Back to basics: what is NAS? NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a file storage device that serves as a centralized point of data access and retrieval for network users and heterogeneous clients. Used for both home and business networks, NAS devices can expand and supplement a network’s storage capacity and facilitate easy file sharing. NAS devices connect through a network’s router or switch to provide simultaneous access to file shares. They’re a convenient storage solution for anyone dealing with ever-increasing file sizes – either at home and at work. That’s because they allow you to simply add-on to current network hardware, without having to replace the existing storage solutions. Reasons for NAS NAS provides safety, control, and convenience.

Instead of each user using their own local storage or cloud storage (Google Docs, Dropbox, etc.), NAS devices offer a way to have all files under one roof. And unlike external USB storage drives, NAS file shares are simultaneously accessible by every network user. NAS devices are used in a variety of ways in home and enterprise environments.

And if so, could they both work off the NAS in the same manner as a local drive instead of having to transfer, work, transfer back? I'm new to NAS and the stuff I've been reading makes me think that access from both Windows and Mac isn't a problem. But I can't get a clear answer on using NAS in the same manner as a local drive.

They are frequently used as adaptable storage capacity, ‘private cloud’ shared storage, centralized and secure data storage, and as a backup destination for device data. NAS for households Many home network users are turning to NAS devices as a cost-effective solution for introducing shared storage between a few users, since it’s a one-time expense instead of the recurring costs required by some other options. They’re commonly used for media storage that’s accessible by any device connected to the network. They are also an easy and convenient way to share files via a central hub. For this kind of application, it’s important to choose a NAS solution that supports AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) in order to retain the convenience of Spotlight file searching (with content searches) and Apple’s Time Machine NAS backup. Examples of AFP supported NAS can be found at the end of this article. With so many Apple devices being used at home – from iPhones and iPads to iMacs and MacBooks – individuals and families need a safe way to back-up their devices.

NAS can provide easy storage for on-site backup using or other third-party software such as. (Keep in mind though that on-site backup alone is insufficient for truly securing your data. It’s better to create the of simultaneous creating a local backup and an off-site version you store in the cloud in case.) An additional, essential consideration when selecting a NAS device for home use is the number of drive bays.

Devices typically feature one to four bays, which corresponds to the number of hard disks – and therefore additional storage – the device can accommodate. While it’s not necessary to have a NAS with four bays, at least two bays are recommended.

Because data stored on a single drive doesn’t allow for a back-up contingency, which is far from ideal. A single-bay device means no out-of-the-box redundancy.

Also, many NAS devices aimed at home users have fixed disks – which means you can’t swap a disk for one with greater amounts of storage. Whenever possible, look for an expandable NAS device.

Up to 10TB is sufficient to meet the needs of most home users and in open devices (i.e. Not fixed) additional disks can be added with relative ease. Lastly, when considering the appearance of a device, remember that svelte, unassuming NAS devices might look the best, but they typically lack the options for expandable storage that their bulkier brothers possess. Storage for small and medium businesses Suffice to say that strong networks are essential in business – but equally essential is their ability to grow and scale, and scaling is as much to do with the security of data as it is total terabytes on a network.

NAS in RAID enables effective, immediate network scaling. NAS in RAID are also used to address disk fault tolerance – knowing that if a disk fails, its data is preserved on a second disk – and performance, with additional drives to assist in data retrieval operations. File sharing and access is important to every business. Coordinated projects that require multiple users to work from a single file, for example, are common in creative and marketing organizations.

NAS file sharing is a much more convenient, secure, and practical than juggling files over email or the cloud. Not only do on-premise users have access, but remote users share equal access to essential files. NAS are also easy to manage. They don’t require significant network expertise to install or manage, and they can be configured and monitored via a web-based (or sometimes app-based) interface. When selecting a NAS, it’s worth taking note of the device’s connection options. While all NAS feature ethernet connections, additional connections come in the form of USB ports.

USBs (both 2.0 and the faster 3.0) can be used to add printers or additional USB external storage drives, which further expands storage while leveraging the centralized file-sharing capability of the NAS and its interface. For ethernet, a minimum of a pair of gigabit ethernet ports (or 10 GB on high-end models) is recommended, which can be configured to work in tandem to improve performance, bandwidth capacity, and failover (i.e. If one port fails, the other will maintain the connection).

