Best Network Storage

The best NAS (Network Attached Storage) drives enable you to get your important files from any computer, wherever you are. Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter (Image credit: Synology). The best NAS (Network Attached Storage) drives enable you to get your important files from any computer, wherever you are. Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter (Image credit: Synology).

1. Best Network Storage For Home
2. Best Network Storage Reviews
3. Best Network Storage And Media Server
4. Network Attached Storage Nas Device
5. Best Home Nas Drives

The cloud is eating everything in its path. Or so we are told. Business critical applications like email, VOIP, CRM and others have largely migrated to the cloud. Not everyone is on board, but the trajectory is clear, and it includes a lot of cloud!

Storage is an entirely different beast. If your company needs to store and/or retrieve a few gigabytes of data each day, then cloud storage makes a lot of sense. Otherwise you're better off maintaining a reliable local storage solution. Larger companies can dedicate substantial rack space to storage units. They not only utilize a lot of space, but are expensive and complex to manage. Smaller companies need simple, easy-to-deploy and manage solutions. The market for small storage enclosures has exploded to point that the number of products can be overwhelming. So this week I'd like to take a look at some of the best Network Attached Storage (NAS) solutions for small businesses and make a couple of recommendations.

What Are the Best Things to Look For in a NAS

Storage Capacity: One development driving the popularity of small NAS solution is drive capacity. Today, you can purchase traditional platter drives with 10TB of capacity. Even speedy SSDs have reached 2TB capacity which is double what one could purchase about a year ago. In terms of capacity, you'll want at least 8TB to 12TB for a department and 20TB to 40TB for a small business. If you need more than 40TB of storage, you'd be better off (cost-wise) with a rackmount solution rather than portable NAS device.

Connectivity: Most NAS boxes connect to your network via a wired gigabit connection to your router. Wired connections are still the best for performance and reliability. Some newer NAS models include built-in Wi-Fi, but they are not as popular. There's no need to pay extra for Wi-Fi if you don't need it. Adobe windows 8 1 download.

Software: All NAS units run an operating system that's usually a scaled down version of Unix or Linux. The best NAS backup and storage products make setup and installation a simple affair. A few years ago Drobo came along and made setup so easy that other NAS backup and storage vendors have followed their lead making NAS units much easier to configure. The best devices walk the user through the setup process which includes designating how the NAS will be used (NAS file server, NAS backup, cloud-based storage, etc), how many users will access the device along with various RAID options. I recommend using RAID 5, which is the default RAID on most turnkey devices today.

With or Without Disks: Many people purchase NAS units with the disks already installed. These turnkey products are popular with small businesses. You can also purchase NAS enclosures that include everything you need except the drives. These take a longer to setup, but give you more control on the type and capacity of drives that go into your box. Most people reading this will be comfortable installing a hard drive, and it's really no different with a NAS. Many IT professionals like the idea of adding their own drives because it allows them to utilize drives they already own. At Puget Systems, Western Digital Caviar Red drives have been the most reliable platter drives we've sold for the past few years, if you do need to purchase drives.

Recommendations for Best NAS Backup Solutions

Western Digital My Cloud DL4100 (24TB)

For just over $1500 you get a turnkey NAS with excellent small business features. The DL4100 is built like a vault and comes with four Western Digital RED NAS drives at 6TB each. These reliable drives give you 18TB in a pre-configured RAID 5 setup. To gain access to the full 24TB you'll need to configure it in a RAID 0, but I do not recommend that. RAID 5 will protect your data in case one of the drives fail, and that's more important to your business than an extra 6TB of storage. The DL4100 doesn't take up much room either.

Other useful features include two gigabit Ethernet adapters along with two USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 port. The DL4100 supports a number of business related protocols like SNMP, iPv6 and DFS. You can even install another DL4100 at another location and setup an automatic backup over the internet or VPN. Or you can backup your data on the DL4100 to Amazon S3 cloud storage. This might seem like overkill if you're already running a RAID 5 configuration, but it might make sense to move your most valuable data to the cloud just to be sure.

