| Network Attached Storage devices are also known | | | | the option is not there for individuals and businesses |
| as NAS devices and NAS drives. They are mainly | | | | to pay a bit more to get RAID capable Network |
| used to backup your files to a central external hard | | | | Attached Storage Devices. More and more small to |
| drive so if you have multiple PC's the files can still be | | | | medium sized businesses are buying these instead of |
| accessed directly instead of having multiple copies of | | | | buying expensive servers and having to configure |
| each file stored on each PC. This prevents you from | | | | them as file servers. Some NAS devices are capable |
| getting into document synchronization hell. But NAS | | | | of being print servers as well but the majority of |
| drives are so much more than an external hard drive; | | | | them need to be connected directly to the printer, |
| it is where you and your family can share files like | | | | so please ensure you read the tech specs first |
| pictures, music, documents etc. | | | | before buying. |
| The flexibility of some of these NAS devices have | | | | For those individuals or businesses that need a bit |
| the ability to increase storage capacity by adding | | | | more from a standard NAS drive there are ones that |
| additional hard drives as well as decrease the risk of | | | | have more features and richer functionality. Some are |
| losing all your precious files if the hard drive in the | | | | capable of joining AD domains, some are capable of |
| NAS device fails. These are available on the market | | | | streaming films to DNLA compliant devices, therefore |
| now but can come at a price though. Personally I use | | | | capable of wirelessly streaming your films to devices |
| a single drive solution and use online backup to store | | | | like PS3 and Xbox's. |
| my valuable pics and documents but that's not to say | | | | |