When it's a Storage Server?

Ask people what a storage server is, and you can expect to hear a variety of answers. Some will say it is a regular server with added features, a few describe it as a stripped-down box dedicated to a specialized function, and still others believe the term refers only to a network attached storage (NAS) box. This article will attempt to define a storage server, differentiate it from a regular server, and give examples of storage servers on the mark

et today.

Not Your Average Server The typical server is configured to perform multiple functions. It operates as a file,print, application, Web, or miscellaneous server. As such, it must have fast chips, more RAM, and plenty of internal disk space to cope with whatever end users decide to do with it. Not so with a storage server. It is designed for a specific purpose, and thus configured differently. It may come with a little extra storage or a great deal more storage. A general-purpose server typically has five or fewer disks inside. A storage server, on the other hand, has at least six, and more, usually 12 to 24 disks. Storage servers are normally individual units. Sometimes they are built into a 4Urackmount. Alternatively, they can consist of two boxes: a storage unit and a server located near by. Both boxes can then be placed side-by-side in a rack. The Sun StorEdge 3120 storage unit and SunFire X4100 server, for example, can be combined into a storage server and placed in a rack.

Apart from extra disks, what else is different about storage servers? In many cases, they come with a host of specialized services. This can include storage management software, extra hardware for higher resilience, a range of RAIDconfigurations and extra network connections to enable more users to be desktops to be connected to it.