What if it’s hit by lightning and fried? Or if only the hard drive fails? You would lose all the documents and even the operating system installed on the computer. The NAS maintains a backup copy of your files in case something goes wrong with the computer.

End of discussion.Ī NAS is a place to store documents besides your local computer or laptop. The reason I’m using the qualifier “for a long time going forward” is that if your files are not going to be kept for a long time (or you have some other long-term storage, like printed paper), then you don’t need a NAS. The main reason you might need a home NAS is to backup documents on one or more home computers that have become laden with photos, legal documents, records of transactions, receipts, and emails that need to be kept safe for a long time going forward. We'll start by defining NAS systems, then looking at using DVDs as backup media, and then finally we'll return back to our examination of NAS solutions. Today, we’ll cover two of the most low-cost and immediate backup choices and a possible, primitive home NAS. If your computer fails, you have to replace your hard drive, or upgrade the operating system, you don’t care-your documents will be safe and sound on your NAS.Īn entire spectrum of options exist, from super-cheap to devices starting over $500. You generally don’t want to run a home NAS as a wireless device it needs fast-wired Ethernet to work well.Ī home NAS provides added security for your essential documents by allowing them to exist in more than one place-your home computer and the NAS. A home NAS connects to one of the four Ethernet ports on the back of your home broadband or ADSL box. A NAS provides a place for you to put documents from your computer that need to be backed up or guaranteed to be available if your PC fails. You are considering a home NAS ( network-attached storage device) because you have many documents at home that you need to keep backup copies of, right?Ī Network Attached Storage (NAS) is simply a storage device that connects to your home network.

And along with backups comes the question, “Should I have a home NAS system?” However, I realized that the subject of backups would quickly arise when discussing home systems. I also promised to go over several hardware builds of increasing cost. In a previous article on Enable Sysadmin, I wrote about building a home lab.

Editor's note: This article was written while James Brigman was a member of the Red Hat Accelerator program.

Best nas for home use 2020