Network Attached Storage (NAS)

 

Network-attached storage (NAS) is a concept of shared storage on a network. It communicates using Network File System (NFS) for UNIX« environments, Common Internet File System (CIFS) for Microsoft Windows environments, FTP, http, and other networking protocols. NAS brings platform independence and increased performance to a network, as if it were an attached appliance.

 

A NAS device is typically a dedicated, high-performance, high-speed communicating, single-purpose machine or component. NAS devices are optimized to stand alone and serve specific storage needs with their own operating systems and integrated hardware and software. Think of them as types of plug-and-play appliances, except with the purpose of serving your storage requirements. The systems are simplified to address specific needs as quickly as possible-in real time. NAS devices are well suited to serve networks that have a mix of clients, servers, and operations and may handle such tasks as Web cache and proxy, firewall, audio-video streaming, tape backup, and data storage with file serving.

 

NAS devices known as filers focus all of their processing power solely on file service and file storage. As integrated storage devices, filers are optimized for use as dedicated file servers. They are attached directly to a network, usually to a LAN, to provide file-level access to data. Filers help you keep administrative costs down because they are easy to set up and manage, and they are platform-independent.

 

NAS filers can be located anywhere on a network, so you have the freedom to place them close to where their storage services are needed. One of the chief benefits of filers is that they relieve your more expensive general-purpose servers of many file management operations. General-purpose servers often get bogged down with CPU-intensive activities, and thus can't handle file management tasks as efficiently as filers. NAS filers not only improve file-serving performance but also leave your general-purpose servers with more bandwidth to handle critical business operations.

 

For small office requirements, to large corporate data-centres, ITMS Ltd can provide a suitable storage solution for your business.

 

Please contact us for more information: info@itmsltd.net