To store data, regardless of its form, users need storage devices. Storage devices fall into two main categories: direct storage and network storage.

Direct storage, also known as direct attached storage (DAS), as the name suggests. This storage is often in close proximity and directly connected to the computing machine that accesses it. Often it is the only machine connected to it. DAS can also provide decent local backup services, but sharing is limited. DAS devices include floppy disks, optical disks – compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs) – hard disk drives (HDDs), flash drives and solid state drives (SSDs).

NAS allows more than one computer to access it over a network, making it better for data sharing and collaboration. Its off-site storage capability also makes it better for backup and data protection. Two common network storage setups are network attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN).

NAS is often a single device consisting of redundant storage containers or redundant array of independent disks (RAID). SAN storage can be a network of multiple devices of different types, including SSD and flash storage, hybrid storage, hybrid cloud storage, backup software and devices, and cloud storage. Here is the difference between NAS and SAN:

NAS
A single storage device or RAI
File storage system
TCP/IP Ethernet network
Limited users
Limited speed
Limited expansion possibilities
Lower cost and easy setup

SAN
Network of several devices
Block storage system
Fibre Channel network
Optimized for multiple users
Faster performance
Highly expandable
Higher cost and complex configuration