Keep track of your files with a network-attached storage drive

As soon as you have more than one computer in regular use, it becomes difficult to keep track of particular files. If you are organised it is possible to keep all your important data on just one computer attached to the home or office network, but electricity bills aside, this is something of a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

In many cases, a better option is to invest in a network-attached storage (or Nas) drive – also known as a network hard disk. These unobtrusive boxes provide a central repository for files so they can be easily accessed by any PC connected to the same network. Nas drives are cheaper and more convenient than relying on a PC to store files and use less power.

What is a Nas?
Nas devices typically look much like any other external hard disk – a brick-like box with a flashing light or two. Indeed, inside a Nas is essentially just a hard disk (or in some cases several hard disks), albeit one with a network socket on the back. Some may have one or more USB ports, too, for reasons that we’ll explain as we go.

In almost all cases, setting up a Nas involves connecting it to a network (via a network cable) and then using the supplied software to make the necessary configurations. If this sounds arcane then don’t worry – it’s usually very simple.

Then, you access and save files in exactly the same way you would with any other hard disk. The difference is that the data transfer happens over the computer network, rather than a cable attached directly from computer to disk.

Getting your network ready
There are some prerequisites for using a Nas. First, you’ll need a network – without one, a Nas would be pointless. Most broadband internet service providers (ISPs) supply a wireless router that will have all the necessary connections.

Ideally, the Nas should be set up next to the router in a location that is cool (so not in direct sunlight), unlikely to be knocked and with good ventilation. As both the router and Nas are likely to be left on all the time, they can be powered by the same socket or extension lead: it may be a good idea to stick a label on the plug so you don’t accidently turn it off.

However, the main reason for keeping the Nas next to the router is so it can be permanently attached using a network cable. These are usually included with the Nas devices but, if not, a short cable should cost no more than £10.

Using a cable might seem retrograde in a wireless world but wired connections are faster and speed is important when it comes to transferring large quantities of data – and Nas devices tend to be busy things.

That said, wireless Nas boxes do exist: the 500GB Excito B3, for example, can be bought with a wireless adapter built in. However, at €295 (about £260), it is an expensive choice.

The more the merrier
Of similar importance to the connection choice – and we do recommend a wired device – is capacity and expandability.

Remember that Nas devices are little more than hard disks with a built-in network connection. The obvious advice here is to go for the highest capacity you can afford.

It is also important to understand that many Nas devices are supplied without disks fitted. Instead, the user is expected to buy and fit their own hard disks – but more on that in just a moment.

Regardless, a time may come when whatever you bought no longer seems big enough. Indeed, our experience suggests that point is never as far off as you hope.

Some Nas devices can be upgraded with replacement, larger hard disks – though this isn’t as convenient as it may sound. Fitting the replacement disk might be straightforward but you will need a way to transfer, store and resurrect all the data currently held by the Nas, which can be complicated.

That’s where multi-disk Nas devices can shine. With space for more than one drive, a multi-disk Nas can be set up in various ways. In many cases, the ability to add more drives is used not to increase capacity, but reliability.

A Nas such as the Thecus N0204, for example, can use two 2.5in (laptop-sized) hard disks in a ‘mirrored’ configuration: in this way, each disk contains an identical copy of the other.

Obviously this effectively makes half the total capacity redundant but the idea is that if one hard disk breaks down, work needn’t be interrupted (though obviously you would want as soon as possible to obtain and fit a replacement for the fault drive). In technical specifications you will see this mode of operation described as Raid 0 (Raid stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks).

Alternatively, it is usually possible to use the two (or more) disks of a multi-disk Nas to double (or triple and so on) the storage space, using a technique called ‘striping’. This also improves performance but it isn’t a method we recommend, because if one disk fails all the data it contains will be lost. This is Raid 1.

Some multi-disk Nas devices employ a kind of hybrid of these two systems to offer both additional storage and reliability through redundancy (ie, a chunk of storage equivalent to one drive is reserved for something akin to mirroring, and is therefore unavailable for the user’s files and folders). This is known as Raid 5.

The Drobo FS, for example, can accommodate up to five hard disks. When three or more disks are installed, redundancy means that the total storage capacity is less than their combination but the contents of all disks are protected.

The Drobo FS makes child’s play of the process of adding more storage or dealing with a disk failure – simply slot in a new hard disk and that’s it.

For the sake of technical accuracy, we should say that Drobo uses its own redundancy technology that it calls BeyondRaid – it is similar to Raid 5 in operation.

Remember that if the Nas device isn’t supplied with any hard disks – and many aren’t – then you’ll need to buy and fit these yourself. Fitting is usually no more difficult than opening up a slot and sliding in one or more standard Sata hard disks, but do factor the cost of these into your calculations.

Lastly here, it’s worth pausing to understand that Nas devices are not the be-all and end-all of backup, even if that’s how many people view them.