Western Digital also includes a helpful dashboard, password protection on shared folders, and monitoring of disk temperature and health. There are less expensive options, but few that are as easy and fast to deploy as the DL4100. It's as turnkey as they come for a small business NAS. Western Digital also sells a disk-less version, but because it already includes very reliable Western Digital drives, I recommend the turnkey approach with the drives already installed for this model. Everything about the DL4100 works well together. Western Digital is knowns for making quality hard drives, but they did their homework here, and it shows.

Synology DiskStation DS 1515+

The DiskStation DS 1515+ is an excellent option for those who need up to 40TB of storage and/or want to add their own hard drives. Synology has gained a reputation for making some of the best small business NAS units on the market, and they offer a lot of options depending on your needs. DiskStation DS 1515+ will run you about $700 without drives.

The DiskStation isn't nearly as turnkey as the Western Digital MyCloud, but it includes a number of advanced features that IT professionals will appreciate. The DiskStation supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 or JBOD. Synology also allows you to mix drives with different capacities. This feature could come in handy if you already have a number of unused drives in your possession. It also includes four USB 3.0 ports and four Ethernet ports.

Setup and configuration is handled through a web browser which accesses the DiskStation Manager (DSM). Through the DSM, administrators can monitor NAS up-time, storage utilization along with CPU and RAM use. Like the Western Digital model, the DiskStation can backup to Amazon S3. It can also backup to Microsoft Azure, Box, and Dropbox. The DiskStation also gives you access to a number of apps through the Package Center that extend the utility of your DiskStation. Apps make it easy to turn your NAS into a mail or VPN server. Best text editor for windows. But the DiskStation shines as a file and application server. It's a solid product from a company known for making excellent NAS boxes.

Conclusion

The number of NAS products is overwhelming. I've had personal experience with both the Western Digital and Synology products and feel comfortable recommending them. I'm sure there are other products from QNAP, Buffalo, and Netgear that would also meet your needs. I just don't have as much experience with them. Synology has built a stellar reputation over the years by building top-quality NAS units. They tend to cost a little more, but I've worked with many businesses that swear by them. They are a bit more complex to setup, but come loaded with features.

I'm a fan of companies that create focused and easy-to-use products, and Western Digital falls into this category with their NAS boxes. You might give up some advanced features, but most small businesses won't miss them because they value turnkey solutions that just work. You really can't go wrong with either choice.

As always, I advise you to equip your NAS with a state-of-the-art backup software, as well. The best backup software for a NAS that I've seen is ShadowProtect SPX from StorageCraft. Its snapshot technology that will allow quick recovery to same or dissimilar hardware. Better safe than sorry.

If you're tired of dealing with choppy video because of slow network storage then it's time to upgrade…

The best NAS drive for media streaming at the home office or for the small business is only a few clicks away.

Let's take a look at some more bestsellers…

Best NAS Drive for Media Streaming

• An affordable, high-performance 2-bay NAS optimized for home and SOHO users, running the latest TOS 4.1 operating system.
• ARM v8 quad-core 1.4GHz CPU with 1 GB RAM (NOT upgradeable), blazingly fast read/write speeds of more than 114 MB/s (RAID 0, WD Red 4TB x 2).
• Supports Emby and Plex media servers, which keep your videos, music, and photos personal media beautifully organized,always ready for on-demand streaming to your PC, mobile device, smart TV, or games console.
• Compatible with 3.5' and 2.5' SATA HDD, 2.5' SATA SSD. Each bay supports the HDD up to 16TB (Total of 32TB in RAID 0). For stable performance, the WD Reds and the Seagate IronWolfs are recommended.
• Supports Docker, cloud drive sync, multiple backups, remote access and mobile app. Dozens of free applications;Ultra-quiet heat dissipation technology.

• A 4-bay entry-level NAS optimized for home and SOHO users, running the latest TOS 4.1 operating system.
• ARM v8 quad-core 1.4GHz CPU with 1GB RAM (not upgradeable), blazingly fast read/write speeds of more than 114 MB/s (RAID 0, WD Red 4TB x 2), hardware encryption. The WD Red hard drives and the Seagate IronWolf ones are recommended.
• Supports Emby and Plex media servers, which keep your videos, music, and photos personal media beautifully organized,always ready for on-demand streaming to your PC, mobile device, smart TV, or games console.
• Compatible with 3.5' and 2.5' SATA HDD, 2.5' SATA SSD. Each bay supports the HDD up to 16TB (Total of 64TB in RAID 0). Supports the Plex and Emby media servers.
• Supports Docker, Plex, cloud drive sync, multiple backups, remote access and mobile app. Dozens of free applications; Ultra-quiet heat dissipation technology.

