Intel NAS applies to small business networks

IT IS a common misconception that network attached storage (NAS) is too expensive and too complicated to integrate into small business networks. Traditionally NAS setups were designed with high power, high cost processors, and expensive SCSI hard drives. NAS boxes also required system administrators to have an extensive knowledge of the proprietary operating systems that controlled them. This old philosophy is starting to change and has become very evident over the last two IDF conferences.

At the last show, concept designs were shown off to attendees who spent time looking for them. At Intel's Spring Channel Conference for system integrators, non-working samples were shown. Finally now in the late San Francisco summer, fully working systems are being displayed for all to see, and according to at least two manufacturers, should be shipping by Q4'05. The Intel storage group said they knew of at least eight systems in the works.

The key concepts behind the designs are to bring the features of NAS down to an affordable price. It has been my experience that most small businesses are over sold on technology in the storage/server arenas. Typically a small business requires a centralized storage system, as well as some very limited network services (DHCP, WINS, Firewall, etc.). Typically these days, most off the shelf DSL/Cable routers provide DHCP, as well as a basic firewall. Easily administrated network shares with controllable permissions are also a requirement.

These requirements hit the budgets of small businesses. They were faced with either purchasing a “cheap” server with software / onboard RAID, or purchasing a more expensive system that provided a hardware RAID solution. No matter which way you looked, due to a 10-system connectivity limit with non-server Microsoft software, you were required to purchase a Microsoft Windows Server product. If you were brave enough to embrace Linux or another open source operating system, you needed to have on call IT support for any issues or problems that arose.

Utilizing Intel's 80219 General Purpose PCI Processor, allowed the designers to incorporate a single chip solution that opened the door to cost-sensitive, high-performance appliances. This solution provides a 64-bit PCI-X interface which is fully backward compatible to PCI 2.2 standards enabling easy interface to lower-cost PCI components. Also supported are Gigabit Ethernet, USB, SATA, Graphics controllers, as well as many other options. SATA has finally reached the point where it is an inexpensive and stable platform for large amounts of data storage. The reduction in price of flash memory storage has also allowed product designers to increase the amount of features included in a product without significantly raising the costs.

The entry-level NAS appliance solution will provide integrators with a less expensive alternative to traditional servers. The modular architecture and scalability will increase price performance for small businesses, while providing a simple inexpensive installation. The designs displayed at the show included support for print servers, backup devices, DHCP, FTP, system recovery, remote boot, RAID, replication, snapshot, iSCSI, portable storage devices, system expansion and scalability. Most of the NAS systems supported most major operating systems, including Windows 2000, Windows XP, Apple OS X, and Linux. This type of solution offers you the high-end performance, data protection and backup capabilities or a full blown server, at a price point that won't break your budget.