How does SAN storage differ from NAS storage?

How does SAN storage differ from NAS storage?

• A. SAN provides file-level access over a network
• B. SAN provides block-level access to servers
• C. NAS provides block-level access to servers
• D. NAS provides object-level access over a network

Answer: (B)

The key distinction is how storage is presented to servers: block-level versus file-level access. SAN provides raw block devices (like disks) to servers, which attach them as LUNs and then create their own file systems on top of those blocks. This block-level approach is often used for performance-critical applications such as databases and enables servers to manage their own filesystem layout. NAS, on the other hand, serves files over the network using file-sharing protocols (such as NFS or SMB). The NAS device owns and presents a filesystem to clients, handling metadata and file operations, which makes it convenient for shared file access. So the statement that SAN provides block-level access to servers is the correct characterization. The other options mix up file-level access with SAN, or describe NAS as block-level or object-level, which isn’t how these two systems are typically described.

The key distinction is how storage is presented to servers: block-level versus file-level access. SAN provides raw block devices (like disks) to servers, which attach them as LUNs and then create their own file systems on top of those blocks. This block-level approach is often used for performance-critical applications such as databases and enables servers to manage their own filesystem layout.

NAS, on the other hand, serves files over the network using file-sharing protocols (such as NFS or SMB). The NAS device owns and presents a filesystem to clients, handling metadata and file operations, which makes it convenient for shared file access.

So the statement that SAN provides block-level access to servers is the correct characterization. The other options mix up file-level access with SAN, or describe NAS as block-level or object-level, which isn’t how these two systems are typically described.