowing for increased performance and scalability.
SANs are commonly used in environments where data storage and retrieval performance is critical, such as in databases, big data analytics, and video editing. SANs can also be used to consolidate storage resources and provide data backup and disaster recovery capabilities.