Virtual Storage Area Network

What Does Virtual Storage Area Network Mean?

A virtual storage area network (VSAN) is a logical partitioning created within a physical storage area network. This implementation model of a storage virtualization technique divides and allocates some or an entire storage area network into one or more logical SANs to be used by internal or external IT services and solutions.

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Techopedia Explains Virtual Storage Area Network

A virtual storage area network is primarily implemented in cloud computing and virtualization environments. A VSAN allows end users and organizations to provision a logical storage area network on top of the physical SAN through storage virtualization. The virtualized SAN can be used to build a virtual storage pool for multiple services; however, it is generally provisioned to be integrated with virtual machines and virtual servers.

A VSAN provides similar services and features as a typical SAN, but because it is virtualized, it allows for the addition and relocation of subscribers without having to change the network’s physical layout. It also provides flexible storage capacity that can be increased or decreased over time.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…