Networking For Dummies, 11th Edition

Chapter 13

Managing Network Storage

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding network storage

Setting permissions

Sharing folders

Configuring and managing a file server

One key purpose of most computer networks is to provide shared access to disk storage. In this chapter, you find out about several ways that a network can provide shared disk storage. Then you discover how to configure Windows Server 2016 to operate as a file server.

Understanding Network Storage

Many network servers exist solely for the purpose of making disk space available to network users. As networks grow to support more users and as users require more disk space, network administrators are continually finding ways to add more storage to their networks. The following sections describe some key concepts for providing network storage.

File servers

A file server is simply a network server whose primary role is to share its disk drives. Using a file server is the most common way to provide shared network storage.

A file server can be anything from a simple desktop computer that has been pressed into service as a file server to an expensive ($25,000 or more) server with redundant components so that the server can continue to run when a component fails. A file server can even consist of advanced disk subsystems with racks of disk drives that can be replaced without shutting down the server.

One of the most common advanced disk subsystems for file servers is Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID). A RAID system, which ...