You are able to place your NAS in any place However, you should choose a location that is cooler. Check that the port for intake of air or vents is unobstructed. My experience is that the ideal spot is right next to the router or switch. A lot of NAS hard drives are quite noisy, so you should not keep your NAS close to your workplace. Remember that you must restrict the distance between your NAS and any other point of connection.

Different LAN cables have different maximum distances for data transfers. The most common cable you’ll be using is a CAT6 that allows a maximum distance of 100 meters (328 feet).

Why Invest in a NAS System?

NAS systems are getting more popular. According to a recent study the worldwide NAS market is expected to be around 44.96 billion dollars in 2023. Numerous businesses and individuals are investing in NAS systems as, though they may appear complex initially, they are simple to operate install, configure, and even set up which means that IT professionals are typically not needed when installing one.

They also provide a cost-effective method to increase some storage capacity and cut down on the amount of storage space that is wasted over other storage options, providing greater flexibility. They’re ideal for companies due to their ability to let internet users connect to networks and use bandwidth they don’t need, which has allowed for the development of new peer-to-peer networks such as the NKN.

A NAS device is also utilized as a Media Server, and most have media server software that’s been installed. It is able to store media files in a safe place and play video as well as music files and also photos, across local networks or via the internet, which makes it ideal for users who are interested in media.

Other advantages are secure backup of data and recovery along with incredible security features, which allow data to be safely and securely for those who have been granted access.

 These devices also support many different applications and allow data access to cloud-based applications and data.

Pre-Built NAS Systems

If you are uncomfortable with computers generally and don’t want to mess around with installing large hard drives by yourself, simply purchase a ready-built NAS computer. Numerous companies make them, and they’re quite reliable. A good example is one of them: The WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra 2Bay personal Cloud Storage Server. It’s pre-configured with HDDs and generally requires just a bit of technical expertise to work effectively.

Connect the NAS to your router using an efficient Ethernet port and it’s close to being ready for use. Most of these devices have software installed in place and are accessible via the use of a specific URL once linked to your internet. Some of them even permit access to the Internet and permit remote access to any location. These are the most important aspects to consider beyond the capacity of storage.

The software that is proprietary and accessible through the web browser will give you all the information it is necessary to understand and aid you in reconfiguring the system as needed. Another crucial aspect to consider is the number of drives within the enclosure, as well as in the event that you want to create a specific kind of RAID. Different RAIDs have different capacities as well as redundancies. On top of this, a lot of NAS arrays have distinct features that can entice users towards one option or another.

THE BENEFITS OF NAS

If you’re unsure if the network-attached storage option is suitable for you, consider the frequency you’ll need to access your photos, videos, or music on one device in another, whether you’re connecting via a different gadget at home (like the secondary computer or tablet) or you’re requiring to access your data from a hotel located on the opposite side of the globe, A NAS drive could be helpful. Sharing files with your Windows or macOS PC isn’t a big problem.

however, your main computer must be running 24/7 for sharing to function. If you put the files on a NAS instead, using its own web connection as well as its own power source that means you have plenty of flexibility in accessing the files.

A large number of people use a NAS drive for backup as well, and there are models that allow for more than two drives, which means you can have two disks that mirror the same data. That could be a bit of inefficient use of a disk, however, it’s a good idea because if one fails, you are able to switch to a different one. It is important to always have backups elsewhere also, just in case of a fire or flood happens to sweep through your home.

There are a lot of top NAS drives to choose from including Synology, QNAP, Western Digital, Drobo, Netgear, and many more. We’ve already compiled the top models of the year. Before you make your purchase be sure to be aware of what you would like to accomplish with your NAS and make sure of the specifications and features that will be able to handle.

How many drive bays?

Another major decision you need to take is the number of drive bays you would like to have. There is a range of drive bays from one drive bay up to. For small or home office just one or two bays is adequate. Why would you select a model that has two or more drive bays? There are two main reasons: either because you are able to replicate all of the data from one drive onto the other using a RAID 1 setup or improve the performance of your drives by stripping them into the RAID 0 setup.

In the event that neither mirroring nor speedy access is crucial, opt for a single bay NAS and install into it the largest storage device you have the capacity to.