Hanover, December 01: Many people have more than one PC nowadays. Add in all the mobile devices like netbooks and smartphones that need data moved around and you have got a problem: photos, songs, videos, and other files are available on one unit and not another.
There’s a simple workaround – namely moving the files from one machine to the next – but many users take no joy in the constant copying and transferring of files using external hard drives or USB sticks. One solution is Network Attached Storage, or NAS. The technology has become affordable enough for home users and it’s easy to configure.
As the name suggests, NAS involves a hard drive connected to a network instead of a single PC, says Johannes Endres from German computer magazine c’t. Unlike a USB hard drive plugged into one computer, NAS is available for access by all computers on the network.
“Anyone using multiple computers nowadays will already have a router,” he says. “The NAS simply connects to that and eliminates the need to carry around USB devices.”
The demand for NAS solutions is growing.
“The constantly growing use and creation of digital media and content has really exploded the need for storage space in the home area,” says Andreas Arndt from hardware maker Buffalo Technology. NAS devices are available with and without pre-installed hard drives. Most home users tend to reach for the integrated solution, Endres indicates.
Configuring a NAS, including setting an access password, is generally uncomplicated – usually handled using a browser connected to the home network. Most NAS units include a setup utility with delivery. “All of the NAS devices we tested included an easy-to- understand installation assistant to take lay users by the hand,” says Michael Schmelzle from Germany’s PC-Welt magazine.
To protect the data stored on the NAS against complete loss, it’s sensible to use two or even more hard drives within the unit. This function, known as RAID storage, provides double protection and is supported by most NAS devices. There are different RAID variants.
“Raid 1 systems that mirror the data collection on at least two hard drives are almost 100 per cent effective,” Schmelzle explains.
If just one hard drive is included in the NAS, then a backup copy should be made of the data on it, Endres recommends. An external hard drive can be used for this or the data can be downloaded to a PC with sufficient hard drive space.
All in all, Schmelzle feels, NAS units are a good solution if data is to be centrally stored on a local network and made available to different network-ready machines.
–Agencies