Direct attached Storage (DAS)

Traditionally data storage has been directly attached to a server, usually in the form of a collection of disks within a RAID chassis; this is then directly attached to the server typically using a SCSI or, in high demand Enterprise environments, sometimes Fibre Channel interface. More recently SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) has now been replacing traditional SCSI and offers faster data transfer. eSATA is also becoming popular for lower end servers and whilst not as fast as the SAS interface, it is sometimes chosen due to its keen price point.

Often the RAID has been purchased at the same time as the server, this inextricably ties the server to the RAID and the particular file system used by that vendor. Whilst this approach has solved the immediate storage requirement, when upgrades to servers and operating systems happen it is often difficult or impossible to guarantee that the original RAID will work as before with the new server or OS. This can mean that new data storage can be required at the same time as the server is upgraded or that OS updates cannot be applied without first checking if your particular RAID box is supported. DAS is still a valid choice for Very high-end high-performance applications and certain computer intensive and high performance OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) database applications, but whilst this type of storage still holds advantages for some environments, its rigid connectivity makes it the choice for just these few and sales have now seen a shift to other more flexible solutions.

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