storage area networks (SANs)

A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a specialized high-speed network that connects storage devices like hard drives or tape libraries to multiple computers or servers. It allows these servers to access and share large amounts of data efficiently and reliably, as if the storage devices are directly attached. SANs improve data management, make backups faster, and enhance performance, especially in environments with heavy data requirements, such as data centers or enterprise IT setups. They are designed to optimize storage utilization, increase flexibility, and ensure data availability while maintaining high security and speed.