• TIER – Entry-level home / personal 2-bay NAS for storage and multimedia with 1.6GHz Dual-Core processor and 2GB DDR4 RAM. This NAS packs a power performance with up to 1146MB/s read and 584MB/s write speed.
• FEATURES – Asustor Backup Plan allows you to automatically schedule a backup of your data from any PC or MAC to your NAS. Asustor EZ-Connect allows you to connect to your NAS remotely from any computer or mobile phone. Asustor EZ-Sync turns your NAS into a real-time file syncing personal cloud space with file versioning.
• APPS – Over 200+ free unique apps for any home or business use. The apps offered cover a wide range of utility and features such as: server backup, cloud backup, anti-virus, media server, photo syncing, music and video streaming.
• FREE – Asustor offers 4 free IP camera licenses with all their NAS products. IP camera licenses can be used to setup IP cameras on your NAS for your home or business NVR / surveillance center without having to pay any service or monthly fees.
• WARRANTY – Asustor offers the best 3-year NAS warranty in the market. Asustor will repair or replace any unit that is hardware damaged during the 3-year period so you can feel worry free when using any Asustor product.

• POWERFUL HARDWARE: Intel Apollo 2.0GHz dual-core CPU, and 2GB of RAM (expandable up to 4GB). Blazingly fast speed of 200 MB/s reading and 190 MB/s writing.
• AES hardware encryption engine encrypts shared folders and network data transmission to keep data from unauthorized access.
• Advanced Btrfs file system offering 71,680 system-wide snapshots and 1,024 snapshots per shared folder.
• Real-time hardware transcoding of up to two concurrent 4K video streaming.
• Features an aluminum-alloy shell and intelligent temperature control ultra-quiet fan, good in heat dissipation. Support Seagate IHM. Compatible with 3.5' and 2.5' SATA HDD, 2.5' SATA SSD. For better and stable perofrmance, Seagate IronWolf HDD's or WD RED series are recommended.

• Enhanced CPU and GPU provides comprehensive performance upgrades
• 8 GB of expandable dual-channel Memory
• Utilizes the latest HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 Type-C specifications
• Unique WOW (Wake-on-WAN) function provides flexible power control and access

• 2GB SO-DIMM DDR3 RAM (Exp. 16GB max)
• 108MB/s Read and 110MB/s Write speeds in RAID5
• Support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and hard drive hot swapping
• Windows ACL support combined with Windows AD infrastructure enhances management efficiency for business applications
• SMB 2/3 support increases Windows networking performance by 30%-50%

• Intel Pentium N3710 Quad-Core 1.6GHz Processor with 4GB DDR3L Memory
• Built-in video transcoding for HD streaming through Plex
• Centralized storage to organize media and improve your workflow
• Quick, easy setup and a robust Device Manager with My Cloud OS 3
• Comprehensive security through password protection and AES 256 bit volume encryption

• TIER – Entry-level home / personal 2-bay NAS for storage and multimedia with 1.6GHz Dual-Core processor and 2GB DDR3 RAM. This NAS packs a power performance with up to 112MB/s read and 112MB/s write speed.
• FEATURES – Asustor Backup Plan allows you to automatically schedule a backup of your data from any PC or MAC to your NAS. Asustor EZ-Connect allows you to connect to your NAS remotely from any computer or mobile phone. Asustor EZ-Sync turns your NAS into a real-time file syncing personal cloud space with file versioning.
• APPS – Over 200+ free unique apps for any home or business use. The apps offered cover a wide range of utility and features such as: server backup, cloud backup, anti-virus, media server, photo syncing, music and video streaming.
• FREE – Asustor offers 4 free IP camera licenses with all their NAS products. IP camera licenses can be used to setup IP cameras on your NAS for your home or business NVR / surveillance center without having to pay any service or monthly fees.
• ARRANTY – Asustor offers the best 3-year NAS warranty in the market. Asustor will repair or replace any unit that is hardware damaged during the 3-year period so you can feel worry free when using any Asustor product.

