As an overview of the key technologies in storage area networks (SANs), this book provides the student with a foundation for understanding storage networking infrastructures and applications. It assumes no prior knowledge of SANs and yet attempts to strike a balance between basic and advanced content. Designing Storage Area Networks, Second Edition, also features detailed case studies that demonstrate how SANs can solve a number of commonly encountered business challenges, including LAN-free and server-free tape backup, server clustering, and disaster recovery.