Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN)

What Does Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN) 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.

Techopedia Explains Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN)

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.