Yes, Raid 0 and 5 configurations provide great reliability through redundancy (so a single disk failure doesn’t mean data loss) but if you imagine the device being stolen or going up in flames, you will realise why a Nas is not a substitute for taking regular backups and storing them away from everything else.

Less noise
Another advantage of using a Nas device over a computer that’s connected to the network and permanently powered is that they tend to be much quieter. A desktop computer may have at several cooling fans to keep it cool (one each attached to the processor, graphics card and power supply, say), which combine to make a noticeable hum.

A Nas device might have a fan (in fact, the Synology Diskstation DS411j has two) but generally, these spin more slowly (and hence quietly) than those in a PC.

While considering noise, there are some practical things that can be done to reduce sounds emanating from a Nas device. When setting up, be sure to place it on flat and firm surface – and ensure that the orientation is as recommended by the manufacturer.

Some noise can result simply from a Nas being placed on an uneven surface. Indeed, some Computeractive staff members have been known to use cushioned sticky pads to hold their Nas devices in place, to reduce vibrations.

And to reiterate our earlier advice about ventilation, be cautious of stuffing your Nas into a tight corner and don’t place anything on top (some devices rely on heat radiating off their surface, rather than cooling fans).

If you’re obsessed with reducing clatter then consider a Nas device that can make use of solid-state disk (SSD) drives, rather than standard hard disks (that use spinning magnetic platters and mechanical read/write heads).

With no moving parts, SSDs make no noise at all. Either choose a Nas that doesn’t include hard disks, such as the Qnap TS-119+, and buy an SSD for it, or choose a Nas device that comes with an SSD pre-fitted.

Do note, though, that SSDs are more expensive than conventional hard disks of equivalent capacity (and to find out why, and for more information about SSDs generally, read our article on the subject).

Power matters
Nas devices are designed to be available at all times. As such, there is no need to switch off a Nas. While this may give you cause to worry about your electricity bill, we said at the outset that Nas devices use much less electricity than a computer.

Indeed, some Nas devices use power-saving techniques to reduce their consumption even further – the Excito B3, for instance, has a power supply that is rated at 36W but the company says that much of the time the device draws just 8W – likely to be around half the electricity used by the tiny light bulb that illuminates your fridge.

However, because of their always-on nature, Nas devices are constantly exposed to aberrations in the electricity supply – power surges and cuts, in other words. The former are more common than the latter and many people use surge-protectors as a result. But, while rare, power cuts can be more damaging: if the electricity disappears while the Nas is working then file corruption could occur.

While the risk of this problem should not be overstated, some manufacturers equip their Nas devices with the ability to automatically shut down in certain circumstances. Synology’s Diskstation DS411j, for instance, can connect via USB to an uninterruptable power supply (UPS).

A UPS is essentially a big battery that can supply enough power to keep electrical equipment powered, albeit usually for just a few minutes in many cases. However, thanks to its USB socket, in the event of a power cut the Diskstation is able to receive a signal from compatible UPS and shut itself down safely.

Indeed, the DS411j can also turn itself off to save power and either be woken up by an electronic message sent across the network or at a set time.

Additional features
Many Nas devices are little more than a hard disk (or several) in a box with some networking electronics. However, some can perform other jobs.

The Excito B3, for example, can work as an email server. This means it can download emails independently of a PC and, among other tasks, consolidate messages from several accounts into a single inbox. This saves your computer’s processing time (your PC might work quicker if the job of email is given to a Nas like the B3).

Elsewhere, the Thecus N0204 packs a multi-talented USB socket on the front. As you might expect, this can be used for data transfer – so files can be copied to and from the N0204 via USB – but it also works both as a print server (so that one printer can be shared with several computers) and as a connection for a webcam, so the Nas can be turned into a home-surveillance device.

Similarly, some Nas devices (like the Drobo FS and Synology’s Diskstation DS411j) include software for streaming music and video across the network. This means that the devices will appear automatically in media-player applications such as iTunes, and work with media-streaming devices.

Lacie’s Cloudbox, meanwhile, sets itself apart by offering to back up files and folders to the cloud – meaning online storage space. While this is a good idea, the 100GB space on offer costs £85 per year. This isn’t terrible value, but there are plenty of similar tools that do a better job (such as Dropbox). More to the point, the hard disk in the Cloudbox itself is also 100GB and that’s rather poor value.

When the Nas arrives
The most work you will ever expend on a Nas device is when setting it up. The hardest part of the process is normally finding the device on your network.

Wireless models (such as the Wifi version of the Excito B3) will usually need to be plugged into a wired part of the network for the initial setup. In most cases, it’s just a case of plugging it in, installing the supplied software and sitting back while the configuration is completed.

It’s down to you now
As with most buying decisions, shopping for Nas devices is about being informed – and we have given you a run down of the most important considerations.

However, if you are in a hurry and want a pointer to what’s good then the Drobo FS is one of the best Nas devices around right now. It offers plenty of space for hard disks, can stream music and is simple to set up and manage.

It also costs a small fortune. So, for an affordable alternative, take a closer look at the Thecus N0204.