| NAS is a hard drive storage system - including | | | | based approach and runs over SCSI over iSCSI or |
| configuration of RAID, with its LAN IP address than | | | | Fiber Channel. |
| being connected to the computer department that is | | | | Minimal functionality or stripped down OS are utilized |
| giving applications to workstation of network users. | | | | on NAS PCs or devices that run protocols or file |
| It has its own program for mapping and configuring | | | | applications which offer the NAS functionality. A |
| file locations to network attached equipments. A | | | | "leaned out" Free BSD is utilized in Free NAS, for |
| Network-attached storage could be included as part | | | | instance, which is open-source NAS software |
| of a more complete solution similar to SAN. | | | | intended to be organized on computer hardware. |
| Description | | | | Commercial embedded equipments and consumer |
| NAS varies from traditional file serving and DAS or | | | | network appliances can utilize closed source OS and |
| Direct Attached Storage in that the OS and other | | | | protocol implementations. |
| program on the NAS offer only the storage | | | | As these tools have IP addresses, they could be |
| data’s functionality, data access and the | | | | accessed directly. |
| supervision of these functionalities. Moreover, the | | | | In a Network-attached storage, since the storage are |
| NAS unit doesn’t limit clients to just one FTP. | | | | separately located to the server, program files are |
| NAS systems typically contain 1 or more hard drives, | | | | served more rapidly as they are not competing for |
| often set into logical, superfluous of redundant arrays | | | | no different resources. |
| of independant disks (RAIDs) or storage containers, | | | | Another benefit of Network Attached Storage is |
| as traditional file servers do. NAS eradicates the | | | | that, you can have different servers with dissimilar |
| responsibility of serving file from other servers on | | | | OS storage, management and backup of the data |
| other network and could be deployed by way of | | | | can be centralized even when you’re in the |
| commercial embedded units or through computers | | | | environment |
| running NAS program. | | | | Some of the great advantages of this storage |
| NAS utilizes file-based protocols like NFS or Server | | | | device include its expandability. It is so easy to add |
| Message Block (SMB). Contrast NAS's file based | | | | more storage. This as well brings an extra fault |
| method and use of well understood protocols that | | | | tolerance level to the network because you could |
| has SAN (storage area network) that utilizes a block | | | | include mirror RAID features. |