Question
Which of the following is a difference between a SAN and a NAS?
- A. A SAN works only with fiber-based networks.
- B. A SAN works with any Ethernet-based network.
- C. A NAS uses a faster protocol than a SAN.
- D. A NAS uses a slower protocol than a SAN. Correct
Explanation
A NAS shares files over file-level protocols such as NFS or SMB, which add file-system and network overhead compared with the block-level protocols a SAN uses, such as Fibre Channel or iSCSI, so a NAS protocol is generally slower. A SAN is not limited to fiber, since iSCSI and FCoE carry block storage over Ethernet, but it does not work with any Ethernet-based network either, because a Fibre Channel SAN uses its own Fibre Channel fabric rather than Ethernet. A NAS is not faster than a SAN.
