To protect data stored on direct-attached storage, users should do the following: Security issues with direct-attached storageĪs with all storage systems that host an organization's critical applications and data, security is a prime consideration when planning storage. An HCI system is made up of multiple server and DAS storage nodes, with the storage consolidated into logical resource pools, providing a more flexible storage solution than conventional DAS. However, advancements in virtualization technologies have breathed new life into DAS, a trend that's been especially apparent in the many hyperconverged infrastructure ( HCI) systems now on the market. Because of these challenges, conventional forms of DAS might not be suited for many enterprise workloads. In addition, it can't be easily shared and doesn't facilitate failover should the server crash. It has limited scalability and lacks the type of centralized management and backup capabilities available to other storage platforms. DAS is also less complex than network-based storage systems, making it easier to implement and maintain, and it is cheaper.ĭAS is not without challenges, however.

The device attaches to a card plugged into an internal bus on the computer.ĭAS can provide users with better performance than networked storage because the server does not have to traverse a network to read and write data, which is why many organizations turn to DAS for applications that require high performance. There are no connections through Ethernet or Fibre Channel ( FC) switches, as is the case for network-attached storage ( NAS) or a storage area network ( SAN).Īn external DAS device connects directly to a computer through an interface such as Small Computer System Interface ( SCSI), Serial Advanced Technology Attachment ( SATA), Serial-Attached SCSI ( SAS), FC or Internet SCSI ( iSCSI). In some cases, an enterprise server might connect directly to drives that are shared by other servers.Ī direct-attached storage device is not networked. Some computers also use external DAS devices. Each of these devices is a form of direct-attached storage. Most servers, desktops and laptops contain an internal hard disk drive ( HDD) or solid-state drive ( SSD). Other devices must go through the host computer to work with the data. Only the host computer can access the data directly. The storage might be connected internally or externally. James Alan Miller, Senior Executive Editorĭirect-attached storage (DAS) is a type of storage that is attached directly to a computer without going through a network.

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