Network attached storage (NAS) is a computer storage server attached to a network giving users access to a heterogeneous collection of clients for data storage. NAS is capable of serving multiple files either from its own software, hardware, or both. The latter capability is what drives the popularity of NAS today among home users and small businesses. NAS is also known as network-attached service, storage area network, or virtual NAS. Clients in a NAS may connect to the network via a wired Ethernet or through a wireless connection such as Wi-Fi.
The primary benefit of NAS is that it provides significant cost savings over shared storage space. NAS devices are less expensive than traditional file storage methods because they don’t require users to maintain or backup physical storage units. This is because NAS operates on a resource-efficient scheduling algorithm that determines available work stations based on file allocation patterns. Since NAS devices have their own hard drives and operating system, there is no need to backup or maintain data on slower or unusable drives.
NAS devices are able to transfer data faster than traditional network storage methods. Faster transfer rates enable users to utilise NAS devices for more office needs, including multiple office documents. Another benefit of NAS is that it reduces the cost of IT maintenance and supports a virtual network environment. Traditional file storage methods entail regular physical backups, which increase costs and can be time-consuming. With NAS devices, there is no need for additional equipment or software for monitoring or restoring data.
To make storage and network usage easier, many companies utilize NAS devices that are compact and that can be moved from one place to another easily. An example of such a device is the a device configured as a compact router. This small device is able to link up to 10 computers via wireless or wired Ethernet networks. This allows users to configure each computer in the NAS as an individual host and access files and data from any of the computers in the NAS even if the other computers are not connected to the same network.
Broadly, NAS servers are segregated into three different categories:
- Enterprise-level NAS.
- Midmarket NAS.
- Consumer-level NAS.
Storage for files and applications has never been simpler or cheaper thanks to NAS devices. There are two types of NAS devices – local storage and cloud storage. A local storage system consists of a server, that is centrally located and that can be accessed by all users through the Internet. Cloud storage consists of a large number of storage systems, which are accessed by end-users via the Internet or their mobile phones.
Both types of NAS devices provide unlimited storage capacity. The main difference between the two is that NAS operates on data center resources to cloud storage use no resources at all. Local storage systems are usually run on commodity disks and use little or no maintenance. On the other hand, cloud servers are maintained on premises, undergo scheduled maintenance, and use dynamic disk space management. NAS devices that use commodity disks and servers can scale up and down based on the current demand for storage.
Today’s network-attached storage servers are able to handle a large amount of data. They have multiple hard drives in order to store more data and allow users to store a lot more information. In fact, NAS devices are ideal for storing applications, scripts, data, email, and images. An end user that requires additional disk space can add additional NAS units to increase storage solution while a small business can boost productivity by adding more NAS units.
Many small businesses do not have the budget to buy their own hard drives or other storage devices. NAS devices storage solution can meet their need by providing them with high quality, low cost storage that is readily available through NAS manufacturers. These devices are usually priced below $20 per terabyte and they provide effective storage solutions for a wide variety of purposes. Small businesses can increase their productivity levels by adding storage capacity to their network and lowering costs related to storage.
