Storage

Question 1

Types of storage?

Answer 1

Block level, file level, object level, direct attached (DAS), network attached (NAS), storage area network (SAN), cloud storage

Question 2

What is block-level storage?

Answer 2

Data is divided into blocks and each block is stored separately.
Examples are SAN, iSCSI, and local disks.
Uses are HPC, databases, virtualization.

Question 3

What is file-level storage?

Answer 3

Data as files and directories.
Examples are NAS and traditional file servers.
Uses are file sharing, data backup, and collaborative work environments.

Question 4

What is object-level storage?

Answer 4

Data as objects with unique identifiers.
Examples are cloud storage services (Amazon S3, Google Cloud)
Uses are large scale data storage, unstructured data, cloud applications.

Question 5

What is direct attached storage (DAS)?

Answer 5

Storage directly attached to a computer or server typically via internet.
Examples are internal hard drives, SSDs, and external USBs.
Uses are individual or small scale needs and personal computers.

Question 6

What is network attached storage (NAS)?

Answer 6

Dedicated storage device connected to a network that provides file level access to users.
Examples are NAS appliances from brands like Synology/QNAP.
Uses are centralized file sharing, backups, and archiving.

Question 7

What is storage area network (SAN)?

Answer 7

Network that provides block level access to storage devices, typically in data servers.
Examples are SAN solutions using Fibre channel or iSCSI.
Uses are high performance applications, large scale storage needs, and virtualized environments.

Question 8

What is cloud storage?

Answer 8

Storage managed over the internet by cloud service providers.
Examples are AWS S4, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud.
Uses are scalable storage solutions, remote access, and backup.