External hard drives and Network-Attached Storages (NAS) are some of the best ways to expands your computer's storage whenever is running low or filled up. And while external hard drives are small, mobile and pretty easy to use (simply plug-in and use) as a newbie or beginner, network-attached storages are also not as technical-oriented as they uses to be and are now relatively easy to set up and get started with.
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- Buffalo - LinkStation™ 210 4TB External Hard Drive (NAS) - black. Model: LS210D0401. User rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars with 11 reviews. (11) Price Match.
- A great external desktop hard drive should be reliable, fast, and inexpensive, like the 4 TB Western Digital My Book. Learn more in our full guide to the best network-attached storage.
The best NAS (network attached storage) will benefit from multiple drive bays, media streaming capabilities, and encryption. For ease of use, particularly as a household cloud server/backup, you may also want to look at NAS that have software or an OS included to make file storage and syncing easy.
But what's best for you, though? You have a computer that is running low on storage space and you're considering purchasing an external hard drive or shelling out cash for some of the best NAS for home use. You are stuck. You've heard about external hard drives and NAS device but you aren't exactly sure which one fits perfectly in line with your storage needs. Also, you don't want to make bad investment(s) — no one does. At the end of this piece, you should have information that will help you make the best decision.
NAS vs. External Drive
Number of computers
If you own just a single computer, you are better off with an external hard drive. However, if you own two or more computers, you should get a network-assisted storage. This is because a NAS will connect to your (home or office) network and all computers connected to your routers will have simultaneous access to data on the device. This can't be said for external hard drives though — which access to files is limited to the number of connection ports on the hard drive or on your computer.
Convenience
This is somewhat a relative to the first point above. Using an external hard drive on another computer will require you to shuffle the drive(s) from computer-to-computer to access files. A network-assisted storage on the other hand only requires you to connect to your network to have access files.
In addition, NAS also frees up ports on your computer.
Size and Mobility
Generally, external hard drives are small, compact and built to be easily conveyed around — in your backpack or maybe your pocket. Also, they do not necessarily require internet connectivity or power supply to function. NAS, on that other hand, usually come in the form of boxes meant to be placed in a permanent position, plugged into a power source and router.
You should know that there are also big-sized high-capacity external hard drives that require a power source (from a wall socket) in addition to being plugged in to a computers USB port. For easy access to your files, you should purchase an external hard drive if you are mostly on the move, or have no/poor internet and power supply.
Expandability Terabyte drive price.
External hard drives are mostly always come with fixed storage capacities that cannot be expanded. Should you need more storage in the future, you'd have to purchase a new hard drive. Best way to buy photoshop. NAS comes in different models based on what is called 'Bays'. Bays are extra space that allow users attach extra hard drives to the network in the case of storage space shortage. NAS can have as many as two, three, four, and up to 8 bays.
To add, some NAS devices come with one or more USB ports which even allows you plug-in an external hard drive. You can even plug-in and configure a printer to the port and it will show up on the network.
Flexibility
While external hard drives can hold you files, media, and other documents just as well as a network-assisted storage will, NAS is more flexible and does a whole lot more. In fact, NAS is sometimes referred to as a hard drive with a brain.
NAS are more or less a computer. They come with fully functional operating system, RAM (which is also expandable) as well as support for first and third-party applications that extend the functionality of your NAS device(s) beyond storage.
Hard drives have traditionally been pretty dumb devices—for the most part, they neither know nor care about the machine they are attached to.
Some manufacturers offer Backup and recovery services, email and communication, surveillance, as well as some office apps like Spreadsheet, Documents, and Slides with their NAS devices.
Don t pass craps. Accessibility
As you already know by now, you'd need to be in physical contact with an external hard drive to have access to files, media or other documents on it. It must be plugged in to a compatible port on your computer. With NAS, you can remotely access files on the device from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an account setup. This Cloud service is a feature you'd find on majority of NAS devices.
Interestingly, you can also grant third-party individuals access to files on your network. They do not need to have any software, just a device with internet connection.
Set up an account and you'll be able to log in from any Internet connection and access your files just as if you were sitting at your desk at home. It's like a personal, more secure version of the cloud.
NAS vs External Hard drive: Verdict
An external hard drive — considering the features, price, and ease of use — would be the ideal option to pick from the duo if all you have —and need extra storage for— is a single computer.
It also comes in handy when all you need additional storage for is to carry large sets of data all the time.
