Share files across your home network

Sharing information between several computers can be frustrating. You can share external hard disks over a home network but if the computer it is attached to is turned off, the files it stores cannot be accessed.

Also, sharing data across different types of computers, such as Windows PCs, Macs, Linux PCs or even games consoles can be difficult.

This is where network-attached storage (Nas) can be useful. A Nas device is a hard disk that connects directly to a network and can be accessed by any computer on the network.

Nas drives cost a little more than a normal external hard disk but the convenience is well worth the cost.

Benefits of Nas
Network-attached storage devices consolidate the storage and sharing needs of different computers into a single, independent device. Physically, consumer Nas drives tend to be a little bigger than traditional external hard disks, but this compactness belies a significant additional functionality.

For example, the average Nas device can serve as a music-streaming device, a way to connect a printer to the network, a system backup point and a means of accessing files remotely over a (secure) internet connection.

Be warned that many Nas devices are sold ‘chassis only’, without any hard disks included. This may seem a little odd but it allows users to buy hard disks that match their performance and storage needs.

It’s also possible to buy a Nas device with space for more than one hard disk. This means you can add further storage space in the future and mirror the data on the device from one hard disk onto another.

Disk mirroring (or ‘Raid 1’) is the automatic process of copying data stored on the Nas onto both its hard disks. Then, should a hard disk fail, the data can be reduplicated on a replacement hard disk from the surviving disk.