What is NAS (Network Attached Storage) and Why is NAS Important for Small Businesses?
Data is a critical asset for companies today. Without access to their data, companies may not be able to provide their customers with the level of service desired. Poor customer service, loss of sales or team collaboration problems are all examples of what can happen when information is not available to teams within a company.
Each of these issues contribute to lack of efficiency and potentially, loss of income if customers cannot wait for a data outage to be corrected.
Advantages
- Lower cost!
- Easy to operate (many small businesses do not have IT staff).
- Capable of growing alongside their storage needs.
What is NAS?
A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device is a storage device connected to a network that allows storage and retrieval of data from a centralised location for authorised network users and heterogeneous clients. NAS devices are flexible and scale-out, meaning that as you need additional storage, you can add on to what you have.
A NAS is like having a private cloud in the office. It’s faster, less expensive and provides all the benefits of a public cloud onsite, giving you complete control.
NAS devices are perfect for small businesses because they are:
- Simple to operate, a dedicated IT professional is often not required.
- Lower cost.
- Easy to use for back up of data, so it’s always accessible when you need it.
- Good at centralising data storage in a safe, reliable way.
With a NAS device, 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 a NAS device is like a private cloud, data may be accessed remotely using a network connection, meaning employees can work anywhere and any time.
With more scattered storage arrangements, small businesses may suffer from:
- Data being out of sync.
- Reliability and accessibility issues if storage goes down (NAS devices can easily be used for back up, helping ensure your data is constantly at your fingertips when you need it).
- Delays in responding to customer service requests or sales queries.