Introducting File Area Networks

FAN applications run on top of NFS and/or CIFS, which usually run on top of TCP over IP over Ethernet. Through this connection, the applications access files; and the underlying data within the file resides on the back-end of servers or appliances. That connection, in turn, is generally handled by some form of SCSI mapping, such as SCSI over Fibre Channel.

FAN applications are designed to help IT professionals eliminate or at least reduce the complexity of managing the ever growing amount of file data in their environments. They can make file location and movement automatic and transparent, centralise resources, consolidate management functions, reduce costs associated with backup and recovery, and automate regulatory compliance tasks. The remainder of this book discusses these FAN applications, how they work, and how to deploy them effectively.