If you are sharing data between multiple users on the same network, network attached storage devices, otherwise known as NAS, can be very useful. They allow multiple users to access and save data to shared drives that everyone on the network can see.
This guide will teach you about four important features to consider in a network attached storage device before making your purchase.
Features To Look For
1. Capacity
The single most important feature to look at when picking a NAS device is how much data it can store. NAS units can hold anywhere from one to 16 hard drives. To figure out how many hard drives your NAS needs to hold you’ll first need to calculate how much data your company is saving daily.
2. Connectivity
There are two ways that NAS devices can attach to the shared network, via an ethernet cable or wifi connection.
Ethernet cables offer better security but can pose issues if your company has a lot of remote workers or if you need multiple users connected at the same time.
Wifi, on the other hand, allows more users to connect without having to deal with a mess of ethernet cables. However, it increases the risk that your data is stolen which could be an issue if you’re dealing with confidential information.
3. Ease of Use
Make sure that the device you select is easy to set up and maintain. Otherwise, you’ll constantly have to pay an IT professional to come in and maintain your network attached storage system.
4. Data Backup
The last thing you’ll want to consider is how the device performs data backup. Normally, you can either hook a NAS device up to the cloud for continuous backup or attach it to an external drive and perform scheduled data backups.
