Storage technology can get a bit confusing because of the various options out there. There are external drives, tape drives, RAID devices, and storage servers available for purchase today. To clear some of the confusion we'll focus on storage servers.
What is a storage server called? There are two varieties of storage servers available. Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN). These storage solutions allow multiple users to connect to a shared database and access files from a central server.
Both storage server options provide scalable storage options with the benefits of being able to serve a large volume of files to users quickly and simultaneously. Many organizations that use storage servers have work processes that require multiple users to access files at the same time.
Many businesses that use external hard drives switch to a storage server when they realize that they need more efficient workflows. By moving to a storage server companies can minimize the amount of time employees spend waiting for the files they need due to the shared environment they are now working in.