What is network attached storage?

Network attached storage (NAS) is an IP-based file-sharing device that’s attached to a local area network. NAS, also known as network file storage, can serve a variety of clients and servers over an IP network. A NAS device uses its own operating system and integrated hardware and software to deliver a range of file service needs.

Why is network attached storage important?

Network attached storage enables organizations to: <br /><ul><li>Simplify management of network data storage.</li><li>Enable comprehensive data access and file sharing.</li><li>Easily scale network storage capacity and performance.</li><li>Increase efficiency with centralized network storage solutions.</li><li>Increase availability with efficient data replication and recovery options.</li><li>Secure data with user authentication and file locking.</li></ul>

How does network attached storage differ from traditional storage?

Unlike traditional storage methods, network attached storage provides a dedicated system for storing and retrieving data across a network. This allows for more efficient data management and accessibility, making NAS a preferred choice for businesses of all sizes.

What are common use cases for network attached storage?

Common use cases for network attached storage include file sharing, directories, file data consolidation, data backup, and disaster recovery. NAS systems are versatile and can be tailored to meet specific organizational needs. Our partner ecosystem of 250+ application integrations and in-house vertical expertise in industries such as Life Sciences, Healthcare, EDA, Manufacturing, Financial Services, and Media & Entertainment etc. ensures that you can power your workloads no matter which industry you are in.

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Taming Data Growth with Network Attached Storage

Digital content has become indispensable to business operations – unlocking its potential is critical to business competitiveness. But as data volumes double every two to three years worldwide, traditional network storage solutions no longer deliver the speed, flexibility, and ease-of-use that IT teams require. File-based data, including network file storage, tends to lead all types of information in terms of growth, and the majority of that data is stored in unstructured form. That’s why, to extract the most value from their data assets, companies today need faster, highly scalable, and secure network attached storage (NAS) solutions that can integrate easily with multicloud infrastructure to deliver cost-efficient file storage.

PowerScale

PowerScale - Unstructured data storage with extreme flexibility, efficiency, and security – is the industry’s #1 family of scale-out network-attached storage systems.

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PowerMax NVMe Storage

With end-to-end NVMe, real-time machine learning, seamless cloud mobility and up to 350GB per second sustained bandwidth, PowerMax features high-speed smarts to power our most critical workloads.

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PowerStore All-Flash Storage Solutions

PowerStore is a uniquely storage infrastructure platform that provides you unprecedented freedom to evolve your IT, keeping pace with a rapidly changing world.

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Choosing the Right Network Attached Storage

To maximize the business value of “data capital,” organizations need a modern network attached storage infrastructure that is:

Massively scalable.
It’s easy for data to get siloed when your file storage system can’t handle rapid growth. A multi-protocol, single-namespace data lake is essential for scalability and leveraging data capital.

Seamless interoperability.
To unlock the value in data, NAS systems must enable connections to a variety of analytics vendors that can help to extract the insight that can lead to digital transformation.

Extreme performance.
Applications increasingly greater speed and bandwidth, and next-gen network attached storage systems must deliver extraordinary performance to keep up.

Bullet-proof security.
As the threat landscape continues to evolve and become more sophisticated, NAS systems must data security through encrypted data transfers across clusters and data at rest encryption.

Flexibility of consumption models.
Organizations are looking for options for where they need to consume their NAS storage to be close to where their data and applications are, from edge to core to cloud.

Understanding Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Network attached storage (NAS) is more than just a storage solution; it's a dynamic system that offers a wide range of functionalities. Here's a broader look at NAS:

Types of NAS.
There are different types of NAS devices, including enterprise-level NAS, small business NAS, and personal NAS. Each type is designed to meet specific needs and budgets.

NAS protocols.
NAS vs. SAN. While NAS provides file-level storage, SAN (Storage Area Network) offers block-level storage. Understanding the difference is crucial for selecting the right network storage solution.

NAS vs. SAN.
While NAS provides file-level storage, SAN (Storage Area Network) offers block-level storage. Understanding the difference is crucial for selecting the right network storage solution.

Security considerations.
Network attached storage must be configured with proper security measures, including firewalls, encryption, and user authentication, to protect against unauthorized access.

Integration with cloud.
Many NAS systems offer integration with cloud services, allowing for hybrid storage solutions that combine the benefits of on-premises and cloud storage.

Cost considerations.
The cost of a NAS system depends on its capacity, features, and the vendor. It's essential to assess the total cost of ownership, including maintenance and potential upgrades.

By understanding these aspects of network attached storage, organizations can make informed decisions that align with their unique needs and objectives.

Dell Delivers Scale-Out Network Attached Storage

Isilon is a powerful network attached storage solution based on the OneFS distributed file system that is highly efficient, simple to scale and easy to manage. As the industry’s #1 family of scale-out NAS systems, Isilon easily integrates with a choice of cloud services and, through built-in data analytics support, enables you to unlock data capital to accelerate digital transformation.

Dell offers NASscale-out storage solutions that are simple to manage, no matter how large your data becomes withautomated tiered storage, data reduction options and up to 80% storage utilization to help cut costs and consolidate file workloads. Our family of network storage products, all running on the OneFS distributed file system operating system include:

All-Flash nodes that help to accelerate demanding file workloads with extreme performance and efficiency.

Hybrid nodes that enable organizations to realize performance, capacity and value for a wide range of file workloads.

Archive nodes that help to lower the cost of storing and protecting aging data assets while delivering near-primary accessibility.

Future-Proofing your Network Attached Storage Solution

Dell’s Future-Proof Loyalty Program provides customers with investment protection that ensures storage products can provide value for the entire lifetime of their applications. Leveraging the strength of Dell Technologies, the Dell Future Proof offering is the industry’s strongest and most encompassing loyalty program.

The Future-Proof Loyalty Program delivers advantages that include:

A three-year guarantee that products will perform as stated in product specifications.
Investment protection that enables organizations to optimize financial resources and accurately predict future cost.
Hardware investment protection that offers the opportunity to trade in existing or competitive systems for credit toward next-generation Dell storage product offerings.