What is Network Attached Storage?

Network Attached Storage, or NAS, is a simple way to share disk space on a network. A NAS is an enclosure big enough to hold one or more disks, a fan, and a controller board. It is plugged into a network router, which enables all computers on your network to access the storage. On Windows, the NAS looks just like another hard drive; but you are not limited to Windows, many other operating systems can attach to this disk server. Among other features, the ease of file sharing is a popular reason for buying Network Attached Storage.

Network Attached Storage is a good way to save your important data. Offloading large files to a server can make your OS drive run more smoothly. Do you have photos, videos, music, or documents that are starting to fill your internal hard drive? If so, consider a NAS as a solution for your storage needs.

The file server used to be the mainstay of network storage; but the cost and technical expertise needed to run a file server put it out of reach of the home user and most small offices. In contrast, the NAS is simpler to operate. To use it, just plug it into your network router and configure it with a network browser.

How much time and effort you spend on configuring the connection to the NAS depends on your security requirements and the number of different systems that will access the server. If you have an office with several different users then you may need to use the server security features. However, if you are a home user you many bypass the security setup, so long as the server is not visible on the Internet.

A network storage server is more secure because it doesn't use a regular operating system. The server code is located in firmware where it is harder to corrupt. This closes off many potential entry points for viruses and malicious computer users.

Another feature of the NAS server is that it can be configured to allow FTP access from the Internet. This can be helpful if you typically need to access your files while you are travelling or at work.

If you take many pictures with a digital camera you will want to get a server that helps you with storing your photos. This kind of server has a USB connection that accepts a direct connection with your camera. You don't even need to have your computer turned on. Just connect the camera to the server and download your pictures.

If you want to convert your direct attached printer to a network printer, a NAS sever can save you the expense of buying a separate print server. Not all servers will provide this feature but it is staring to become common. If your server has this feature, just plug your USB printer into the NAS; then you will need reconfigure all computers on your local network to use the new network printer.

RAID is another optional feature available for the Network Attached Storage box. RAID will help you secure your data and reduce down time. Naturally, you don't want to bet your business or data on just any vendor's RAID implementation. You can't expect absolute protection when you are buying low cost box. This feature is one you will have to pay for if you want a secure implementation. I've heard of too many horror stories about what happens when the disk on a low cost RAID implementation fails. If you really want RAID on your NAS box, spend some extra money to get a quality implementation.

The price of disk storage has been going down so rapidly that hard drives are being used a as a primary backup medium. Compared to magnetic tape, this is a big jump in backup performance. An inexpensive way of implementing a disk to disk backup is to use Network Attached Storage. With Network Attached Storage, you have a scalable solution that is capable of implementing any type backup method you choose. You are not limited by considerations pertaining to resources on the motherboard or room inside your computer case. Find out more about doing backups.

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