Network attached Storage – NAS Solutions

As every business should know, data is any businesses greatest asset. We all take it for granted, we expect the document to be in the folder we last saved it to, we expect to be able to load it quickly in our applications and we expect to be able to share it with our customers or supply chain.

So the question is where do we put this data?

The obvious place for larger businesses is in their own data centres; for medium and some smaller sized businesses on their own servers but for small businesses sometimes server storage can be expensive – especially if it is large volumes of data. Servers are designed to serve data to clients  (PCs or MACs) but if you want to archive or backup data then this is an expensive resource to house data that may not be accessed frequently, if at all.

The ideal solution for this, and a multitude of other tasks is a Network Attached Storage device, or NAS.

In simple terms this is a set of hard drives on the network – much the same as a set of hard drives in the server, but with added flexibility and a much lower price point.

NAS devices attach to a network, acting as a stand-alone file server. They give you a place to store large files and run the software you need to stream those files direct to your PC or smart device on demand. In some cases, you can even do so over the internet, meaning you don’t even have to be in the same country to gain access to your critical files.

Cross-compatibility means NAS devices can allow easy access to data regardless of device manufacturer or operating system make (something you’ll appreciate if you’ve ever tried to share files between a Mac and PC, or Windows and Linux). They require very little technical knowledge to set up, and they’re cheaper, quieter and smaller than dedicated file server systems.

NAS solutions are suitable for small and mid-sized businesses needing large amounts of storage that multiple users can share over a network.

Benefits of NAS:

  • Add capacity in an affordable way
  • Store and access files from any PC or Mac computer using your existing network, eliminating the need for multiple hard drives
  • Share capacity with other parties (suppliers, customers)
  • Offer full-proof (RAID) central back up, which can be automated, for extra data protection
  • Share a USB printer across your network
  • Automatically and continuously backup your data to give you peace of mind that all of our files are safe and secure.

NAS Solutions Vs Server

For businesses, a Server network set-up will improve efficiency and reliability. When choosing a Server device, you must consider the needs of your business as well as the cost. For businesses looking for functionality that can handle more complicated configurations and management, a server is the best choice. However for businesses looking for a good way of storing important business files and documents that can easily be shared a NAS Solution is the more affordable option.

If you business is struggling to decide between a NAS and a Server installation, or you are seeking help with the installation and set up of a NAS Solution we can help.

The Next Step…

If you looking for a cost effective way to centrally store or backup data we can provide advice, supply and support a Network Attached Storage system for your business. For more information on Network Attached Storage devices and how whether this is the right solutions for your business please contact us on 01392 824 022 or email us at info@amesolutions.co.uk.

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