What is the purpose of a Storage Area Network (SAN)?

A Storage Area Network (SAN) is specifically designed to provide a high-speed network that connects various storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries, to servers. This setup allows multiple servers to access a centralized pool of storage resources efficiently and at high speeds, which is crucial for applications that require large amounts of data to be read or written quickly. By decoupling storage from servers, a SAN can enhance performance, scalability, and data management, making it a preferred solution in enterprise environments.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent the primary function of a SAN. Connecting and managing data between local workstations focuses on user machines rather than scalable storage solutions. Ensuring regular database backups pertains more to backup solutions and software rather than the network architecture itself. Facilitating remote access for employees is a function related to networking but does not directly correlate with the specific purpose of a SAN in managing storage devices.