Network Direct Attached Storage
Encyclopedia
Network
Direct Attached Storage (NDAS) is a proprietary NAS type system, patented by Ximeta, for connecting external digital storage devices such as hard-disks, flash memory and tape drives via ethernet
networks. Of interest, unlike other, more common forms of networked storage such as SAN
and NAS
, NDAS devices do not use TCP/IP to communicate over the network. They credit this as enabling them to achieve higher through-put rates via the LPX Protocol. NDAS also supports RAID
, aggregation and mirroring.
operating systems, which is common.
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
Direct Attached Storage (NDAS) is a proprietary NAS type system, patented by Ximeta, for connecting external digital storage devices such as hard-disks, flash memory and tape drives via ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
networks. Of interest, unlike other, more common forms of networked storage such as SAN
Storage area network
A storage area network is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. SANs are primarily used to make storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes, accessible to servers so that the devices appear like locally attached devices...
and NAS
Network-attached storage
Network-attached storage is file-level computer data storage connected to a computer network providing data access to heterogeneous clients. NAS not only operates as a file server, but is specialized for this task either by its hardware, software, or configuration of those elements...
, NDAS devices do not use TCP/IP to communicate over the network. They credit this as enabling them to achieve higher through-put rates via the LPX Protocol. NDAS also supports RAID
RAID
RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
, aggregation and mirroring.
Issues
Drivers required to operate NDAS devices over a network are not currently shipped with operating systems. The devices are usually accompanied with client driver software for WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
operating systems, which is common.
- Drivers for UnixUnixUnix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
-like operating systems (i.e. LINUXLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, MacOSX) are available from the manufacturer Ximeta. Current Unix-like Operating systemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
drivers for NDAS devices don't allow shared read and write access. In those environments it is not possible for multiple network devices to read and write the NDAS device. - Also, environments in which multiple machines wish to access the networked device or in a RAIDRAIDRAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
configuration can result in data loss or corruption.