* Linking NAS with SAN resources
Our Technology Update this week takes a look at one of the most common technologies used to link network-attached storage with storage-area network resources. Namely NAS gateways.
In a nutshell NAS gateways enable NAS devices access to multivendor SAN storage capabilities without too much effort.
According to our author (joyce_tom@emc.com) these NAS gateways work as follows: when a gateway receives a client request, it translates the request and sends a request for block data to a storage array. The array processes the request and sends it back to the gateway. The gateway then translates the block information to file data and sends it to the client. This process is seamless and transparent to end users.
The NAS gateway, which connects to an IP network, is attached to a Fibre Channel switch that in turn connects to Fibre Channel storage arrays. Using this methodology, the gateway can access storage resources from multiple storage arrays connected in the SAN. The physical connection from the gateway to the SAN is via 1G or 2G bit/sec Fibre Channel host bus adapters in the gateway. The host bus adapter typically uses optical cabling to connect to the Fibre Channel switch on the SAN, which is also connected to the storage subsystem.
Ultimately NAS gateways let companies take advantage of existing storage resources, lowering costs and improving resource access.
For more on this story see: https://www.nwfusion.com/news/tech/2004/0412techupdate.html
