A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a specialized network designed to provide access to consolidated, block-level data storage. It connects multiple servers to storage devices, allowing them to communicate efficiently. This setup enhances data transfer speeds and improves storage management, making it ideal for environments that require high availability and performance. SANs typically use Fibre Channel or iSCSI protocols to facilitate data transfer. By separating storage traffic from regular network traffic, SANs help optimize performance and reduce bottlenecks. They are commonly used in data centers and enterprise environments where large amounts of data need to be stored and accessed quickly.