You heard about NAS in the office or from a friend "> Use an old PC as a NAS file server with FreeNAS Advantages of owning a NAS
The advantages of owning a NAS can be truly numerous, especially if you want to replace the desktop PC for some operations that require continuous power on.
- All your files in a common space: as already mentioned before you can save folders and files on the NAS to immediately share them between all the devices connected to the network.
If you save an MP3 on the NAS you can listen to it from your smartphone without even having to download it, just access the shared folder of the NAS; the same goes for films and photographs.
- Download center : once configured, the NAS can download torrents instead of the desktop PC.
In this way you avoid leaving your PC on (expensive in terms of electricity) and download safely even for 24 hours in a row, without interruption.
This is because all NAS have a very low energy consumption (around 15-30W at full load, against 300W of a new PC with few open programs).
- Safe backups : if your PC's hard drive breaks, your files are in trouble, especially if they are important documents!
Save the documents on the NAS and set it to automatically create more than one backup of the same file, you will no longer lose any important documents or holiday photos!
- Virus immunity : NAS use in the vast majority of cases Linux-based operating systems, therefore immune to the vast majority of threats on the network.
- Media server : all NAS are compatible with the DLNA protocol or can host advanced media servers such as Plex or Kodi. In this way, all multimedia content saved in the NAS memory can be streamed from a TV connected to the router or from the PC, complete with posters and information.
- Cloud server : instead of saving the photos taken by the smartphone on a public cloud service such as Google Drive or Dropbox, you can set your NAS as a cloud server and always have maximum control over all your shots.
A really good choice from a privacy point of view.
How to set up a NAS
Depending on the number of slots available, disks can be used in different ways; the storage itself will ask you which method to use to use two or more disks (on models with more than two slots).
- JBOD : in this configuration the hard disks used in the NAS are used as a single space, without any particular precautions. In case of disk break the other is accessible with its files.
- RAID 0 : if there are two disks, you can use this configuration to join them logically.
If one disk breaks, the other will not be accessible either.
- RAID 1 : the ideal solution to have an automatic backup. With this setting, data is saved on one disk and immediately copied to the other. If one disk breaks, you can access the data stored on the other. The total space is equal to the size of a single disk (even if there are two).
- RAID 5 : this configuration is only available if you insert 3 or more disks into the NAS.
The data is divided into blocks and saved on all disks to preserve information, ideal for storing very important documents. In the event of a disk break, information can be recovered from one of the other two surviving disks.
- RAID 6 : one of the most advanced solutions; very similar to RAID 5, however, it makes up for the lack of 2 drives, in fact, in order to make it, at least 4 disks are required.
The hardware of a NAS
What must be present at the hardware level to identify a good NAS? Here is a complete list of features you need to check before purchasing a NAS:
- CPU : if you need computing power to stream movies, I recommend the models equipped with dual-core CPU and / or graphics acceleration.
- RAM : 1 GB is more than enough if you use the NAS to store files, but if you need streaming I recommend you focus on models with 2 GB of RAM.
- Ethernet : all devices have a Gigabit Ethernet port to connect the NAS to the router; some models also allow aggregation with two or more Ethernet connections.
- USB ports : with these you can copy all the contents of a stick or external hard drive on the fly by pressing a simple button.
- HDMI : some NAS have an HDMI port, so they can be connected directly to the TV to take advantage of media centers such as Kodi or Plex.
Network NAS Storage Buying Guide
After seeing some of the advantages of NAS and the features to consider here are some models that you can buy online on Amazon (which makes prices more than competitive)
All the models I point out to you are within the reach of the home user, without having to bother the professional models intended for the office. The models do not have hard disks inside, unless otherwise specified.
- Buffalo LinkStation 220DE: 2-slot NAS for sale for less than € 90
- WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra: 2-slot NAS for sale for less than € 90
- Synology DiskStation DS119j: 1-slot NAS for sale for less than € 90
- WD My Cloud: NAS with 4 TB hard drive on sale for less than € 180
- QNAP 231p: NAS with 2 slots on sale for less than € 180
- TerraMaster F2-220 NAS: NAS with 2 slots on sale for less than € 200
