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Back to Basics: Network Attached Storage

What is Network Attached Storage?

Network-attached storage (NAS) is a file-level storage architecture that allows many users to interact with a storage pool. Having data-sharing capabilities is vital in today’s organizations as it allows networked users to collaborate. NAS devices reside within local area networks (LANs) as individual network nodes and are defined by their own unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. They are often connected to the network via a wireless router and allow dispersed work environments to access the stored data.

How is it Used?

On arrival, a NAS system is ready to use and pre-configured. NAS device set-up is as simple as connecting it to the network and interacting with it via a browser-based utility. This device configuration specializes in unstructured data such as audio, video, website, and text-based files. The focus on unstructured data is one of the differentiating qualities that separate NAS systems from storage area networks (SANs). Anyone with access to the network can access the NAS device and its data. This feature is especially helpful for remote employees as it provides access to the same data that would otherwise be available on-site.

Advantages:

  • Quick and easy set-up.
  • Affordable backup and storage solution with no license purchase necessary.
  • Utilizes RAID technology for data redundancy in case of hard drive failure.
  • Remote access to data anywhere and anytime. This advantage increases employee collaboration and productivity.  
  • Scalable capacity allows for additional disks to be installed without shutting down the entire network (except for when RAID is in use).

Who is NAS Best for?

Any organization can use NAS regardless of size. Usually, most organizations ranging from small to midsize find NAS especially effective at meeting their needs. The choice of whether or not NAS is right for your organization comes down to your specific IT infrastructure needs. If one or more of the advantages helps increase the efficiency of operations, then NAS may be the right choice for your IT environment and organization.

Cost Cutting Option:

Despite the attractive price of NAS devices, IT managers are constantly searching for the best deal. Many managers find their hardware needs answered with thomastech’s in-house inventory of enterprise hardware, saving them money and stretching their budget. Contact thomastech today to find out how we can reduce your hardware and storage costs by calling (330) 225-3117.In addition to saving departments on enterprise hardware, thomastech provides world-class enterprise support and maintenance. On average, thomastech cuts costs for organizations by up to 70% on their maintenance when compared to the OEM’s SLAs. thomastech partners with IT managers, perhaps even you, to empower them so they can keep data moving. To learn more about how thomastech can help with your data storage needs, visit www.thomastechllc.com or call (330) 225-3117 to get a free consultation with a thomastech partner specialist.

Conclusion:

NAS devices are a proven and effective means for storing large quantities of data.  They are affordable while also providing a few key advantages required by the modern IT industry. These devices connect employees and organizations across the global economy. These are just a few reasons why IT professionals care and why you should care about NAS.

Reduce support costs by up to 70%

Customizable Service Levels Adjust service levels or add and delete equipment from your Sever Storage And Network maintenance contract at any time.

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Get the best parts for your DataCenter equipment

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Hitachi VSP 5600

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The Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform 5000 series is a data storage solution for enterprises that supports block, file, and mainframe applications. It includes the Hitachi Ops Center management software suite for efficiency, data security, enhanced analytics, and centralised administration. The VSP series 5000 have Max. Number of drivers, including spares- 33 NVMe SCM, 96 NVMe and 768 SFF SSD. To accommodate up to 33 million IOPS and 69PB of data, Hitachi Accelerated Fabric can scale from twin controllers with quad CPUs to 12 controllers with 24 CPUs. It has a lightning-fast 39μs Minimum Response Time. Due to the controller architecture, scaling up the system results in a more resilient solution and provides 99.999999 per cent data availability. Additionally, the platform supports various media types combined on the same storage platform, including SAS FMD, SSD, HDD to NVMe SSD, and SCM media.

Hitachi VSP 5200

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The Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform 5000 series is a data storage solution for enterprises that supports block, file, and mainframe applications. It includes the Hitachi Ops Center management software suite for efficiency, data security, enhanced analytics, and centralised administration. The VSP series 5000 have Max. Number of drivers, including spares- 33 NVMe SCM, 96 NVMe and 768 SFF SSD. To accommodate up to 33 million IOPS and 69PB of data, Hitachi Accelerated Fabric can scale from twin controllers with quad CPUs to 12 controllers with 24 CPUs. It has a lightning-fast 39μs Minimum Response Time. Due to the controller architecture, scaling up the system results in a more resilient solution and provides 99.999999 per cent data availability. Additionally, the platform supports various media types combined on the same storage platform, including SAS FMD, SSD, HDD to NVMe SSD, and SCM media.

Hitachi DS7160

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With a maximum of 16 Intel Xeon 8276L CPUs and up to 12TB of memory, the Hitachi Advanced Server DS7160 is a powerful server. Mother Board Revision: 12001509-006 BIOS/uEFI: UEFI: BIOS_PUR043.37.14.121 (06/02/2020) CPU: 16 Intel Xeon® Platinum 8276L Processor 2.20 GHz RAM: 12 TB Ports and Bus Types: 3 USB Ports 40 PCI Express X8 8 PCI Express X16 Video Adapter: Matrox Graphics Inc. G200 SE A (PCI) Host Bus Adapter: Emulex Corporation LPe31004 FC (Quad Port) , FibreChannel LSI Logic SAS 9300-8i , Serial SCSI (SAS) Emulex Corporation LPe31002 FC (Dual-Port) , FibreChannel LSI Logic MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i , Serial SCSI (SAS) Broadcom® SAS 9300-8E Host Bus Adapter , Serial SCSI (SAS) Emulex Corporation LightPulse LPe12002 8Gb/s Fibre Channel PCI Express , FibreChannel Intel X99 Chipset (DHX99 PCH) , Serial ATA (SATA) Hard Disk Drive: 2 SanDisk SDLF1DAM-400G , Serial ATA (SATA) 6 HGST Ultrastar SS300 (HUSMM3240ASS204) , Serial SCSI (SAS) Seagate® Enterprise Capacity 3.5 HDD v4 SAS, 4TB (ST4000NM0034) , Serial SCSI (SAS) Storage Area Network (SAN) Device: Hitachi Data Systems Hitachi Universal Storage Platform V

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