In today’s world, digital data such as photos and videos on smartphones and documents on PCs is rapidly increasing. NAS (Network HDD) solves problems such as I can't save because the storage capacity is full'' and It’s a hassle to share data with my family.’’ This time, we will introduce the benefits of introducing NAS for beginners and points on how to choose one.
NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a hard disk that is connected to a home Wi-Fi router (network) and used, unlike an external HDD that is connected directly to a PC with a USB cable.
Three benefits of introducing NAS
Access your data from any device in your home You can view and save data on the NAS from any device connected to the network, such as a PC, smartphone, or tablet. You can smoothly save photos taken with your smartphone to the NAS and edit them on the large screen of your PC.
Easier to share data between family members With one NAS, you can share storage with the whole family. For example, if you create a folder called “Family Travel Photos,” you can upload photos from each smartphone and view them together.
You can save on monthly cloud storage fees Contracting for large-capacity cloud storage (such as iCloud or Google One) incurs monthly costs, but with NAS, you can build your own “personal cloud” with a capacity of several terabytes with just the initial cost. Most products have the ability to access the NAS via the Internet from anywhere.
Points to consider when choosing For beginners, we recommend “completed models (Buffalo, I-O DATA, etc.)” that have a built-in HDD and are easy to set up. If you are a little knowledgeable about PCs and would like to use more advanced features (such as automatic backups or photo management apps), it would be a good idea to choose a highly expandable NAS kit (Synology, QNAP, etc.) and use it in combination with an HDD of your preferred capacity.