Network Attached Storage (NAS) Drives

Businesses are creating and storing more data across more devices than ever before. NAS drives can offer an effective solution for small and medium sized businesses.A NAS drive is a high-capacity storage device in a box, which is designed to connect quickly and easily to a network. NAS drives offer a good solution for small and medium sized businesses who need to share files, documents and data across a range of laptops, tablets and mobile devices.NAS drives can be set up to allow multiple users to store and share files in a centralised location rather than individuals storing files on their own computers. They are popular with small and medium sized businesses who need a scalable solution at a relatively low cost.

NAS drives are designed to be simple to operate – a dedicated IT manager is often not required to run this type of solution, and this helps to keep IT costs down. NAS drives also offer an easy backup solution, ensuring that data is always accessible when it is needed.

Having data accessible from a centralised location also makes it easier for employees to collaborate, respond to customers in a timely fashion and manage day to day aspects of the business, even if they are working remotely. NAS devices usually have space for between 2 and 5 hard drives in the box. This means that as your business grows, you can increase your storage capacity as needed. In terms of connectivity, NAS drives can be connected to your network with an ethernet cable or over WiFi.

In terms of cost, NAS drives start at around £300 for a basic unit with around 4TB of storage and go up to around £5,000 for a high-end unit with around 100TB of storage. As ever with IT, it pays to do your research. Think carefully about what your business needs are now and in the future. Consult with a good IT professional for guidance on what options would suit your business best.