More than anything, NAS is a cost-effective solution for data redundancy and backup, eliminating the need for elaborate and expensive network servers or on-hand network technicians. For unified backups for every type of device, is the leading solution for device backups for small businesses, compatible for both Mac and Windows devices in mixed environments. Form factor usually relates to two essential factors: aesthetics and total number of bays. Standard NAS are cube shaped and, as we’ve already mentioned, offer capacity for up to eight drives. At the higher end of the market, there’s rack-mounted solutions that offer considerably more bays and are designed to fit into server cabinets (as opposed to sitting on a desk).

It’s also worth noting that as a business you’re more likely to look to RAID setups, which necessitate additional drives to maintain an attractive amount of storage and security for the stored data. When considering the cost, read the fine print of each device to see whether the device is shipped with hard drive disks pre-installed or whether hard disks need to be purchased separately. A final consideration for businesses is a NAS’ enterprise features. Without third-party software, you’ll want an NAS device with multi-protocol support for mixed device environments. That typically includes SMB, AFP, and NFS. Most devices offer enterprise support in the form of user account management, while higher end models may feature an onboard FTP service for greater file sharing flexibility.

Top NAS models and brands First thing’s first, if you’re using a Mac you’ll want a NAS with AFP support (unless you’re using a third-party service to provide AFP support in mixed OS environments, such as ). Here are four NAS solutions that support AFP: Synology DiskStation DS216+II Synology is one of the leading vendors of NAS devices. Their models are enormously popular with Mac users, especially video editors and designers, because of their ease of integration, customizable storage capability, and functionality. Several versions are available, each offering with different number of drive bays – from two (with 20TB of storage at 10TB a piece) to eight and more. The DS216+11 connects via AFP and has options for additional external storage to be added via eSATA and USB. Drobo 5N2 An option favored by Mac users at home is the Drobo 5N2, known for its design, ease-of-use, and user-friendly interface. It features built-in RAID software, BeyondRaid, so you don’t have to learn about RAID configurations, and features quick plug-in-play disk installation for expandable storage.

IOSafe 218 iOSafe sells itself on one core value: safety. It’s set in RAID out-of-the-box and is water and fire resistant. Even if a natural disaster fries or drowns the electronics, the hard drives are deeply buried and protected, so data retrieval is always possible. Installation isn’t as easy as alternative AFP-friendly NAS devices, but the iOSafe 218 is intended for the security conscientious and provides robust protection against data loss. WD My Cloud Mirror This Western Digital NAS is great for personal use. It sports a slimmed down form factor with a white shell, and looks at home next to any Apple device.

Unfortunately, its trim shape means it’s only a single-bay unit, which can accommodate anywhere between 2TB and 4TB (depending on the disk size) with USB 3.0 connections for additional storage. While it cannot back itself up, there are other options for NAS device backup through cloud and third-party providers, such as. Where problems can occur Issues can arise when leveraging the convenience, ease-of-use, and user preference of Mac computers with NAS in Windows-based network environments. NAS devices often work in conjunction with Windows Servers and DFS for a single namespace for all shares, for example, and enterprise admins increasingly look to Windows-based environments for a cost effective and scalable network solution.

Heterogeneous environments (in which Mac users work alongside Windows network servers and Windows users) are plagued by compatibility issues. These include data loss, file corruption, loss of essential Mac features (Spotlight search etc.) when connecting via SMB, and problems naming and saving files. So while Macs can connect via SMB to NAS devices, the result is a limited and compromised experience. Acronis Files Connect Mac users can turn to NAS for huge cost and convenience benefits. But their experience is limited if the NAS connects using anything other than AFP – making AFP support a required feature of their NAS device. Is a better, alternate solution to this, however – and removes the need for AFP support. Acronis Files Connect is an AFP file sharing server that runs on Windows servers.

