What is a high-speed private network that connects storage devices called?

A high-speed private network that connects storage devices is called a Storage Area Network (SAN). A SAN is specifically designed to provide access to consolidated, block-level data storage, making it ideal for applications that require fast and efficient data transfer. It operates independently of the local area network (LAN) and enables multiple servers to access shared storage resources, which enhances performance and reduces bottlenecks in data access.

The primary advantage of using a SAN is that it allows for more efficient storage management and optimization because the storage resources can be allocated dynamically based on workload needs. This architecture typically utilizes high-speed network technologies like Fibre Channel or iSCSI to achieve the necessary performance levels for enterprise applications.

The other options represent different concepts in data management but do not address the specific encapsulation of storage devices via a high-speed network. Data storage is a general term, data sharing refers to distributing data across users or systems, and data archival involves the long-term storage of data, often for compliance or historical reasons rather than high-speed access.