What is a NAS?
NAS - Network Attacked Storage
A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device is a specialized computer designed to connect to a network, providing a centralized storage solution for multiple users and devices. This means that it is designed to connect to your network through your router rather than be plugged into an individual PC as you would an external hard drive.
What can a NAS do for me?
A NAS is one of the most powerful tools that you can buy. A NAS can be a Media server that broadcasts your media wirelessly through your router straight into your devices at home - no internet required!. But if you'd like you can also share your media with friends and family over the internet. A NAS can also be where you store all of your digital data such as music, photos, or even backup all of your PC files. A NAS can be a personal blog or e-commerce store on the internet, or a private social media site for you and your friends. A NAS can be a high tech security center, with active AI reviewing live footage 24/7 to identify threats. A NAS can be anything that you see on the internet today, except that you would own the hardware and the data. Which means no more renting the data that you use in your everyday life.
What are some differences between a NAS and a server?
Over the last 20 years, not much. These days a typical NAS has all of the functionality of a full rack server, it's just that it doesn't support thousands of simultaneous users like popular web sites do. A typical server can run tens of thousands of dollars, while a robust NAS, such as the Asustor 4 bay Gen 2, is around $600.
What are some differences between a NAS and a computer?
A computer's main hardware is the graphics card, an item that gets more expensive by the day.
A NAS main hardware is the hard disk drive, an item that gets less expensive by the day.
Computers require graphics cards.
NAS does not use graphics cards.
NAS devices and NAS hard drives are designed to run 24/7 for years.
PCs and PC hard drives are designed to run for a few hours each day.