Are Network Data-storage Technologies Merging?

Leading storage vendor EMC recently released its Celerra HighRoad software solution. It enables data stored on Network Attached Storage (NAS) appliances to be distributed to users via the fabric, rather than the network, which is the usual method of file delivery. Celerra HighRoad supports both Unix and Windows NT platforms. File requests are received via standard Network File System (NFS) (Unix) and Common Internet File System (CIFS) (Windows NT) protocols over the Local Area Network (LAN), and the data is delivered using Fiber Channel or Small Computer System Interface (SCSI). 

The big picture

Celerra HighRoad extends some of the benefits of Storage Area Networks (SANs) to NAS. One of NAS’ drawbacks is that it is directly attached to the network and requested files have to be delivered over the network. Because NAS is best suited to collaborative environments where there is a need to share data, such as CAD/CAM departments, file sizes tend to be very large. This can result in bottlenecks caused by bandwidth limitations. 

Many large organizations are implementing SANs partly to improve the file distribution mechanism. However, SANs are not the ideal solution where a high level of file sharing is required. By combining the flexibility and file-sharing capabilities of NAS with the distribution method of a SAN, we believe EMC is providing the ‘best of both worlds’. 

Most large organizations have heterogeneous storage environments both in terms of the vendors from which their compo- nents are purchased and in the type of storage installed. For example, there may well be a SAN, NAS, and direct attached storage, with components from all of the leading storage vendors. 

While vendors argue in public, behind the scenes they are working closely together to ensure that their hardware and software components interoperate with as many different vendors’ components as possible and EMC is no exception. It has already qualified Celerra HighRoad to operate in the major server environments following testing in its interoperability labs. 

EMC believes that Celerra HighRoad is unique in the functionality it offers. While this may be true, it is certainly not the only company that is providing solutions that bring NAS and SAN closer together. Storage Networks has a storage management product that enables organizations to administer and control all of their storage architectures from a single console using one application, although at present separate management tools are required for each type of storage. 

Butler Group’s opinion

EMC believes that there is a merging of SAN and NAS. We do not agree with that sentiment. There is certainly a move to improve the manageability of storage infrastructures by creating integrated environments where SAN and NAS work side by side. However, we believe that they will always be separate technologies, which have very different roles to play in the organization. 

In our opinion, SAN will continue to provide pooled storage resources that can be managed and maintained outside the network, while NAS will enable file sharing and collaboration. Celerra HighRoad allows NAS to utilize some of the SAN infrastructure, but we do not believe that this signifies the merging of two very different technologies.

Extract from Butler Group OpinionWire
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