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