| a space is exploding and the cost of memory is | | | | It has been found that Data utilization in direct |
| reducing with each coming day. Today's organizations | | | | storage is below fifty per cent. Consequently, |
| are creating zillions of bytes of data everyday and | | | | organizations have come to the conclusion that |
| each bit requires storage. Paper information is being | | | | networked storage is better than DAS (Direct |
| replaced by digital systems. On the entertainment | | | | attached storage) .As on date network storage |
| front, newer formats are being developed to provide | | | | occupies more than eighty percent of storage space. |
| exceptional visual clarity which again requires storage. | | | | It is not only the data volumes which are increasing |
| Video, audio and multimedia explosion has created a | | | | but also the number of copies and duplication of data. |
| need for storage unheard of in the past. | | | | This has lead to data explosion and is a major |
| Business, finance and telecom have been the | | | | challenge to manage these volumes. With 50 % |
| strongest adopters of storage networks as both | | | | growth year on year in data due to automation and |
| these verticals have to deal with enormous | | | | digitization, data is fragmented. Hence there is more |
| databases. They are the biggest adopters of SAN | | | | need for storage networks. |
| and this can be attributed to their increased | | | | The biggest advantage of network storage is |
| customer base and deployment of applications to | | | | expandability. One can simply add more storage by |
| gain a competitive advantage. | | | | adding a NAS device. In a DAS environment if a |
| The widespread implementation of applications like | | | | server is down, it means a temporary loss of data, till |
| Enterprise resource planning, Supply chain | | | | the server is up and running again. In network |
| management and Customer relationship management | | | | storage, the data is available all the time irrespective |
| all of which generate a huge amount of data ,is | | | | of the server condition or state. |
| driving the adoption of network storage . In addition | | | | The other key reason is the regulatory compliance. |
| companies wishing to implement disaster recovery | | | | To meet statutory obligations companies are forced |
| systems find it easier to do so after consolidating | | | | to store data in more than one location. |
| their data. | | | | Direct storage lacks expandability and redundancy. It |
| With the exponential rise in the acceptance of | | | | is therefore more suitable for standalone installations. |
| storage networks, the need for direct attached | | | | In this modern era when everything is networked |
| storage has plummeted .It is felt that the | | | | the concept of a separate storage device for each |
| requirement of direct storage will go down further | | | | and every computer has become redundant. |
| because of the obvious benefits that network | | | | Network storage on the other hand, is more versatile |
| storage provides. | | | | , modular and gives multiple options for storage. Data |
| With the rise in internet traffic and extensive use of | | | | security is another reason for preferring network |
| wide area networks, network storage devices have | | | | storage as against a direct storage device. |
| become more popular as compared to direct storage. | | | | |