NAS vs. SAN: Which Storage Strategy is Right for Your Small Business? Sponsored by:

Tony Giannini Enterprise Storage Specialist CDW Corporation

You KNOW you’ve got a data storage challenge when: You’re relying on individual users to back up data to external storage devices You’re backing up all the company’s data on the file server The CEO asks, “Why don’t we just get another server?”

You’re relying on individual users to back up data to external storage devices

You’re backing up all the company’s data on the file server

The CEO asks, “Why don’t we just get another server?”

Just some of the issues you’re constantly facing: Using servers as primary storage slows down applications and file serving and causes bottlenecks Distributed storage among users compromises data security Distributed storage is difficult to manage and track Distributed storage is too reliant on end users E-mail archiving

Using servers as primary storage slows down applications and file serving and causes bottlenecks

Distributed storage among users compromises data security

Distributed storage is difficult to manage and track

Distributed storage is too reliant on end users

E-mail archiving

What are your biggest data storage challenges? □ Capacity □ Performance □ Time/effort required to manage □ All of the above

□ Capacity

□ Performance

□ Time/effort required to manage

□ All of the above

You are not alone. A recent CDW Communispace survey of small businesses found: Data storage needs are greatly increasing. Nearly two-thirds of small businesses have less than 2TB of available storage. One-third anticipate needing at least 2TB more storage in the next 1-2 years.

Data storage needs are greatly increasing.

Nearly two-thirds of small businesses have less than

2TB of available storage.

One-third anticipate needing at least 2TB more storage

in the next 1-2 years.

You are not alone. A recent CDW Communispace survey of small businesses found: Most organizations have a wide variety of servers deployed; the vast majority have a file server and an e-mail server that could be used for primary storage. These organizations more than likely use external hard drives, optical drives and USB flash devices for basic storage needs.

Most organizations have a wide variety of servers deployed;

the vast majority have a file server and an e-mail server

that could be used for primary storage.

These organizations more than likely use

external hard drives, optical drives and USB flash devices

for basic storage needs.

Data Storage The simple math of Direct Attached Storage: As businesses grow, the cost and complexity of managing, backing up and replicating data grows as well.

The simple math of Direct Attached Storage:

What storage strategy is your business currently using? □ Direct Attached Storage (DAS) □ Network Attached Storage (NAS) □ Storage Area Network (SAN) □ Other

□ Direct Attached Storage (DAS)

□ Network Attached Storage (NAS)

□ Storage Area Network (SAN)

□ Other

What We’ll Cover Today NAS SAN Network Attached Storage Storage Area Network ● What are the strengths of each? ● What are the cost implications? ● Which one makes the most sense for your organization?

NAS SAN

Network Attached Storage Storage Area Network

● What are the strengths of each?

● What are the cost implications?

● Which one makes the most sense for your organization?

Benefits of a Solid Storage Strategy ● Efficient disaster recovery ● Simplified management ● Shared storage for hosts ● Simplified infrastructure ● Fewer storage resources needed ● Faster and better access to data from multiple users ● Greater compliance with laws and regulations dictating data storage and retrieval ● Hierarchical storage management - Critical data easily accessible - Stores archival data at lower cost

● Efficient disaster recovery

● Simplified management

● Shared storage for hosts

● Simplified infrastructure

● Fewer storage resources needed

● Faster and better access to data from multiple users

● Greater compliance with laws and regulations dictating data storage and retrieval

● Hierarchical storage management

- Critical data easily accessible

- Stores archival data at lower cost

Are you budgeting for a NAS or SAN in 2010? □ Yes □ No □ Not sure

□ Yes

□ No

□ Not sure

Upgrading Your Data Storage The first step: Identify and evaluate your data and storage needs. ● How much data do you have? ● How much more do you foresee having? ● How critical is that data? ● What percentage truly needs to be redundant?

The first step:

Identify and evaluate your data and storage needs.

● How much data do you have?

● How much more do you foresee having?

● How critical is that data?

● What percentage truly needs to be redundant?

Network Attached Storage A storage device is connected to a network instead of a single machine so multiple users can share files.

A storage device is connected

to a network instead of

a single machine so multiple users

can share files.

Network Attached Storage

Network Attached Storage ● More reliable than Direct Attached Storage ● Easier to manage ● Easy to deploy and expand ● Ideal for businesses with lots of file and print servers and archive data

● More reliable than Direct Attached Storage

● Easier to manage

● Easy to deploy and expand

● Ideal for businesses with lots of file and print servers and archive data

Network Attached Storage A file-based protocol, which enables intelligent file management. NAS is a less-expensive option than SAN From a NAS appliance, you can easily back up to a tape drive or another disk Support for common files systems — users of heterogeneous operating systems have equal access to data

A file-based protocol, which enables

intelligent file management.

NAS is a less-expensive option than SAN

From a NAS appliance, you can easily back up to a tape drive or another disk

Support for common files systems — users of heterogeneous operating systems have equal access to data

Network Attached Storage

Storage Area Network A high-performance network of storage resources.

A high-performance network

of storage resources.

Storage Area Network

Storage Area Network ● Fast, easy to use and scalable ● Ideal for large databases and other demanding applications - Microsoft SQL - Exchange Server ● A good choice for organizations looking to consolidate storage from various servers and reduce backup windows

● Fast, easy to use and scalable

● Ideal for large databases and other demanding applications

- Microsoft SQL

- Exchange Server

● A good choice for organizations looking to consolidate storage from various servers and reduce backup windows

Storage Area Network Speed and scalability at the expense of simplicity. Designed to move large blocks of data from one place to another over a Fibre Channel or iSCSI connection Much faster than a NAS system Because SAN operates on a separate network from the LAN, it can perform continuous data backup without taxing the entire network SAN devices can be clustered to provide automated failover and to avoid a single point of failure

Speed and scalability at the expense of simplicity.

Designed to move large blocks of data from one place to another over a Fibre Channel or iSCSI connection

Much faster than a NAS system

Because SAN operates on a separate network from the LAN, it can perform continuous data backup without taxing the entire network

SAN devices can be clustered to provide automated failover and to avoid a single point of failure

Storage Area Network

Combining NAS and SAN The best of both worlds: NAS appliances with Fibre Channel or iSCSI connections can be integrated into a SAN - The file-serving control and manageability of NAS - The backup speed, availability and scalability of a SAN Multiple NAS appliances can be clustered on a SAN to enable automated failover

The best of both worlds:

NAS appliances with Fibre Channel or iSCSI connections can be integrated into a SAN

- The file-serving control and manageability of NAS

- The backup speed, availability and scalability of a SAN

Multiple NAS appliances can be clustered on a SAN to enable automated failover

Could your business benefit from a FREE data storage assessment ? □ Yes, please contact me to schedule one.

□ Yes, please contact me to schedule one.

Your CDW account manager: more valuable than any VAR. You get a designated small business account manager who understands your business challenges Your account manager can serve as a resource or sounding board Your account manager can make your life and your workload easier Best-in-class storage solutions from the top IT brands Advice and recommendations Access to our team of industry-certified storage specialists

You get a designated small business account manager who understands your business challenges

Your account manager can serve as a resource or sounding board

Your account manager can make your life and your workload easier

Best-in-class storage solutions from the top IT brands

Advice and recommendations

Access to our team of industry-certified storage specialists

Want To Learn More? Visit CDW.com Call 800.800.4239 Call your CDW account manager or get one assigned to your business today.

Visit CDW.com

Call 800.800.4239

Call your CDW account manager

or get one assigned to your business today.