| NASDrives.net Home Network Attached Storage | | | | shares instead. Some security cameras and office |
| Buyers Guide | | | | scanners have the ability to save to FTP servers and |
| Network attached storage (NAS) for the home is all | | | | in those cases, and many more, this feature would |
| the rage. NAS provides a way to share files, access | | | | come in handy.iTunes compatible - The NAS has the |
| music and movies and backup your data. To help | | | | ability to publish it's media files to a computer running |
| people interested in a NAS device choose the best | | | | iTunes. The computer with iTunes would then be able |
| network attached storage for them, NASDrives.net | | | | to play those media files. |
| presents this buyers guide. | | | | USB Ports - External USB storage can be added on |
| What is Network Attached Storage? | | | | to extend the capacity of your NAS. This can insure |
| Network attached storage devices are small servers | | | | your NAS is never obsolete! When you run out of |
| dedicated to nothing but file sharing. Instead of | | | | space you can buy an inexpensive external USB disk |
| having to physically connect a drive to your | | | | and plug it into your NAS. A few systems will use |
| computer, you can just plug a device into your home | | | | these for USB printer sharing or as a host for your |
| network that provides additional storage space. | | | | digital camera. |
| Storage prices are falling and adding 250gb, 500gb or | | | | Gigabit Ethernet - 1 billion bits per second transfer |
| even 1 tb (terabyte) is becoming cheap and easy. | | | | rate. Most wiring done in homes or offices in the last |
| Advantages of NAS | | | | 5 years was gigabit rated but the equipment is still a |
| * It's a simple way to add data storage to all your | | | | bit more expensive than 100 megabit so most homes |
| computers rather than just one. | | | | and small offices do not support this. Gigabit will get |
| * Multiple computers are able to access files anytime | | | | cheaper home and SOHO use so it's still a good |
| and do not rely on a host PC for file sharing. | | | | feature to have. |
| * Savings on your electric bill because a power | | | | Backup Software Included - A major reason to add |
| hungry computer or server need not be on 24 hours | | | | NAS to your network is backups. Quite a few drives |
| a day to share files. | | | | come with Windows backup software to automate |
| * New media server features allow for centralization | | | | this important but often overlooked task. |
| of your music and movie library so it can be shared | | | | Vista Support - Vista removed support for some |
| by everyone on your network and even streamed | | | | older Windows file sharing technologies and some |
| to home audio and video devices. | | | | NAS drives still rely on it. If you use Vista in your |
| * Provides a central place for backup storage. | | | | home or office, make sure the NAS says it's Vista |
| Explanation of features | | | | compatible. |
| USB Print Server - A USB printer can be connected | | | | Mac support - Native Mac support is spotty so make |
| to the NAS device and it can share the printer over | | | | sure the device is compatible with your Mac and your |
| the network. | | | | version of the Mac OS. Macs are able to access |
| Media Server - The device can stream media to any | | | | Windows shares so this really isn't much of an issue. |
| device on the network capable of receiving it. MP3's | | | | Active Directory support - If you're running a |
| or movies can stream to your PC or movies can | | | | Windows Server or Windows Small Business Server |
| stream to a media center connected to your TV. | | | | in your office then you need this. It allows your |
| UPnP - Universal Plug and Play. UPnP is a dynamic | | | | existing network users to use the file shares on the |
| zero-configuration protocol used for device | | | | NAS without creating new usernames and passwords. |
| interconnection. That's quite a mouthful but what it | | | | Very handy. |
| means is that UPnP devices can talk to other UPnP | | | | Gigabit Jumbo Frames - Geekspeak for faster |
| devices without any intervention from you. It just | | | | networking. |
| works. | | | | File access via web server - This allows you to |
| DLNA - Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA is a | | | | browse files on the NAS via a web browser. This |
| certification built on other technologies. DLNA | | | | would be handy if you were trying to access it from |
| certification insures that certified devices will be able | | | | a system that did not support Windows files sharing |
| to talk to each other and provide a minimum level of | | | | or if you just preferred to access the files that way. |
| features. | | | | DFS support - Distributed File System. This is another |
| RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. RAID, | | | | Windows technical term that means that a remote |
| in it's many configurations, sacrifices some disk space | | | | shared folder can be mirrored to the NAS device. |
| for a level of data redundancy. RAID 1, called | | | | This is great for a business with a Windows Server |
| mirroring, makes an exact duplicate of the primary | | | | and multiple locations. |
| disk. If the primary disk fails then the secondary | | | | Accessible via the Internet - A few companies have |
| "mirrored" disk can take it's place until you buy a | | | | setup central servers that act as a middleman |
| replacement. RAID only helps in cases of hardware | | | | between Internet connected users and your NAS. |
| failure and is not to be mistaken for a backup | | | | This makes your files accessible by anyone, |
| strategy. If you accidentally delete a file on the | | | | anywhere. Of course, everything is password |
| primary disk the file is deleted on the mirror as well. | | | | protected for security. The possibilities here are |
| FTP Server - File Transfer Protocol server. Most | | | | endless. |
| people will not need this and will use Windows file | | | | Copyright 2007 - NASDrives. |