NAS or Servers: Which One Is Right for You?

Data storage is a vital part of any enterprise because it’s imperative to distribute data quickly and safely backup the vital information of the business. NAS (network-attached storage) devices and storage servers are the two main options for data access, storage, sharing, and backup. What's the difference and which one is right for you?

NAS

NAS is a file-level access storage architecture connected to a network, which enables multiple users and heterogeneous client devices to retrieve data from a centralized disk capacity. It connects directly to an Ethernet switch linked to the servers. Therefore, users on a local area network (LAN) can access the shared storage from the NAS via a standard Ethernet connection.

Unlike traditional external hard drives, NAS devices generally have some kind of built-in operating system that adds software functions like remote access, cloud/VM backup, and multi-media streaming.

Servers

A server is a high-performance hardware designed to process requests and deliver data to other computers over a local network or Internet. The Internet server is normally configured with additional processing memory and storage capacity to handle massive users and requests.

Servers can be classified into different types according to four different standards, including server form factor, instruction set architecture, processor quantity, and application types. For instance, by server form factor, servers can be divided into tower servers, rack servers, blade servers, and cabinet servers.

What's the difference between NAS and servers?

Although NAS and servers share some similarities in sharing files across devices on a network, they do differ from each other in some respects.

• Functionality: A server can be configured to perform a variety of functions, such as working as a file server, print server, application database server, web server, etc. Some servers can even integrate multiple functions. The main function of a NAS is for data storage and backup.
• Price: Compared with NAS, servers require more power and are much more expensive. Besides, server operating systems often require companies to purchase a server license, which is also an expense.
• Configuration: Due to their versatility, servers are configuration-demanding, requiring fast processor chips, more RAM, and sufficient internal disk space. In that way, servers can better meet end users' requirements for application provisioning. In contrast, the configuration of a NAS is relatively simple.
• Efficiency: When it comes to storage efficiency, NAS works better than servers since it optimizes the hardware and software architecture of the system. With NAS, data can be directly transmitted between the client and the storage device rather than through server RAM, which realizes faster response speed and bandwidth.

Which one is right for you?

Both NAS and servers provide great ways to share files across devices on a network. When selecting between NAS and servers, you’re supposed to consider the following aspects to decide which one is more suitable for your needs.

• Cost: Your budget is the most fundamental factor to consider because, as mentioned above, a server would be much pricier than a NAS. Apart from the price of the equipment itself, the server expense may also cover higher power consumption, more cooling fees, as well as the server license charge.
• Space: A server is much larger than a NAS device thus the server is not suitable for office applications which are limited in space. In contrast, NAS devices are portable and easy to move around so they can be connected to a router or switch in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
• Scalability: Both NAS and servers offer different levels of scalability, depending on the models, so you should take data growth and use cases into consideration when choosing a solution.

Summary

Whether to store and backup your data using a NAS or a server will come down to the amount of data you have available, the outlay you wish to make for securing your information, and how expandable you wish the storage to be. All in all, it is important to consider both your current and potential future needs when assessing which option to use between NAS and servers.