INSPEED™ SAN STORAGE SWITCH MODEL 355 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
USER’S GUIDE
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Figure 1-2 depicts a sample multiple switch storage consolidation configuration in which multiple servers
communicate with storage devices and zoning is incorporated. The zoning in Figure 1-2 might be set up
to configure a multiple operating system environment. For example, Zone 1 might be Windows-based,
Zone 2 might be Linux-based, and Zone 3 might be Unix-based. Zoning can also be used to improve
security by masking storage devices or files. For example, a finance department could secure financial
files from viewing by the engineering department, which in turn could secure engineering files from
viewing by the finance department.
Tape Library Consolidation
Another switch application is the consolidation of multiple tape libraries attached to individual servers
into a single library for all servers for backup and restore purposes.
Benefits include:
• Improved cost effectiveness.
• Improved availability for performing system backups:
• Off-LAN System Backups often reduce the amount of time it takes backups (and
recovery) to occur because SANs run at higher performance bandwidth than LANs.
• Server-less backups enable applications to remain fully active during backup and
recovery processes, when combined with the appropriate backup software solution.
Figure 1-3 depicts a sample tape library consolidation configuration.
Figure 1-3: Before consolidation, backup and restore data must
travel on the LAN, congesting traffic and operating at slow
speeds.
After consolidation, backup and restore data
travels on the high speed SAN separate from
LAN traffic.