Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a dedicated file storage and sharing server. What benefits do NAS systems offer?
For businesses, data is a critical asset to function successfully and get things done. Companies might not be able to provide the quality of service their consumers require without proper access to their business data. Lack of access to corporate information at the right time may lead to decreased sales, poor customer service, or even business collapse. However, it is also true that most enterprises place more emphasis on the applications that use the storage than on the storage itself.
There are various benefits of data storage through centralized systems over decentralized ones. Centralized business databases enable staff to work together on a single file version. It also aids in creating backups that are more effective at protecting data. One of those centralized systems with a wide range of functions is network attached storage (NAS) technology. Due to their various capabilities like enabling multiple users and client devices, being less expensive and expanding the storage capacity, NAS storage systems are currently employed more frequently. NAS systems are so adaptable that they may be used in homes and businesses, unlike file servers and SANs.
What is Network Attached Storage?
Network Attached Storage (NAS) system is connected to a network and enables authorized network users and clients to store and retrieve data from a centralized place. These devices typically include a file service implementation engine (NAS device) and one or more storage devices (NAS drives).
A NAS system’s function is to offer shared file-based storage in the form of an appliance designed for speedy data storage and retrieval to a local area network (LAN). Only the most frequently accessed data should be stored on NAS because it is a costly storage solution.
Many enterprise IT organizations are considering moving NAS and Object data to the cloud to cut costs, increase agility, and boost productivity.
Benefits of Network Attached Storage
NAS systems are easy to use, and an IT specialist is not required. The time it takes to set up and administer the system is significantly reduced because NAS designs are sometimes offered with streamlined scripts or even appliances preconfigured with a streamlined operating system. Accessing data across the network, including cloud-based applications and data, is made faster by using a NAS. Additionally, it includes built-in data security, simple data backup and recovery, and interoperability with redundant storage arrays. To ensure data integrity, NAS can be formatted to enable duplicated drives, a redundant array of separate discs, or erasure coding.
Without replacing or upgrading the current servers, you can expand the storage capacity of NAS and add new storage without shutting down the network. It allows authorized network users and clients to centralize data storage in a secure, dependable manner. Compared to other storage systems like SAN, it is substantially less expensive and can save wasted space. NAS systems are simple to scale up and expand upon and offer a wide range of applications.
Wrapping Up
Although NAS technology has been around for a while, its use has recently increased. Due to rising storage demands, we are seeing an increase in the number of businesses running their apps and workloads on all-flash arrays. NAS is mainly used for unstructured data storage like surveillance videos, backups, files, snapshots, and emails. NAS technology is perfect for an office setup that works on effective data sharing among various departments. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated business transformation initiatives and cloud migration, which are the main factors driving the growth of unstructured data and the necessity for these services. One needs to store these workloads together to enable insights and learning as firms want to utilize cutting-edge technologies like edge computing, AI, and machine learning. Finally, NAS systems are frequently used to support cloud storage providers as a data backup, archiving, and disaster recovery system, contributing to increased productivity of the team and the company.
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