Performance will suffer if, for example, the tape backup software treats a remotely accessible tape library as if it were a local Fibre Channel library. Storage domain controllers and storage management software, together with the application software, can solve this problem. Achieving a low-latency global SAN requires the integration of optical switching and routing devices at the network edge. Optical SAN transport enables SAN traffic to travel through communications networks without electronic-optical conversions. Such conversions cause network latency or traffic bottlenecks that slow the data transmission and stifle key applications such as disk mirroring.
Bottlenecks become ever more pronounced when delivering massive terabyte-size storage files.
A common SAN to public backbone language is achieved. Bandwidth-creating DWDM technology is changing this equation. By multiplying the number of channels that can be sent down a single fiber, DWDM is making optical storage transport a reality. The push for global storage networks is driven by the need for 24x7 data availability and a host of critical applications and business processes that demand remote real-time access to data. Mirroring ensures data security and data access enterprise-wide.