NAS (Network Attached Storage) - a detailed analysis of the data storage system

This is usually a separate NAS server (or several) with its own operating system, redundancy and network interfaces for centralized data access.

Features of the NAS:

• Network access: NAS uses a network connection, which means you can remotely access files from dozens to hundreds of devices at the same time.
• Centralized storage: No need to duplicate files, it's easier to back up when a file exists in a single version.
• Data Backup: NAS often have automatic data backup features (after setup, of course).
• Data security: There is an option to encrypt and manage access to files for increased security.
• Streaming: Can be used as a media server, streaming multimedia content to other devices on the network.
• Operating System: Usually NAS devices have their own full operating system (TrueNAS, XigmaNAS, OpenMediaVault, NAS4Free, Windows or Linux) for file management and network interaction.
• Ease of use: Many NAS come with intuitive initial setup wizards - convenient for first-time users. But for a full-fledged deployment in a corporate environment, a specialist is needed to administer the NAS device and the network.
• Protocols: NAS works with various network protocols, such as SMB/CIFS, NFS, FTP, SFTP, HTTP, WebDAV, DC, BitTorrent, etc.
• Expandability: Easily expandable by adding drives or storage devices.

Disadvantages of NAS:

• Network bandwidth: NAS performance is limited by network bandwidth.
• Network Dependency: If the network goes down, you won't have access to the NAS.
• Security: Network connectivity requires additional security measures - access control, firewalls, encryption, etc.
• Difficulty in setting up: Basic home NAS are fairly easy to use and set up, but enterprise environments require learning the basics of network technology and administration.
• Cost: NAS devices can be expensive - it depends on the drives and their number, controllers, network cards and spare parts.
• Computing resources: The maximum amount of data scales well, but the computing resources of NAS are usually limited. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a device taking into account the complexity of tasks and the number of network users.

Scenarios when you need a NAS
NAS is a flexible approach to storage, and therefore there are many usage scenarios. Here are a few of them:

• File server in the office: General access to work documents and files for employees. Centralized storage, management and backup of work data.
• Backup and Archive: Automatically back up files from different devices on the network. Storage of archives - with the possibility of restoration after incidents.
• Remote access to files: Network access to files (via local and/or wide area network). You can work with files from any point of the network - from different premises to different countries.
• Video surveillance: NAS is suitable for storing and archiving recordings from video cameras. The operator will be able to search for recordings on the network and view them without copying.
• Virtualization: Virtual machines of a host (or multiple hosts) can access a NAS server for centralized file access. This will help with file consolidation.
• Multimedia server: Storage and streaming of multimedia content: movies, music, photos, etc. For example, for cinemas (especially home).

NAS architecture and components: 10 important points

NAS can be made at least from a PC, but servers are better suited for this task. There are ready-made "turnkey" NAS devices, and there are general-purpose servers that can be customized - that is, by correctly choosing components and software.

Below are the NAS components to consider when designing a system. Specific device specifications depend on your task, budget, fault tolerance, and security requirements.

• Physical storage and drives: This is a physical device (for example, a server or SZD with file protocols) or a group of devices (cluster) for data storage. Hard disks (HDD) or solid-state drives (SSD) are installed inside. If supported by the server and controller, the drives can be organized into a RAID array (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) for increased fault tolerance and/or performance. In entry-level NAS devices, there are 1-2 compartments for disks, in more expensive models - 4 and above. Servers can spin 6-12 or more discs. SGD - more than 24.
• Power and cooling: 24/7 operation requires an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and a backup power supply in the device itself. If your NAS device is a dedicated general-purpose server (such as a Dell R740xd), it will need a separate room with a server rack and cooling.
• Network card: Most often, NAS is connected to the network using an RJ45 port, but there are other options - it depends on the network card of the server or the model of the NAS. For basic tasks, you need at least a 1 Gbit/s port, and for advanced tasks, from 2.5 to 10 Gbit/s. Not all NAS support the installation or replacement of network cards, so choose with a margin for the future.
• Processor (CPU) and Memory (RAM): Processor and RAM are required for processing data and network requests, file system management, and sufficient data storage performance. Ready-made NAS devices already have an integrated CPU (usually simple ARM) and RAM (the amount in inexpensive systems is small, 2-4 GB). But in general-purpose servers, you need to choose something with Intel Xeon and select the memory. Get off of 4 cores and 4GB of RAM on 4 drives. Then you need to analyze and carefully select.
• Management interface: The management interface allows administrators to configure and control storage parameters, as well as monitor system health. On a regular NAS, it looks like a regular PC desktop.
• Operating System (OS): The NAS operating system provides secure access, file system management, data security, and network protocol support. Examples include FreeNAS (now TrueNAS Core), Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM), QNAP QTS, OpenMediaVault (OMV), Asustor ADM, and Rockstor Games.
• Access protocols: Network File System (NFS) for UNIX-like systems and Server Message Block (SMB/CIFS) for Windows systems, FTP (File Transfer Protocol), SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol and AFP (Apple Filing Protocol).
• Backup: Many NAS devices allow you to back up to external devices, other NAS or cloud storage. Usually, the tools are built-in, you only need to select the data, set the schedule and specify the storage location of the copies. However, in general-purpose servers, backup is not always built-in (there is limited functionality in Windows Server and Linux distributions) and requires separate software.
• Encryption and Security: The NAS can encrypt data at the folder and volume level, and can encrypt data at the SSL/TLS protocol level during data transmission over the network. For security, you can configure two-factor authentication, create accounts and groups of users with limited access rights, centrally manage them, use anti-virus software, secure SFTP protocols and SSL certificates.
• Monitoring and Logging Tools: Logging lets you know who did what with files and when. Access auditing helps detect unauthorized access, anomalous behavior, or violations of security policies. Alerts for suspicious activity (for example, repeated failed login attempts) can be automated.

How can we help?

For more detailed information about the DELL PowerEdge R760 server with DDR5 4800 or the DELL PowerEdge R750 server with DDR4 3200, you can find it on our website SERVER SOLUTIONS , to find out the cost of the server, go to the DELL Server Configurator link .