Hardware Used in Storage Backup and Recovery

This article mainly related with storage backup and				common hard disk interface used in all personal
recovery. It describes what are all the hardware's				systems. One SATA port permits one device to
used in the storage backup and recovery				connect to it.
technologies. So many hardware components				SAS
used in the Storage Backup areas. It is not the				It means Serial Attached SCSI. The name itself
article to bring out the functions of that hardware				tells, it can be seen as a merged SCSI and SATA
parts. It gives the information and related technical				interface. It has various data transfer rates like
details of that hardware used in the storage				185, 374, 750, and 1,500 MB/s. SATA devices can
backup and recovery technology.				connect to SAS but SAS devices can't connect
There are three main important hardware's are				with SATA ports. It is specifically designed for the
used in the storage backup and recovery				high-end servers. SAS offers the best of SCSI
technology. They are Server, Subsystems and				and SATA.
Switches. Each one has its own hardware parts.				FC
Let's see the information and technical details of				Fibre Channel has a main advantage of its length.
this hardware parts.				It works the same like SATA, but it can covers
Server - Master Server				the distance up to 2kms (Example: Single Mode
The Master server performs all Backup				Fibre). FC offers speeds of 100, 200, and 400 MB
administrative functions and controls the backup				s.iSCSI
scheduling for each media server. The				Internet SCSI is shortly known as iSCSI. It is
requirements needed for Master Server,o				normally used in all LANs. It is Low-cost alternative
Processorso Memoryo I/O Connectivityo				to FC. Easier to manage because it uses the
Operating Systemo Backup Software				common TCP/IP protocol and common Ethernet
Media Server				switches.
The media server performs the backup				AoE
operations under the direction of the master, with				ATA over Ethernet. It is a very low cost
all backup data stored locally on the media server				alternative to iSCSI. It encapsulates ATA
and its respective storage devices. The same				commands into low-level Ethernet frames and
above Master Server requirements are applicable				avoids using TCP/IP. A lot of add-on initiator
to Media Server also.				target software will support both iSCSI and AoE.
DAS, SAN, NAS Storage Subsystems				Ethernet Switches
Direct attached storage (DAS), storage area				A switch is something that is used to turn on or
network (SAN), and network-attached storage				off various electronic devices. However, in
(NAS) are the three basic types of storage				computer networking, a switch is used to connect
subsystems used in Storage backup hardware				multiple computers with each other. Since it is an
management. DAS is the basic building block in a				external device it becomes part of the hardware
storage system, and it can be employed directly				peripherals used in the operation of storage
or indirectly when used inside SAN and NAS				backup and recovery. This connection has done
systems. NAS is the highest layer of storage and				within an existing Local Area network (LAN) only
can be built on top of a SAN or DAS storage				and is identical to an Ethernet hub in terms of
system. SAN is somewhere between a DAS and				appearance except with more intelligence. These
a NAS.				switches not only receive data packets, but also
Hardware used in the Storage subsystem - SCSI				have the ability to inspect them before passing
It is abbreviated like Small Computer System				them on to the next computer. That is, they can
Interface. It is the famous storage subsystem				figure out the source, the contents of the data,
component used in all medium and small level				and identify the destination as well. Because of
computer interfaces. A mechanism called 'Cable				this uniqueness; it sends the data to the relevant
Sharing' used here. It can support the data				connected system only, thereby using less
transfer rate up to 320 MB/s.				bandwidth at high performance rates. Ethernet
PATA				switches were used to provide connections and
Parallel Advanced technology Attachment is				link aggregation between the backup clients, media
shortly named as PATA. It can support data				servers, and master server using network speeds
transfer up to 133 MB/s. Nowadays SATA				of 100 Mb/sec, 1 Gb/sec, and 10 Gb/sec.
replaces this PATA in all areas. But the recent				SAN Switches
version UDMA133 is used in some subsystems				SAN switches were used to provide Fibre Channel
depends upon the customer requirement.				connections between the Backup media servers
SATA				and the tape libraries. The below listed companies
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment is				are working with SAN switches worldwide.
commonly known as SATA. It is the very