Storage area networks (SAN) allow for data transfer between computer systems and storage elements over a network. A SAN consists of storage devices, servers, and a communication infrastructure using Fibre Channel that provides secure data transfer. SANs offer benefits like independent storage access, remote data transfer for disaster recovery, and centralized storage management. Considerations for SANs include management at the storage, network, and system levels as well as security measures like authentication, authorization, and access controls.