You literally connect a NAS server’s network port to your router or switch via a network cable. On the other hand, a NAS server is available to the entire network and can deliver much more. But that’s just a way to turn your router into a pseudo-NAS server.) (Sure, you can attach an external drive to certain routers via a USB port and make the information it stores available to the rest of the network. Also, it generally just adds additional storage space and not much else. external driveĪn external drive connects directly to a computer, likely via a USB or Thunderbolt port - it’s a direct-attached storage (DAS) device.įor this reason, a DAS device, like those on this list of top portable drives, works only with one host at a time. NAS is not a name - it would be a terrible one - but an acronym for network-attached storage.Ī NAS server is similar to an external drive, but it connects to a router (or a switch) via its network port. Extra: Step to migrate to a new or different Synology NAS server.Synology NAS server: Easy hardware setup.Snapshot and Replication: The ultimate ransomware protection.Synology NAS server: Well-thought-out, useful applications.QuickConnect, VPN, DHCP, Dynamic DNS, DNS and so on.Advanced storage and user management, with 2-Factor Authentication login.Synology DSM’s useful core settings and features.Synology NAS server: State-of-the-art operating system.The ending letters/characters in a Synology NAS server’s name.The number part in a Synology NAS server’s name.The leading letters in a Synology NAS server’s name.Standard RAID requirements and drawbacks.

Redundancy, via the use of RAID, explained.

The best nas for home 2018