Pros And Cons Of Using Network-Attached Storage
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The PROS
Using network-attached storage, or NAS, can offer you many benefits. Unlike other storage devices, such as external hard drives, NAS has many advantages. NAS comes in various shapes and sizes. To truly understand network-attached storage, NAS is file storage with multiple hard drives attached to a local network. It enables multiple users to share data. Instead of connecting directly to your computer, it is plugged into your network. It has a wide capacity and can store vast amounts of data from different sources.
Below are the five pros of utilising network-attached storage:
Less expensive
The first advantage of using a NAS is that it is cost-saving! Unlike other types of file storage, such as cloud storage, they will require you to pay monthly or yearly subscription fees to obtain a larger capacity for storing data. But in NAS, it’s not. Upon purchasing it, NAS already has a vast storage capacity, so you don’t have to worry about running out of storage and spending money to expand it later. Â
Wide Storage
One of the significant properties of a NAS is that its storage is already wide enough to hold vast data. In addition, it is also expandable through the replacement of a new hard drive, making it more advantageous! Nowadays, owning large amounts of data is common, and so, having file storage that can fit it is demanded by many. Therefore, utilising a NAS is highly recommended.
Assured security
Other file storage options, such as the cloud, can be prone to hackers and other disturbances, which may reduce their security. But NAS is file storage that only you can own and control. Thus, the chances of your data being hacked are almost nonexistent.
In addition, external hard drives are more prone to being dropped and lost, thus making the NAS a more secure storage option for inputting your data.
Excellent File-Sharer
As mentioned, a NAS is directly plugged into a network, not your computer. In other file storage, such as external hard drives, to transfer data, you first have to unplug it from your computer and plug it into another device. But in network-attached storage, this is not the case. As a result, NAS can enable you to share data on every device inside your home; you don’t need to transfer it from one device to another, and you don’t need to buy flash drives or jump drives. Â
Remote Access
NAS can also offer you 24/7 access. So even though you’re far away from your home, the distance is still covered. You can access your files easily anytime and anywhere using a NAS with an internet connection, and accessing your files whenever and wherever can be a huge advantage and save you from the hassle of emergencies.
The CONS
There can also be disadvantages that a NAS can have. Below are the three cons of network-attached storage:
Runs only through an internet connection
A LAN, or local area network, is required for network-attached storage. Without an internet connection, you will not be able to transfer your files whenever.
Price
As mentioned, NAS can cost less than cloud storage. However, there may be some instances where a NAS will contradict that advantage. For example, buying a network-attached storage unit means paying for only the housing itself, and the hard drives are excluded. This means that the cost of buying a NAS is doubled. As a result, purchasing more hard drives in the future to increase capacity may be more expensive.
But, to reduce its cost, you can add more hard drives slowly and not simultaneously, as a single hard drive can already be considered capable of handling large data capacities.
Speed
The speed performance of a NAS can sometimes be unsatisfactory, especially for high-performance applications such as editing and gaming. Â
Above are the pros and cons of network-attached storage. But, despite its disadvantages, overall, utilising a NAS storage and backup can be fulfilling as NAS stands out for being more secure, convenient data backups, and ample storage capacities.
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