Understanding What Network-Attached Storage Is and How You Can Benefit from It

In an age where customer service is more valued than what a company offers, it’s a must for companies to strive for excellence in various aspects. One aspect of business that usually needs the most focus is data. For companies, data is something that they need to organize, protect, and manage at all costs.

Companies are expected to have complete access to their data at all times. Failure to do so often leads to serious repercussions business-wise. This includes poor sales, poor customer service, and most importantly, low levels of competitiveness. How can companies assure that they can manage their data effectively?

What companies need to do is invest in systems and technologies that can make data processing much faster. In that light, let us introduce you to Network Attached-Storage or what’s better called NAS. Investing in this technology might be a company’s key to unprecedented success.

What Is NAS?

As the name implies, NAS is a high-capacity storage system that can connect to an office network. Connected PCs and mobile devices are then able to deliver files to the central network without having to plug into the network itself. This means all of the data within the business will be accessible without too much effort.

Alternative devices you can use in exchange for NAS are hard drives and other devices that offer storage capacity. There are various problems with devices like these and one of the biggest factors which make them unfit for an office environment is that they are always required when data needs to be transferred.

Before we talk about NAS even further and what its benefits are, let’s first talk about how it differs from SAN. SAN stands for storage area network and it’s a completely different principle for NAS. Smart business owners are making the transition to NAS simply because it’s the more efficient option.

NAS is a single storage device that can transfer and manage files over Ethernet. Due to its make, it’s inexpensive and very easy to set up. More businesses are transitioning to this setup because of these benefits alone. It’s basically an improvement of what a SAN setup is.

On the other hand, SAN is a tightly coupled network of devices. As there are more pieces to consider, a SAN network is typically more expensive and more complex to set up. This isn’t just how you can differ NAS from SAN in an office. Another key difference is how they transfer data. This is by far the biggest difference between SAN and NAS. NAS devices deliver shared storage in network-mounted volumes. The system also uses NFS and SMB/CIFS protocols which are faster and more secure. On the other hand, SAN systems appear as local drives for the user.

This makes data transfers not just more accessible, but it also makes them a lot faster too even in high volumes.

We’ve said a while back that NAS is the more preferred method of managing and organizing data within the office. There are quite a few benefits that make NAS the smarter choice for businesses and that’s what we are going to talk about next. These are those benefits.

Central File Storage and Access

Of course, the biggest benefit of NAS is its main purpose as well. The system lets you access any of the files you need whether you’re on a desktop workstation or even at home. Such a feature is necessary for today’s working landscape where working from home is normalized.

By giving files this level of accessibility, your employees can guarantee that they can respond to requests, orders, and inquiries whenever possible. This is a big deal for businesses as it means being able to deliver quality customer services, backed by speed and availability.

Having all of your business data is also a good idea for organizations. Your employees will only have to look in one place when looking for files and this is great at increasing business productivity too.

Space Saving

As we’ve said, NAS setups are very minimalist and they require only a few sets of equipment to be fully operational. As compared to SAN systems, you don’t need a lot of space for a NAS setup. For small businesses with limited space for an office, this is a big benefit.

Since there is less hardware to run, you also need to consider that this means less hardware operational costs too. Fewer maintenance fees, fewer utility bills for your business too.

Despite the small amount of space it takes up, NAS systems are still very functional. They do a lot more than just manage your data for you as they can effectively boost your business’s productivity without having to take up too much space and money.

Cloud Backup On-The-Go

An overlooked benefit of NAS is that the devices connected to the server can actually act as a cloud backup for your data. What’s even better is that since you can connect to the NAS via the ethernet or wirelessly, you can choose how you can transfer your data.

The cloud is one of the best things you can invest in for your business as it is one of the best storage options available. It can be expensive to invest in a secure cloud database but with NAS, you can do so without having to put a dent in your budget.

Data Accessibility

This is one of the best benefits of the system. In this day and age, people are more discerning about the companies they transact with. They aren’t just looking for better products, they are also looking for companies that are able to cater to their needs with fast response times.

People value their time more than ever. Companies that are able to provide their clients with the info or data they need at a fast rate often make or break a company’s overall reputation. With a NAS system, you can ensure that your employees always have access to your customer’s data.

Data Protection

This is another overlooked benefit of NAS systems. While it may not seem like the system is capable of it, it does add a ton of protection for your business too. Again, it has to do with the accessibility of your data by your employees. If you have employees who are trained in digital security, then this is a good mix.

Since they have access to your customer’s data, they can easily respond to possible digital security threats in their own way. Like better customer service, people are also looking for companies that can protect their data as well. It’s something that NAS can provide for your business.

Some NAS systems also come with digital security measures to ensure that the stored data is as safe as possible. If you partner NAS with other digital security solutions, then you can guarantee that your customer’s data stays safe and free from data breaches and digital threats.

NAS systems are great for many reasons but surprisingly, not all companies have seen the benefits in investing in them just yet. If you want to make your business more competitive, it might be time to invest in a data storage system that’s more efficient and productive than others.