• Flagship NAS for both work and play
• Intel Quad-Core 1.6GHz (burst up to 2.24GHz) processor
• 4GB SO-DIMM DDR3L RAM (Exp. 8GB max, 4GB x 2, easy upgrade)
• Support hot swappable drives
• 2 x Gigabit LAN supports failover and Link Aggregation

• Four 2.5' or 3.5' SATA II hard disk the max support up to 64 TB (16 TB x 4)
• Reliable and secure data storage on your personal cloud with easy access online
• Screw less design for fast and easy drive installation
• With 120mm quiet fan for more ventilation and low noise operations
• Protect you data with RAID 1, 5, 6 or 10

Last updated on 2021-01-03 at 00:30.

Netgear ReadyNAS Promo Video

Best Network Storage For Home

Imovie won t download. Best NAS Drive for Media Streaming

Your files fully protected ready to go the readiness network attached storage device gives you more protection and features than any other Nass on the market getting set up requires no downloads and only requires a few minutes of your time to get started first unbox your readiness next install up to two hard disk drives with a to Bay readiness and up to four drives with a four bay readiness we recommend using empty disk drives with no existing data if you decide to use previously formatted disks please reference your manual for disk reformatting instructions to install your drives simply press the disk tray release latch and pull out the disk tray press and hold the disk tray release latch then slide the bracket down the district now attach your hard disk drive to the mounting bracket and push it back into the district insert the disk tray back into the drive bay and press down the tray handle your disk is now secured in the drive bay when placing your readiness make sure to choose a location that provides adequate ventilation connect the power adapter to your unit and the power cord into a wall outlet or power strip then use the provided ethernet cable to connect the readiness to your router once connected your unit should power up automatically next visit Reddy cloud Netgear comm from a computer on your local network from the Reddy cloud home page click the discover button to detect your readiness then click setup we recommend that you use Reddy cloud to complete the setup once you have filled in your new account information select I agree to the terms and click Next now choose your location to set the time for your readiness to complete the installation press the back up or ok button located on the front of your device the basic installation of your readiness is now complete and your device is ready to be used now that your readiness is installed there are three easy ways to access your files the ready cloud web portal PC app and mobile app the web portal can be accessed anytime through your browser but make sure to download the PC app from ready cloud and the mobile app from the store to always stay connected to your readiness you are now set up and ready to go for more information about readiness visit WWE raw slash readiness or visit the readiness forums to ask a question…

Reference: Netgear

Best Network Storage Reviews

Best NAS Drive for Streaming Media Questions

Which NAS drive should I buy? Depending on your storage capacity needs and performance, the choices vary (see above). Also, budgets and technical skills are a factor. For example, if you don't need high performance and redundancy, then a WD My Cloud EX2 or NETGEAR ReadyNAS will work fine for media streaming and sharing files. However, for the more options and higher performance for cases where large media files are shared, then a Synology DiskStation or Zyxel Personal Cloud Storage Server is the ideal solution for media streaming.

Best Network Storage And Media Server

What is the best NAS for home use? If you're doing media streaming or home backups, and you want the best performance, then a Synology DiskStation is great for higher performance and redundancy. Whereas, for small budgets and basic file sharing, then the WD My Personal Cloud NAS is ideal.

Network Attached Storage Nas Device

How do I setup a NAS drive at home? We hear this question a lot and the answer is dependent on the home NAS you purchase. Synology and Zyxel NAS units will require slightly more setup than a WD My Personal Cloud or NETGEAR ReadyNAS. Basically, pug the device into your router and then follow the setup instructions.

Best Home Nas Drives

Can any external hard drive be used as a NAS? Yes, some routers have a USB port where an external drive can be plugged in and the storage can be shared on your personal home network. You will not have the cloud features associated with a True NAS device however, you will be able to share files and stream media from the device's shared storage to multiple computers.

Note: This White Box Storage list of bestsellers consists of the best NAS drive for media streaming. We update the list daily so you're always reviewing the most current prices, star ratings, and tending equipment.