by Hans Blok Tuesday, 20 November 2018
What is NAS (Network Attached Storage) and Why is NAS Important for Small Businesses?
Data is a critical asset for companies
Without access to their data, companies may not provide their customers with the expected level of service. Poor customer service, loss of sales or team collaboration problems are all examples of what can happen when information is not available.
Each of these issues contribute to lack of efficiency and potential loss of income if customers cannot wait for a data outage to be corrected. Additionally, when it comes to data storage, small businesses find themselves faced with other storage-related needs such as:
- Lower cost options
- Ease of operation (many small businesses do not have IT staff)
- Ease of data backup (and it’s always accessible when you need it)
- Growth capability
NAS devices are rapidly becoming popular with enterprise and small businesses in many industries as an effective, scalable, low-cost storage solution. IronWolf Pro hard drives are designed for NAS systems.
What is NAS?
An NAS device is a storage device connected to a network that allows storage and retrieval of data from a central location for authorised network users and varied clients. NAS devices are flexible and scale out, meaning that as you need additional storage, you can add to what you have. NAS is like having a private cloud in the office. It’s faster, less expensive and provides all the benefits of a public cloud on site, giving you complete control.
NAS systems are perfect for SMBs.
- Simple to operate, a dedicated IT professional is often not required
- Lower cost
- Easy data backup, so it’s always accessible when you need it
- Good at centralizing data storage in a safe, reliable way
With a NAS, data is continually accessible, making it easy for employees to collaborate, respond to customers in a timely fashion, and promptly follow up on sales or other issues because information is in one place. Because NAS is like a private cloud, data may be accessed remotely using a network connection, meaning employees can work anywhere, anytime.
Scattered storage arrangements will not work for SMBs.
- Out-of-sync data
- Reliability and accessibility issues if storage goes down
- Delays in responding to customer service requests or sales queries
The Right Drive for NAS
Built for network-attached storage servers, Seagate IronWolf Pro drives are the best choice for NAS applications and are developed in close co-ordination with leading NAS partners such as Synology, QNAP, Netgear, Drobo and others to provide the best experience possible.
IronWolf Pro drives have the following features:
- AgileArrayTM firmware for RAID optimisation and 24×7 use
- RV sensors built into the hard drive to mitigate vibration in multi-bay NAS
- IronWolf Health Management for drive monitoring is built into compatible NAS operating systems
- Includes 2-year data recovery service and 5-year limited warranty
- Built for multi-user environments by providing high workload rates for heavy data transfer networks
NAS is growing in popularity. And with good reasons. NAS servers allow access to company data 24×7, and using the right hard drive will provide the best experience possible. IronWolf Pro-equipped NAS servers help provide tremendous competitive advantages, increase levels of customer service, and extend the collaborative reach across any project, at any company. In many cases, the only limit to the usefulness of having a NAS solution in your business may be not having one at all!
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