What is Direct Attached Storage (DAS)?
Direct Attached Storage (DAS) refers to a storage architecture where storage media are directly connected to a single server or host system, without the interposition of a network. The storage is treated by the server’s operating system like an internal drive and is exclusively available to that system.
How it works:
DAS systems are locally connected to a server, typically via interfaces such as SATA, SAS, or NVMe. The direct connection enables fast data transfer between the server and the storage device, as no network infrastructure slows down access.
Advantages:
- Simple setup: Installation requires neither network components nor complex configurations.
- High performance: Thanks to direct connection, DAS is characterized by low latency and high bandwidth.
- Cost-effectiveness: Since no additional network devices are needed, DAS is an economical storage solution.
- Well-suited for specific applications: Particularly effective for performance-intensive applications such as databases or virtualization in smaller environments.
Disadvantages:
- Limited scalability: Storage capacity is limited to the respective host system. Expansion often requires replacing or upgrading hardware.
- No central management: Compared to network-based storage solutions, there is no possibility to centrally manage storage resources across multiple systems.
- Single Point of Failure: If the connected server fails, access to the storage medium is no longer possible.
Conclusion
DAS is an efficient and high-performance storage solution for specific application scenarios, especially in smaller IT environments with clearly defined requirements. However, for larger, networked systems or when central management and high scalability are needed, other storage architectures like NAS or SAN are usually more suitable.
