What Is Unique About A NAS?
A key benefit of most NAS units is the redundancy option, so in two- and four-drive configurations the extra disks can simply “mirror” the contents of the other drive.
Conventionally, NAS devices are configured to support RAID technology, which allows multiple hard drives to fit into a single storage. This technology allows the software that manages the NAS devices to distribute and duplicate the data it stores across multiple hard disks.
Conventionally, NAS devices are configured to support RAID technology, which allows multiple hard drives to fit into a single storage. This technology allows the software that manages the NAS devices to distribute and duplicate the data it stores across multiple hard disks.
What Is Unique About A NAS?
There are different hardware and software-based vulnerabilities that can impact your NAS. Many things can go wrong with a NAS. Sometimes, one of the drives fails completely, that is where a RAID system simply take in a new, completely empty drive and repopulate it with the data the failed drive was carrying. Therefore, a properly configured RAID that performs this function is key. A team of experts usually is the best option. At all times you need to consider the following six factors:
- Capacity
- Performance
- Configuration
- Security
- Ecosystem integration
- Ownership model.
1.Capacity
When choosing your network-attached storage, you
must consider the number of drives it can hold. Some
may only have one disk bay, while others may have
as many as 16 slots. The RAID (Redundant Array of
Independent Disks) system is a good indicator of the
supported storage capacity.
2. Performance
The main function of a NAS unit are data storage and
file access. Even with that, you need a powerful processor to help it run efficiently. Like conventional
computers, the devices vary in terms of the processor
models and their number of cores. Speed is essential
when you have more people connecting to the network. If we are dealing with a small office, processor
choice could be insignificant, since the number of
connections is so small.
3. Configuration
Network storage management can seem daunting,
and it is. A complex system requires a dedicated IT
professional to oversee it. You can configure an
access point through which other devices can connect. Such functions can allow client devices to
download and stream multimedia format, protect
your sensitive data from unauthorized access
4. Security
Most NAS systems have in-built defenses, there are
certain critical threats that NAS users should be aware
of, such as, authentication procedures, Leakage from
other network devices, possible exposure to malware
and viruses, command injection (hackers taking
control of the NAS drives). Your IT team should take
care of safety precautions such as enabling denial-of-service (DoS) attack protection, using a VPN to
connect to your NAS (quite useful for remote access),
updating the NAS firmware, among others.
5. Ecosystem Integration
If your existing storage and network infrastructure is
already dominated by a brand of products, it is usually
easier to stick within that ecosystem, as products are
designed for that very purpose.