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Storage Networking 101: SANs and Storage

Welcome! We begin outr Storage Networking 101 series with an introduction to Storage Area Networks and storage technologies. In case you missed it, be sure to read the entire Networking 101 series before embarking on the Storage journey—a solid understanding of various network protocols is required.

The most critical, sometimes tedious, part of setting up a SAN is configuring each individual disk array. Depending on one's specific needs, certain best practices should be adhered to. In this Storage Networking 101, we'll delve into some Best Practices and cover the general concepts you must know before configuring SAN-attached storage.

Storage Networking 101: What Disks?

Before jumping into FC protocol details, we need to discuss the various types of disks and RAID available. There are many factors to consider before buying storage, and knowing the difference between SATA, SCSI, and SAS drives is required. A Storage Network often bottlenecks at the storage devices themselves, so it's important to spend some time discussing RAID and disk technologies.

SN101: FC Ports and Topologies

As we dive deeper into SAN technology, it's Fiber Channel's turn to be examined. FC is the underpinning of all SAN technologies these days, as it won the protocol war roughly 25 years ago.