Tape Virtualization

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are storage arrays or gateways that support file-based storage protocols such as NFS and CiFS, and are typically connected via an IP network. These file-based protocols provide clients shared access to storage resources. This centralization of shared storage resources reduces management complexity, minimizes stranded disk capacity, improves storage utilization rates and eliminates file server sprawl.

NAS versus SAN

The primary difference between NAS and SAN solutions is the type of access protocol. NAS protocols such as NFS and CiFS provide shared file level access to storage resources. The management of the file system resides with the NAS device. SAN protocols such as iSCSI and fibre channel provide block level access to storage resources. Block level devices are accessed by servers via the SAN, and the servers manage the file system.
Despite their differences, SAN and NAS are not mutually exclusive, and may be combined in multi-protocol or unified storage arrays, offering both file-level protocols (NAS) and block-level protocols (SAN) from the same system. The best of both worlds!

Benefits of NAS

NAS devices typically leverage existing IP networks for connectivity, enabling companies to reduce the price of entry for access to shared storage.
The RAID and clustering capabilities inherent to modern enterprise NAS devices offer greatly improved availability when compared with traditional direct attached storage.
Because NAS devices control the file system, they offer increased flexibility when using advanced storage functionality such as snapshots.
With 10GE connectivity, NAS devices can offer performance on par with many currently installed fibre channel SANs

Key NAS Uses

Traditional use cases for NAS devices include file shares, home directories and centralized logging. Recently, as the performance and availability of NAS devices has improved, many customers are expanding the use of NAS to include storage for relational databases such as Oracle and MySQL, server virtualization environments such as VMWare VSphere, and virtual desktop solutions such as VMWare VDI.

Creating a Network Attached Storage Solution

NAS is a common storage infrastructure offering in data centers worldwide. Eastern Computer has assisted many of our customers in justifying, designing, and implementing enterprise NAS solutions – we can do the same for you! Along the way, we’ll work with you to develop a solution that meets your needs, allowing you to:

Lower acquisition and management costs
Meet performance and availability requirements
Handle ever increasing annual storage growth with minimal, to no impact to your business
Minimize, or even eliminate the impact of backup windows

Deliver operational and disaster recovery

Growing a Network Attached Storage Network

If your SAN has existed for a year or more, you are more than likely struggling with the following questions:

Should I have a dedicated IP network for my NAS solution?
What is the best data protection solution for my NAS environment?
Does it make sense to use NAS storage with VMWare or HyperV?
Is my NAS environment a good candidate for de-duplication and compression of primary storage?
What options are available for archiving file system data?
What features are different among NAS vendors, and how will that impact me?
Should some of my data be on a NAS device, or never aging iSCSI?

Eastern Computer can help answer all your SAN growth questions, and deliver an architecture that meets your business needs.

Customized NAS Offerings

Given the breadth of use cases for NAS devices, Eastern Computer can customize our NAS offerings to meet your needs. Here are some of the services delivered to our customer base:

Complete Storage Audit – A thorough analysis of your current storage infrastructure, along with an architecture roadmap, and ROI for investing in a SAN

File System Assessment -- provides vital information about server volumes and files in heterogeneous storage networks without requiring installation of server agents. Using EMC standard tools we can identify capacity utilization, file age distribution, space consumption, last access time, last modification time, duplicate file types, and perform a file type classification. Once the analysis is complete, we present you with reports, findings, and recommendations in easy to understand format.
This analysis can take as little time as an hour without impact to your production environment with minimal input from your IT administrators.

Benefits:
• Helps in determining the aging of files and how much content is not being accessed or modified.
• Realize how much capacity can be reclaimed if this data were to be moved to an archiving tier.
• Understand what type of data resides on the servers.
• Single assessment that tells you all you need to know about the data residing on your file servers.

Why Eastern?

Eastern has the NAS expertise that looks into your individual circumstance and provides you with a professional experience, end-to-end.
We have a dedication to listen and learn about your business and needs.
Our focus is on building long-term relationships and partnerships.
We have a trusted advisor status in Fortune 500 Companies.
Our company is a blend of dedicated business professionals committed to meeting your company's needs. Our allegiance to this goal and our high quality service guarantees our client's success.

Eastern clients ALWAYS receive the best service available at competitive prices.

