Network Attached Service, or NAS for short, is a storage area network, or SAN for short, that utilises existing network hardware. The network adapters all work together as one single device within the network, allowing for file sharing, application sharing, and hardware redundancy. NAS is basically a compact form of networked storage used on personal computers and laptops. NAS devices are configured and operated with a web-based graphical utility and does not usually have a built-in keyboard and monitor.
Network attached storage devices can be used for various purposes such as file backup, secure data storage, or web hosting. File backup software programs that use NAS capabilities are known as NASD solution. This type of software provides users with improved performance and reliability over shared and dedicated storage devices as well as ease of access and mobility. In this manner, NAS reduces overhead expenses while enabling organizations to maximize their bandwidth and storage resources.
A file system consists of multiple disks that are stored in a NAS device. Each disk in the storage structure has an identical configuration. All data is stored on only one disk. NAS operates on logical partitions. This is similar to traditional file servers but utilizes a different storage area. The major difference between NAS and file servers is that a NAS requires minimal maintenance and can easily grow as the number of users accessing the system grows.
With NAS devices, administrators can add or remove users from the system without affecting other applications and data storage. The ability to work anywhere with any computer is a major advantage of NAS. Because of its compact size, NAS is ideal for use in home offices and small offices. A NAS system is able to provide high resource utilization because it maintains low disk read/write speeds even when there is a lot of activity on the network.
A cloud NAS is a great choice for storing data that require ease of access. An instance of a cloud NAS consists of a single physical device such as a disk enclosure or a blade enclosure. It can be configured using web-based software such as NASDAQ’s point of sale solution or SQL Server’s Oracle database. This type of storage allows you to build the system that works best for your organization. You can also store multiple copies of data on NAS hard disk drives and use NAS as a file server if needed.
As more businesses move to a cloud-based operating system and create their own storage tiers, NAS will continue to grow in popularity. The cost of disk file systems, such as NAS, has come down significantly in recent years. In addition, operating systems, such as Windows, are becoming more user-friendly so that desktop users can access the data storage provided by NAS appliances. Cloud NAS can also improve scalability since it allows an organization to add and remove storage as necessary without interrupting production.