An Enterprise Storage System is a centralized repository for business information. It provides a common resource for data sharing, management and protection via connections to other computer systems.

Enterprise storage systems are designed to process heavy workloads of business-critical information. They should, therefore, be scalable for workloads of up to 300 gigabytes without relying on excessive cabling or the creation of subsystems. They should also assume unlimited connectivity and provide support for the many platforms in operation.

Rather than using distributed storage, an enterprise storage system leverages the capabilities of a storage area network (SAN). Benefits of a SAN-based system include:

• High availability
• Reliable backup and disaster recovery
• Convenient data sharing
• Centralized administration
• Remote support.

The SAN creates multiple paths to all data, which means that failure of a single server never results in a loss of access to critical information.