Also See: See How to Buy an External USB Hard Drive
A NAS device, on the other hand, is more expensive (to purchase and maintain) and is best for a setup of multiple users/computers who need extra storage and to share files among each other. NAS is ideal for small businesses and homes with multiple computers and maybe a surveillance system, gaming system, and a huge collection of media that would be streamed across multiple devices.
Here you will find out:
- what is NAS and what is external hard drive
- what the difference between NAS and external HDD
- what is the difference NAS vs external HDD in data recovery
Are you ready? Let's read!
About NAS and external HDD
Usually, when your computer runs out of free space, you start looking for the best deal to expand your space.
In most sources, external hard drives and NAS are the best solutions.
If the majority know about the former firsthand, then the second option is more abstract and less recognizable. Sqlpro studio 1 0 172 – powerful database manager salary.
Often, many people think that only professionals use the NAS, and the setup of this device is very sophisticated. In fact, NAS or external hard drives are great options for increasing computer memory, which have their own nuances.
In this article, you will learn about each device in detail and also select the most suitable option for you.
Comparison between NAS and External HDD
In order to make the assessment objective, the most popular and necessary options will be considered external hard drive vs. NAS.
- 1. Compactness:
- External drive: in this case, the external hard drive, of course, wins because its dimensions are minimal. This allows you to take this disc with you anywhere and have access to information at any time.
- NAS: This device requires a fixed disk storage tank, as well as a permanent network and router. If all these are combined, it is unlikely that you will put it in your pocket and go on business. However, the ports on the computer will always be free. Therefore, make a choice depending on the above conditions.
- 2. The ability to access files:
- External drive: this requires the physical presence of the drive and its subsequent connection to any computer. Since this is a portable medium, it is not difficult to do. However, if you forget it, for example, at home, then you will only have yourself to blame.
- NAS: it has remote access. In other words, this stationary medium does not need to be carried on your back; you just need to know your account settings and access it anywhere in the world on any computer. You can also distribute data at your request to colleagues, friends, etc. Thus, NAS availability is superior to external hard drives.
- 3. The number of computers to operate the device:
- External drive: here, you can apply the rule 1 computer = 1 external hard drive. It's simple - the computer in which the drive is connected is the only place you can work with its data.
- NAS: thanks to the router, you can use several computers at the same time here. Through the network, any data can be transferred from one computer to another. It is handy for office workers and companies.
- 4. Data volume:
- External drive: External hard drives come in various sizes, and if the volume runs out, you choose what can be removed. Or just buy a new external hard drive. That is, there is only a fixed volume, which cannot be increased.
- NAS: You can place multiple hard drives in the NAS tank at once or add them as needed. Here, you can increase the volume and not be afraid that you will ever have to delete something. In terms of data volume, NAS has more features.
- 5. Possibilities of use:
- External drive: in fact, it is just a device where data is stored and nothing else.
- NAS: this device can be called a computer to some extent since data is not just stored here; it has a special OS. It is possible to install certain applications to control this system as you wish and need. With certain skills, NAS capabilities are colossal.
As you can see, the difference between NAS and external hard drive is palpable even in theory. Both devices are good, and after reviewing them, it will become much easier for you to choose one of them.
Data recovery comparison
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If you have an external hard drive and you need to recover data, you can use DiskInternals Uneraser or DiskInternals Partition Recovery software.
If you need to recover data from a NAS, RAID recovery will be much better. But it depends on the number of disks and the type of RAID:
- Sometimes for RAID 1 data recovery, DiskInternals Uneraser, Linux Recovery, and Partition Recovery can be enough, but RAID Recovery will be better. That highly depends on what file system you use.
- In other cases of RAID data loss - use DiskInternals RAID Recovery.
All these applications are DiskInternals products; they have a free trial version and a paid license with the function of exporting recovered data for any storage medium of your choice. In addition, in any of these products, there is a function of Preview before recovery for free so that you can verify the quality and correctness of the scan results.
- DiskInternals Uneraser is universal software for recovering music, photos, videos, images, documents, and more. Using the Wizard, you can select a quick or complete search for lost data. Recovery can be either certain types of files or all in a row.
- DiskInternals Partition Recovery is a professional application for searching any data of any size on each disk partition individually. This search option gives you a better chance of finding lost data.
- DiskInternals RAID Recovery is designed to recover data from RAID arrays (RAID 4, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 0, RAID 1, 0 + 1, 1 + 0, 1E, RAID 60 and JBOD). It is possible to mount virtual disks in local ones for convenience. This application also has the service of creating a disk image. RAID Recovery™ examines the current controller, file system, drives, and automatically restores files where possible.
Each DiskInternals application is designed, taking into account the capabilities and wishes of customers with maximum support in the data recovery process.
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