	Network Attached Storage (NAS)
	Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are storage arrays or gateways that support file-based storage protocols such as NFS and CiFS, and are typically connected via an IP network. These file-based protocols provide clients shared access to storage resources. This centralization of shared storage resources reduces management complexity, minimizes stranded disk capacity, improves storage utilization rates and eliminates file server sprawl.
	NAS versus SAN The primary difference between NAS and SAN solutions is the type of access protocol. NAS protocols such as NFS and CiFS provide shared file level access to storage resources. The management of the file system resides with the NAS device. SAN protocols such as iSCSI and fibre channel provide block level access to storage resources. Block level devices are accessed by servers via the SAN, and the servers manage the file system. Despite their differences, SAN and NAS are not mutually exclusive, and may be combined in multi-protocol or unified storage arrays, offering both file-level protocols (NAS) and block-level protocols (SAN) from the same system. The best of both worlds! Benefits of NAS NAS devices typically leverage existing IP networks for connectivity, enabling companies to reduce the price of entry for access to shared storage. The RAID and clustering capabilities inherent to modern enterprise NAS devices offer greatly improved availability when compared with traditional direct attached storage. Because NAS devices control the file system, they offer increased flexibility when using advanced storage functionality such as snapshots. With 10GE connectivity, NAS devices can offer performance on par with many currently installed fibre channel SANs

	Key NAS Uses Traditional use cases for NAS devices include file shares, home directories and centralized logging. Recently, as the performance and availability of NAS devices has improved, many customers are expanding the use of NAS to include storage for relational databases such as Oracle and MySQL, server virtualization environments such as VMWare VSphere, and virtual desktop solutions such as VMWare VDI.

	Creating a Network Attached Storage Solution NAS is a common storage infrastructure offering in data centers worldwide. Eastern Computer has assisted many of our customers in justifying, designing, and implementing enterprise NAS solutions – we can do the same for you! Along the way, we’ll work with you to develop a solution that meets your needs, allowing you to: Lower acquisition and management costs Meet performance and availability requirements Handle ever increasing annual storage growth with minimal, to no impact to your business Minimize, or even eliminate the impact of backup windows Deliver operational and disaster recovery

	Growing a Network Attached Storage Network If your SAN has existed for a year or more, you are more than likely struggling with the following questions: Should I have a dedicated IP network for my NAS solution? What is the best data protection solution for my NAS environment? Does it make sense to use NAS storage with VMWare or HyperV? Is my NAS environment a good candidate for de-duplication and compression of primary storage? What options are available for archiving file system data? What features are different among NAS vendors, and how will that impact me? Should some of my data be on a NAS device, or never aging iSCSI? Eastern Computer can help answer all your SAN growth questions, and deliver an architecture that meets your business needs.

	Customized NAS Offerings Given the breadth of use cases for NAS devices, Eastern Computer can customize our NAS offerings to meet your needs. Here are some of the services delivered to our customer base: *Complete Storage Audit* – A thorough analysis of your current storage infrastructure, along with an architecture roadmap, and ROI for investing in a SAN *File System Assessment* -- provides vital information about server volumes and files in heterogeneous storage networks without requiring installation of server agents. Using EMC standard tools we can identify capacity utilization, file age distribution, space consumption, last access time, last modification time, duplicate file types, and perform a file type classification. Once the analysis is complete, we present you with reports, findings, and recommendations in easy to understand format. This analysis can take as little time as an hour without impact to your production environment with minimal input from your IT administrators. *Benefits:* • Helps in determining the aging of files and how much content is not being accessed or modified. • Realize how much capacity can be reclaimed if this data were to be moved to an archiving tier. • Understand what type of data resides on the servers. • Single assessment that tells you all you need to know about the data residing on your file servers.

	Why Eastern? Eastern has the NAS expertise that looks into your individual circumstance and provides you with a professional experience, end-to-end. We have a dedication to listen and learn about your business and needs. Our focus is on building long-term relationships and partnerships. We have a trusted advisor status in Fortune 500 Companies. Our company is a blend of dedicated business professionals committed to meeting your company's needs. Our allegiance to this goal and our high quality service guarantees our client's success. Eastern clients ALWAYS receive the best service available at competitive prices.