SAN-based File Sharing

High Speed Data Access

Some industries require very high speed access to large files in order to operate productively.

Such examples include:

  • Film & video post-production & special effects
  • Pre-press processing of graphical output files
  • Seismic data processing, such as for oil & gas mapping in 3D
SAN File Sharing

SAN File Sharing

This architecture gives all the SAN-connected servers & workstations access to the data on disk via both the LAN and SAN. The SAN cross-platform file system coordinates access to the data and ensures that the bulk of the traffic from each data transfer is routed over the SAN rather than the LAN. The performance difference between the two approaches can be staggering.

Example performance results

This example sees a Windows NT desktop client reading and writing a 100 MB file to and from a Windows NT file server. The throughput and impact upon CPU at both the server and the client are measured in two configurations: first without SAN acceleration enabled and then with SAN acceleration.

File Access Type Throughput Client CPU Server CPU
File read via LAN 8.6 MB/s 14% 16%
File write via LAN 2.7 MB/s 22% 25%
File read via SAN 82 MB/s <1% <1%
File write via SAN 44 MB/s <1% <1%

Advantages

  • Much greater file access throughput
  • Runs at SAN speed rather than at LAN speed.
  • Much less impact on CPUs of client and server
  • Fibre Channel is a far more efficient protocol for moving large volumes of data than IP-based LANs.

Disadvantages

  • More costly infrastructure
  • SAN-connecting servers and workstations requires Fibre Channel HBAs, switch ports and SAN filesystem licences.
  • Greater system complexity
  • Managing the system successfully will require more time and training for your IT staff.

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