Comparison-based guide on NAS vs. SAS storage. Which one is providing more features? . Read reviews details article on the Cons and Pros of Both.
The size of data is increasing day by day, and handling that big-size data is challenging. Since data-filesare the most valuable asset for any business, company, and industry. While, digitize data can be deleted or infected with the virus. Loss of it can lead to a company toward a big disaster. Since files are crucial for any organization, so you need to take backup regularly. Therefore, you can recover back your deleted files.
There are different backup strategies to make archives of original files like cloud storage vs local storage. These two techniques are most widely. To store data locally, you need good storage space like terabyte size hard drives. But a standard hard disk is not a good data saving option because it is not specially made for it.
Well, there are also professional storage devices to handle extensive size data and to take backup. These are NAS and SAS. Both are the most popular options to provide a best online backup for small business. Both have similar and different advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will discuss together critical features, pros, and cons.
NAS storage vs. SAS storage
What is Network Attached Storage (NAS)
NAS stands for network-attached storage. It is a storage device that is used to store data. In-network NAS storage has a fixed LAN card that is used to connect with switches. A Client computer uses an IP address to communicate with NAS through central places. NAS allows joining two or more hard disks to connect in NAS. The main files that are used contain more than one hard drive.
It looks similar to a computer network in which all computers connect through TCP/IP to send and receive data. This storage device used an Ethernet network to send and receive data over the LAN. The most significant advantage of NAS storage is that it provides an inexpensive backup solution for small business.
Advantages of NAS
1 Simple to configure
The main power of NAS storage is its simplicity. It is so simple to set up and configure.
2 Easy data accessibility
Accessing data on NAS storage is easy. Multiple users from different locations can access files at the same time without any trouble.
3 Good sharing and collaboration
NAS provides excellent sharing and collaboration features to share and collaborate data. Multiple users can work simultaneously on the same project.
4 Easy data management and administration
NAS devices make it easy to manage and administrate files with ease. You don’t need any professional knowledge or technical expertise to handle data on NAS storage. Anyone with little knowledge can take NAS.
5 24/7 data accessibility and availability
When you use NAS storage, you have the right to access data anytime without any time limitations.
6 Provide automatic backup
Manually tacking backup is a big headache. You always have the concern to take backup, but NAS provides automatic backup, and also, it can automatically upload data on an online cloud server.
7 Simple architecture
Best thing that I like about it is its simple architecture. It just looks like a desktop computer. Configuring NAS storage does not require complex steps, even no need to change the existing network. Just plug and play makes it simple and easy to configure.
When there are some clear-cut advantages of using NAS storage, it also has some cons.
Some disadvantages of NAS
1 Low speed
NAS does not provide good performance speed to the high and extensive application.
2 Network dependency
As you know, NAS architecture looks like a local area network, so data transfer between the available paths. Since files travel through networks as small pickets, this can create data loss or conflict between segments or packets.
3 Not capable of handling a large number of request
Multiple users can access data at the same time, but it affects the performance of data transfer rate. The NAS server is not capable of handling a large number of access requests at the same time. A powerful processor, large memory, and good network connection are required to handle many requests. However, it can be costly.
What is SAS
SAS stands for storage area network, a collection of storage devices to provide local storage. In SAS, the server shared multiple server resources for storage. Although it is the most popular primarily storage device. But mostly it is used to store very private data and databases due to its complex configuration, architecture, and system. SAS provides independent, high-speed resources to access data.
Most large size companies and big businesses used SAS storage. Mainly SAS was developed to provide fast speed and high performance. Components in SAS connected using different data-sharing protocols. For high-speed data transmission SAS also supports FCoE. It allows users’ and clients’ computers to access data simultaneously.
Advantages of SAS
1 HIGH performance
Unlike NAS, SAS provides high performance to run big and large applications smoothly on SAS storage.
2 Fast Backup
Since to create duplicates copies of extensive size data makes backup process a very time-consuming. There is a need for a super-fast network. SAS solved this problem and provided fast backup.
3 More scalable
SAS is a highly scalable storage network. It allows adding more hard drives as data size increases.
4 Data accessibility
SAS can handle large requests at the same time. Multiple users can access it without any down-grade performance issues.
Disadvantages of SAS
1 Complex Configuration
Configuring SAS is not easy. Setting up SAS is a big challenge due to its complex system and architecture.
2 High Cost
SAS storage is very costly compared to NAS because it consists of several high standards storage components to provide high-speed network-based storage.
3 Need professional maintain ace Team
As we mentioned above, SAS has complex architecture. To set up and maintain SAS, a technical and professional IT team is required.
Final words
In the article, we have discussed the pros and cons of NAS and SAS. Both are good for different requirements. NAS is good for simplicity, easy accessibility, good sharing, and collaboration features but not suitable for speed, performance, and scalability. On the other hand, SAS is ideal for high speed, performance, scalability, and quick backup. At the same time, it is very costly and hard to configure – not good with a small budget.
