How are hosts assigned to the shared storage in an SAP HANA scale-out system?

In an SAP HANA scale-out system, the correct approach to assigning hosts to shared storage is through the role of the master name server, which plays a critical part in the management of data distribution across the system. The master name server is tasked with maintaining a directory of the data volumes, specifically designating its master data volume.

When a scale-out configuration is implemented, it allows for increased workload distribution and redundancy. The master name server controls how the data is segmented and decides which volume is primary. This means that when a host needs to access data, it refers to the master name server to understand which data volumes it needs to interact with, ensuring no conflicts and efficient data retrieval.

This structured assignment maintains order and efficiency across the scale-out system, thereby optimizing performance and reliability. Such a systematic approach is key in minimizing latency and maximizing throughput, which is highly valuable in high-performance analytic scenarios that SAP HANA is designed to address.

This method distinctly sets it apart from other options that do not provide a framework for structured data volume management, which is vital in the context of SAP HANA's architecture.