Direct attached storage (DAS) systems store data locally and are not connected to a network. Common examples of DAS are device hard drives, external hard drives, and USB flash drives. While data stored via DAS is only available with a connection to that specific device, NAS offers networked access from any device with an internet connection and login credentials.  

Like NAS, public clouds are available on any internet-connected device and allow file storage sharing. With NAS, however, you can bypass ongoing storage subscription fees that come with public cloud options, so that your cost per terabyte of storage is lower. In addition, NAS typically comes out ahead when it comes to performance. You won’t experience lag times with NAS when accessing your files on a daily basis. 

NAS solutions are ideal for families and businesses that have large amounts of data they want help managing, sharing, and protecting. Families can use NAS to store and share photos, videos, and other documents in a single, centralized place that can be accessed across multiple devices.  

Creative professionals and small businesses can store and organize files, giving simultaneous access to co-workers, customers, and clients — all with the assurance that their data is reliably stored.  

Yes, NAS is easy to set up and use. In general, it’s as easy as connecting your NAS device to your network, either wirelessly or via an ethernet cable, and setting up your environment in a browser on a device connected to the same network.  

RAID, or redundant array of independent disks, duplicates data on multiple disks for additional speed, stability, and protection. Certain RAID storage solutions can be networked to integrate into a NAS ecosystem. In other words, a NAS setup can use specific types of RAID, such as RAID Level 5, for better performance and a more robust infrastructure.  

NAS is available in capacities that start at less than 1TB¹ and go up to and beyond 80TB in nearly any configuration, from a single NAS drive that you can plug into your router at home to rack-mounted, enterprise-grade NAS servers that can hold dozens of drives. NAS systems are flexible in that you can swap out, add, and remove storage drives based on your needs. Most families and home offices find single-digit (usually 4 or 8) TB storage sufficient, while heavier-duty enterprise users will likely need multi-bay systems with RAID configuration.