Is NAS Really As Simple As Advertised?

Editor Chris Loringer sets out to install and configure a Snap Server NAS storage appliance.

In the past year, I have preached that non-storage focused resellers such as ECM (enterprise content management) VARs should sell storage devices as complementary technologies to their existing solutions. At a conceptual level, the theory makes sense — sell storage hardware to support the ECM software. However, installation and configuration of anything computer-related is usually more complicated than expected. Due to those unpredictable complications and the costs associated with adding a new technology, many VARs have chosen not to sell storage technologies.

During a recent call with Adaptec, I challenged them on their claim that just about any VAR can install a Snap Server on their customers' networks. I asked them to back that statement up by sending me a Snap Server for installation on our network. We don't normally do product reviews, so imagine my surprise when a Snap Server arrived here at Business Solutions headquarters. The folks at Adaptec called my bluff, and now I had to practice what I preached.

Five Steps To Installing A NAS Appliance

After an inspection of the device and the obligatory words of warning from our IT director, I was ready to move forward with the experiment. The box contained the Snap Server 110 with 500 GB of storage capacity, three different power cords, an Ethernet cable, and a quick-start installation guide containing a user CD. The quick-start process was broken down into five steps — two of which were: 1. Verify the contents of the package and 5. Use your Snap Server — both rather obvious. That left me with only three actual steps to getting the Snap Server operational.

Step 2 was to connect the power cord and cables. Believe it or not, this turned out to be the only step that gave me any trouble. I connected the Ethernet patch cable to the Snap Server and to our network. Later I would learn the patch cord was actually defective. I also connected the power supply to the Snap Server and plugged it in to the power outlet.

Step 3 involved turning on the power to the Snap Server. After a few minutes of initialization and what sounded like a test of the fan, the status light began to blink steadily indicating the Snap Server was operational. That's when I discovered the bad cable. Once the Snap Server is operational, you must connect to it from a networked PC for the initial setup. On networks that use DHCP (dynamic host control protocol), the Snap Server will automatically obtain an IP (Internet Protocol) address. That is exactly what the Snap Server did. The next step is to use a Web browser to access the configuration software on the Snap Server. When the browser couldn't locate the Snap Server, I used some basic troubleshooting skills to diagnose the problem. By process of elimination, I discovered that the Ethernet cable was defective. After a short delay to replace the cable, I was immediately able to access the Snap Server via a Web browser.

Configuration: Make It As Simple Or Complicated As You Like

Once I connected to the Snap Server and logged in, it was time for step 4 — configuration. A setup wizard took me through a few steps to set up the appliance. If you have trouble accessing the Snap Server via the Web, the appliance is shipped with the Snap Server manager utility that provides a non-browser based method to set the configuration of the appliance. I left the device in its basic form with one share (a network-accessible directory on the Snap Server) and no security restrictions. I named the server 'BSM Snap.' As soon as the setup wizard completed, the Snap Server appeared on my PC as BSM Snap. A right click of the mouse and I was able map a drive to the device, and I was able to copy files to the server.

The Snap Server offers administrators a variety of security options for user and group access to files, including restrictions down to the file level. The appliance is also shipped with optional BakBone NetVault backup, Snap Server snap shot, and CA antivirus software. The particular desktop model I tested requires additional licenses to use those applications, but they are standard on the 520 and 650 serial platforms. The Snap Servers also support iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) connectivity.

At this point, I had completed the NAS installation in its most basic form. Without the minor Ethernet cable problem, I had the appliance up and running in about 15 minutes. If I was installing this appliance for an SMB customer, I would estimate that I could have completed all of the user, group, and security configuration in a couple of hours. Then it would be a matter of pointing the customer's application to the new drive space and the customer would have access to 500 GB of storage.

Snap Servers are available in configurations from the desktop models 110 and 210 with 250/500 GB of storage to the 1U rackmount 520 and 650 models with scalability to 64.2 TB of storage. Products such as the 110 and 210 are designed for smaller businesses, with the 520 and 650 targeted to sell at the SME (small and medium size enterprise) level. All Snap Servers support a data replication suite from Adaptec- Snap EDR.

Sell NAS Storage As A Complementary Technology

At the completion of this project I felt confident that I would be able to install a NAS appliance in just about any kind of SMB network. I have to agree with the folks at Adaptec who claim that just about any VAR can set up a Snap Server. The installation was as simple as advertised. The lesson is that NAS products like the Snap Server are a great way for non-storage VARs to add a complementary technology to their line cards without having to hire a high-priced storage specialists. So what are you waiting for? It's time to leverage the 70% data growth that most of your customers are experiencing by selling them NAS appliances to complement your software solutions.