• Partition a single SAN • Replicate fabric services • Isolate SAN traffic • Add resiliency • Provide redundancy
• Maximize investment in director class switches with high port counts
LSANs:
• Connect SAN islands
• Join devices without merging fabrics
• Facilitate sharing of SAN resources
• Connect remote SAN sites
• Maximize investment in legacy workgroup switches
Generic term is “Virtual Fabric”
VSANs work well in enterprise environments, because they can be used to:
• Partition large SANs • Isolate traffic per port, on a large, multi-port switch • Create separate address spaces to enhance scalability and reliability
LSANs work well in small and medium sized businesses, because they can be used to:
• Connect “SAN islands” • Share costly SAN storage devices • Provide a connection to a remote disaster-recovery facility • Preserve value of legacy switches