The costs of storage area networks (SAN) have dropped significantly, so businesses and organizations of all sizes can now afford to take advantage of this technology. SAN storage incurs some risks, but fibre channel switches and SAN switches solve switching problems and enable high-performance connectivity from storage networks and converged environments. SAN switches work like network switches, connecting each network and file server. System administrators can manage storage arrays with switching software, making it easy to upgrade, optimize RAID configurations, and assign new host ports.

A useful strategy for buying switching equipment for SAN networks involves using components made by the same manufacturers to avoid compatibility issues and limit costs. Competing brands may charge licensing fees that double the initial hardware investment costs. PC Connection can assist with the purchase, as we carry full lines of fibre channel switches and SAN switches from all the major brands, including Cisco, HP, and others. Most SAN networks and switches are interoperable, but mixing products from multiple manufacturers into your network can limit the effectiveness of system management functions and can generate higher licensing fees.

Large companies have experienced exponential increases in their data storage needs, but even the needs of many small businesses have outgrown their abilities to manage. Fibre channel and SAN switches offer greater flexibility, room for growth, agility and improved performance, and network and server integration. Most switches operate efficiently in larger environments, reducing energy costs and allocating expanded disk space to servers which limit additional fibre costs. Multilayered switches provide affordable solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses that give them IT capabilities that rival the largest organizations. PC Connection offers advanced training, technical support, and implementation advice to avoid expensive equipment problems and system failures.