Data storage and backup — choose a NAS

Network storage for 4 disks

The abbreviation NAS stands for Network Attached Storage and literally means "network attached storage" or "network attached storage". These devices store data on hard drives. At the same time, they provide access to this data from computers and gadgets via a local network and the Internet. In addition, NAS allows you to exchange data between computers (and on different platforms, for example, between PC and Mac), make file backups, etc. Too abstract? Let's look at how such storages are used in fact, and then it will become clear why they can be useful to you.

Use cases

Why buy a NAS server? There are many options for using network storage at home and in the office. We will highlight a few common scenarios.

1. The main task of a NAS is to store a large amount of data. By "large" we mean several TB — usually 8-24 TB, but sometimes more. There are many options and we will indicate only the most popular:

— storage of a large collection of music and films (this will be appreciated by music lovers and moviegoers);

— centralized storage of files with different access rights for users;

— temporary or permanent storage of photo, audio and video files (relevant for photographers, sound engineers and editors);

— Saving backup copies of important data.

Let's take a closer look at the most popular option for using a NAS at home — a media server for storing various content. Storing music, photos and videos in high quality requires a lot of space and the constant filling of the collection sooner or later leads to the fact that the disk space on the computer runs out. In addition, it is also difficult to organize access to files from a TV, media player, tablet, etc. NAS not only solves these problems, but also offers other useful features.

Movies stored on NAS can be watched not only on TV, but also on mobile gadgets

Some home models have not only DLNA support, but also an HDMI connector for connecting to a TV. At the same time, the NAS acts as a media server: it takes over the playback of movies, transmitting the sound and video signal to the TV and audio system. Therefore, you do not need to buy a multimedia player with the same functionality. And some models allow you to catalog your collection of music, photos and movies. For example, when creating a movie library in the NAS shell, you can separate files by format, genre, release year, and other criteria. And this is only a small part of the available features.

2. Creation of a surveillance system, which is relevant for owners of country houses and small companies. The NAS can manage multiple surveillance cameras and store a large amount of recorded video. Moreover, the storage can not only keep a permanent record, but also activate it in case of an alarm (when moving in the surveillance zone) or according to a schedule, for example, only in the daytime. However to cover a larger area, you will need a storage with numerous channels for cameras. By default, there are usually two of them, and sometimes you have to pay extra for the ability to use more cameras.

Network storage is used to create video surveillance systems

3. With the help of network storage, you can organize your own web hosting and cloud storage. In the first case, you can run sites and not contact the hosting. For example, the NAS from QNAP provides for the deployment of a site based on Joomla!. In the second case, the user will have access to NAS files from anywhere in the world where there is Internet, using a laptop, tablet and smartphone. No monthly fees and almost no volume limits. For example, it is so convenient to upload photos taken on a smartphone or camera on vacation to the storage. Another feature of the NAS is that it can be turned into a torrent server. The device can work around the clock, downloading and "distributing" files through a peer-to-peer network. For this, the storage system must have special software that duplicates the functionality of torrent network clients for PC.

Do-it-yourself assembly or buying a ready-made solution?

The question arises — "These things can be done by a regular computer, then why do we need a NAS?" Yes, it can, but would using a PC for such tasks be a reasonable solution? Not always. The main advantage of network storage based on a regular PC over a NAS is that it is cheap. After all, it can be assembled from existing and/or new inexpensive components.

NAS, in turn, has many advantages, although its purchase will cost more. These network storages are compact, operate with minimal noise and power consumption (with a simple consumption of 10-20 W, during operation — 30-50 W). At the same time, the device provides good cooling of drives. Moreover, network storages are highly fault-tolerant and suitable for round-the-clock operation. In addition, they have many features, such as the ability to replace disks "on the fly" and support for RAID arrays. So if the reliability of data storage and the convenience of working with them are more important to you than savings, you should invest in a NAS and good drives for it.

What are NAS?

Synology and QNAP are among the most well-known NAS manufacturers. Similar solutions are available from network device and storage manufacturers, including D-Link, Seagate, and WD.

Light indicators show disk status and storage options

Network storages are divided into devices for home and office. The first category of NAS focuses on ease of setup and use, and sometimes on multimedia features. And the equipment of the second type is characterized by increased performance and reliability, special functions, such as data protection by encryption, etc.

Devices for the office are sometimes divided into small and medium office models, as well as corporate models. The more serious the “place of work” of the storage, the more functionality and reliability it should have. At the same time, sometimes, models for a small office are classified in the same category as home ones. Although, there are models that are clearly positioned as multimedia like Synology DS415play or D-Link DNS-320.

The maximum capacity depends on the number and size of disks used. So, if you install two 4 TB HDDs in a NAS with two slots, then a total of 8 TB is obtained. Accordingly, a model with four slots will provide 16 TB of available disk space. It is convenient that you can install one drive in the NAS, and then add new HDDs or change existing ones. Moreover, some models also have a “hot” replacement of drives: unlike computers, HDDs can be changed without turning off the storage.

NAS provides for the installation of a different number of drives — from 2 to 4 for models for home and small business and 5, 8 and 10 for systems of medium businesses and corporations. Usually there are no disks in the kit and you need to buy them separately or use real ones. By the way, drive manufacturers produce special HDDs for NAS, optimized for such operating conditions. WD has Red and Red Pro series (up to 6 TB), Seagate has NAS HDD(up to 4 TB), Hitachi has Deskstar NAS(up to 6 TB).

Most NAS have the ability to monitor the current status of hard drives and their temperature. Many models also have a RAID controller and support for this technology. With their help, you can improve the reliability of data storage or increase the speed of writing and reading files. In the first case, data is written to two disks at the same time and information will not be lost if one of them fails. In the second case, you can increase the speed of writing and reading data by dividing the flow of information between two drives. However if one of them fails, then it will be difficult to restore all the files. This feature is rarely used.

Almost every NAS has USB and Ethernet ports

NAS are generally compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux computers and Android, Windows and iOS mobile gadgets. They are managed using special software shells through a browser from any device. Each manufacturer has its own system, but their basic functions are similar. For example, all Synology NAS are running DiskStation Manager with rich storage management capabilities.

Some models support keyboard, mouse and monitor connection for system setup and operation control. However, in most cases this is useless. All NAS are equipped with one or two Ethernet network ports for connecting to a local network and the Internet, as well as USB 2.0 and 3.0 connectors for connecting to a PC. In both cases, both control and data transmission are possible. Ethernet is preferable, because the transmission speed will be maximum, and you can control the device from a distance of several tens of metres (via a local network) or from afar (via the Internet). USB and eSATA ports are used to connect external drives to increase storage capacity or to copy files.

Summary

NAS will become an indispensable assistant for storing large amounts of data for both home users and individual professionals (like professional photographers) and entire companies. The cost of such devices cannot be called affordable, but they justify it if you use their advantages — the reliability of information storage, the ability to access files over a local and global network, interesting features like launching your own cloud service, and much more.