LAN-free backup

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A LAN-free backup is a backup of server data to a shared, central storage device without sending the data over the local area network (LAN). It is usually achieved by using a storage area network (SAN).{{Cite book |last=Preston |first=W. Curtis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6-w4fXbBInoC |title=Backup & Recovery: Inexpensive Backup Solutions for Open Systems |date=2007-01-03 |publisher=O'Reilly Media |isbn=978-0-596-55504-7 |pages=210–212 |language=en}}

Note that trivial backup to a dedicated, unshared storage device (such as local tape drive) does not meet the definition.{{Cn|date=January 2024}}

==Technical aspects==

The goal of LAN-free backup is to reduce the load on LAN and reduce the time it takes to complete the backup. It offers an alternative way of backup than a simple data copy to network-attached storage (NAS) over LAN.{{Cn|date=January 2024}}

It comes in different flavours:

• with backup server: in addition to a shared storage device (usually a traditional tape library), there exists a central server arbitrating access to device (for all the other SAN servers). The central server however, does not handle data stream itself.{{Cn|date=January 2024}}
• without backup server: the storage facility (usually a virtual tape library, or VTL) is smart enough to handle multiple data accesses without intermediate component.{{Cn|date=January 2024}}

==See also==

• Data backup
• Storage area network
• Network-attached storage
• Fiber Channel technology