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The NAS model - simply explained

What are NAS models?

NAS models refers to various Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices offered by different manufacturers. A NAS is a specialized file server that allows files to be stored centrally and accessed over a network. Unlike a traditional file server, a NAS is easy to manage and specifically designed to act as a storage solution in a home network or a small/medium business network.

A NAS model refers to a specific device from a specific manufacturer that has OSI-compatible features and hardware specifications.

Basic functions of a NAS

  • Central storage location: A NAS allows multiple users to access the same storage location from different devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets).

  • Data sharing and synchronization: It offers the ability to synchronize or share files between devices.
  • Backup functionality: NAS devices are often used to create automated backups of computers, servers or mobile devices.
  • Multimedia server: Many NAS devices also serve as media servers to stream movies, music and photos on the network.
  • Remote access: NAS models often offer the ability to access the stored files from outside the network (via the Internet).
  • Expandability: Depending on the model, you can add or replace additional hard drives to expand storage space.

Types of NAS devices (home use to enterprise level)

NAS models can be roughly divided into home devices and business solutions, depending on the number of hard drive bays, performance and features.

  • Home use/entry-level devices: Smaller NAS devices, typically with 1 to 4 hard drive bays, that offer basic file storage, multimedia streaming, and simple backup solutions.
  • SMB (Small-Medium-Business) solutions: These devices are more powerful, often offering advanced features such as RAID (for data security), virtualization support, and remote access for small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Enterprise solutions: NAS devices for large businesses offer high performance, more hard drive bays (often 8 or more), and features such as redundant power, snapshots, virtualization, advanced RAID, and more.

Well-known manufacturers of NAS models

There are a number of well-known manufacturers that offer NAS devices for different needs. The main manufacturers and some examples of their models are:

1. Synology

  • Synology is one of the most well-known NAS manufacturers and offers a wide range of devices from home use to enterprise solutions.
  • Examples:
  • Synology DS220+: Entry-level device with 2 hard drive bays, ideal for home use.
  • Synology DS920+: Mid-range NAS with 4 bays and expansion options for use in small businesses.

  • Synology RS1221+: Rackmount NAS for professional use in businesses, 8 bays and high data throughput.

    #### 2. QNAP

  • QNAP is another leading NAS device provider with many options and high flexibility.

  • Examples:

  • QNAP TSS-233: 2-bay NAS for home use with good multimedia support.
  • QNAP TS-453E: 4-bay NAS with higher performance, for serious home users and smaller businesses.
  • QNAP TVS-h874: High-performance NAS with Thunderbolt support, ideal for media production or data-intensive applications.

3. Western Digital (WD)

  • Western Digital offers simple and user-friendly NAS solutions with the My Cloud series, aimed primarily at home users.
  • Examples:
  • WD My Cloud Home: entry-level NAS, very easy to use and configure.
  • WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra: 2-bay NAS with advanced features for more demanding home users or small offices.

4. Asustor

  • Asustor, a subsidiary of ASUS, offers NAS devices known for their focus on multimedia and advanced application possibilities.
  • Examples:
  • Asustor AS5202T: 2-bay NAS with high performance, well suited for 4K streaming.
  • Asustor Lockerstor 8: An 8-bay NAS suitable for small and medium businesses.

5. TerraMaster

  • TerraMaster offers affordable NAS solutions that are often attractive to home users and small businesses.
  • Examples:
  • TerraMaster F2-221: 2-bay NAS with good performance for home use.
  • TerraMaster F5-422: 5-bay NAS with 10GbE support, for small businesses and performance-intensive tasks.

Important features and selection criteria for NAS models

  1. Hard drive bays: Choose a NAS model based on the number of bays it offers. More bays mean more storage space and better RAID support (e.g. RAID 5 or 6 for data security).

  2. Performance (CPU, RAM): More powerful NAS devices have better processors (Intel or ARM) and more RAM, which affects the speed of file transfers, virtualization capability, and multimedia performance.

  3. RAID support: RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) provides data security by distributing data across multiple hard drives. RAID levels (e.g. RAID 1, 5, 6) vary depending on the number of hard drives and offer different levels of resiliency.

  4. Multimedia capabilities: Many NAS devices can act as media servers, streaming movies and music to various devices on the network. Some models support 4K transcoding (converting videos to other formats).

  5. Backup features: NAS models offer built-in features for automated backups, both from computers and mobile devices.

  6. Remote access and cloud integration: Many NAS devices offer the option of accessing the stored files from outside via the Internet or synchronizing them with cloud services (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox).

  7. Expandability: Check whether the NAS is expandable – e.g. by adding additional hard drives, upgrading the memory (RAM) or connecting an expansion enclosure.

  8. Security features: NAS devices offer various security features such as encryption, user access controls, antivirus integration, and support for VPN.

In what situations does a NAS make sense?

A NAS is ideal for:

  • Centralized data storage: A NAS allows multiple users on the home or business network to store files centrally and access them from any device.
  • Backup solutions: NAS devices are great for automated backups of computers and mobile devices. They also offer input protection through RAID (data is distributed across multiple hard drives).
  • Multimedia streaming: NAS models are ideal for managing and streaming large media libraries, such as music, movies, and photos, to various devices on the network.
  • Remote access: If you want to access your files from anywhere, NAS devices offer a secure way to do that.
  • Virtualization: For companies that want to host virtual machines or run complex applications on a NAS, powerful NAS models with high CPU and RAM performance are necessary.

Conclusion:

NAS models are specialized storage solutions that offer various functions, from simple file storage to multimedia streaming to backup and virtualization. Choosing a suitable NAS model depends on your requirements, such as the storage capacity you need, the performance you want, the number of users and the range of functions you want. Well-known manufacturers such as Synology, QNAP, WD and Asustor offer various devices that are suitable for different use cases.

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