Data and information in this digital age are fundamental aspects of living. Almost every process, every move, and every step of today’s life are monitored, assessed, and analyzed by data. For example, your very internet activity, the websites you browse, the ads you click on, and the type of media content that you consume are all monitored and assessed. The algorithm of different apps then produces an appealing layout of content that may cause you to consume more. Shopping malls track shoppers on their buying activity and behavior and rearrange the food items to make it easier for them to buy the closest ingredient they may need. All of these data are stored somewhere, and it is just of the utmost importance to keep them backed up.
There are different ways to back up your data – cloud storage, NAS storage, and backup, or even through hard drives. Let’s explore your options.
Why should you back up?
Although it may seem expensive, tiring, and hassle, backing up your data may benefit you in the future. Data is important, and protecting it through backup is just as essential. Whenever you have important documents, you tend to keep them stored in a cool, dry, secure place. You hide your birth certificate in waterproof envelopes and keep them in drawers free from termites and whatnot. The same thing goes for your digital data. Hard drives, clouds, and NAS storage may be used in order to store a large amount of data and back them up should the original copies get corrupted or deleted.
What is a NAS, and why use it for backup?
A Network Attached Storage or NAS is a type of storage system that businesses, particularly small-scale businesses, could use. It is mostly used in backing up data, and it is lauded for its capabilities and ease of use. A NAS is basically having your own private server, with arrays of hard drives that you could access at a moment’s notice anywhere in the world. Since a NAS operates using the internet, you’re basically having your own private, personal cloud backup storage. Another advantage of NAS storage is that it’s faster than a cloud server. Because it is private, and you’re the only traffic in that network, the speed and latency of retrieving, accessing, and storing files are way easier. You don’t have to compete for bandwidth, and you can also be assured that your files are safe so long as you keep good health maintenance.
They are also cost-effective. Since you don’t have to pay for a monthly or annual subscription to a public cloud storage backup service, you’d only have to set up a NAS storage once. As long as you have internet and the hardware is cared for, there is virtually no other cost in keeping a NAS storage other than its maintenance fees.
Another advantage of NAS storage is that they are flexible and scalable. A NAS server as backup storage could have different arrays and slots of hard drives that you could slot into. Whenever you have to upscale your business or more data is coming in, you simply have to buy more hard drives and slot them in. There is no need to rearrange everything from scratch or switch from a different plan if you’re using cloud storage.
When should you use NAS storage?
It is most advisable for small to medium-scale companies to acquire NAS storage. Not only is it a viable option for their data storage, but also as data backup. Since these companies of their sizes may not have the capacity or budget to sequester everything to an enterprise data backup company, having their own private NAS storage may work for the needs that could arise.