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It enables Mac users to connect to NAS SMB file shares using AFP, their native protocol. This means no more compatibility issues in heterogeneous environments – and Mac’s full features are retained (e.g. Spotlight content searching in SMB shares, Time Machine support for backup, etc.) It also opens up Mac users’ choices for NAS to non-AFP supported devices, with AFP connections enabled to non-AFP capable servers.

Jump straight to the section you want with these quick links: -If you're looking for the best external hard drive for your Mac or PC, then you've come to the right place. In this list, we've collected the top external drives that can easily expand your storage, and our price comparison tool can ensure you get the very best prices as well. Buying the best external hard drive for your needs is an important process for digital creatives, as it doesn't take long for creative files to start filling up the internal hard drive of your machine. You need to make sure you pick something that will reliably store your important files, while also offering plenty of space, speed and value for money. This means there are a number of considerations to make before pulling out your wallet. First, a quick recap of the basics. An external hard drive or SSD (which stands for Solid State Drive) is a device that can be easily plugged into your machine, giving you almost-instant storage space, without having to prise open your computer and make complicated upgrades.

Jump to: Not only does an HDD or SSD give you more capacity for large files, but because the devices are portable, they can be taken with you on the go and plugged into different machines – handy if you swap between PCs and Macs regularly. Also, in the event that something bad happens to your machine, your files will still be safe and accessible. Right now, we think the overall best external hard drive for Mac and PC is the Western Digital My Passport 4TB. It offers the best balance of speed, reliability, portability and price.

But there are many options out there – scroll down to see our full list of recommendations, and the best external hard drive prices too. Storage considerations There are a number of things to consider when looking for an external hard drive or SSD for your Mac or PC. First, is storage. You'll want to make sure you buy an external storage device that has enough capacity for your needs – without paying for high capacities you'll never use. Around 500GB is a good sweet-spot for external storage, though you can buy smaller capacities, as well as larger ones at 1TB or greater.

Hard drive vs SSD: which is best? Another consideration is whether to get an external storage device that uses a traditional hard drive, or one with an SSD. Usually, external hard drives with traditional drives are more affordable and come in larger capacities. There are external SSDs that come with large capacities – but these can be expensive. SSDs are much faster than traditional hard drives, and because they don't have any mechanical or moving parts, they're generally more robust and smaller in physical size as well. So, if you want to store huge amounts of data while keeping prices low, an external hard drive is the way to go.

But if speed is your top priority – for example, if you move a lot of large files, or want to run programs off the drive – then choose an SSD. The right connections The connection between the external hard drive and your Mac or PC is also important.

The first generation rectangular USB-A ports are slowly being superseded by the newer, smaller reversible USB-C ports. These are now found on all modern PCs, and Macs. Some high end PC and Macs, such as the new iMac and, come with USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 3. This is the fastest external storage connection there is, and it provides very fast data transfer speeds, though Thunderbolt storage is considerably more expensive than plain old USB.

Best external hard drives and SSDs for Mac and PC 01. Western Digital My Passport 4TB. WD backup software is basic This is the latest generation of the Western Digital My Passport range of external hard drives to have landed, coming in sizes from 1TB to 4TB. It features cloud storage and 256-AES encryption, along with WD's own backup software. It also offers very good data transfer speeds. And while it doesn't quite offer a similar speed to solid state drive devices, the Western Digital My Passport range finds a great balance between high storage capacities and quick file transfers. Samsung Portable SSD T5.

Expensive The Samsung T5 SSD is a great performing storage device, reaching speeds up to 550 MB/sec, making the most of the USB 3.1 specification. It plugs directly into PCs and Macs with either a newer USB-C port or USB-A, is roughly the size of a matchbox and being a flash storage device, contains no moving parts, so can survive being dropped.

External SSDs may cost considerably more than hard disks, but the extra money and faster speeds go a long way. You’ll be able to easily load edit and save 4K video directly on the T5, which can be very slow with a USB hard disk, you can install applications onto it, or even run an entire alternative operating system off it at full speed, if you’re so inclined. The downside is the pricing. SSDs give you less capacity for more money, so we don’t recommend the T5 for backup. It’s better to have a bigger hard disk for that and use the T5 in more specialised situations that need all that lovely performance 03. G-Technology G-RAID with Thunderbolt 3. High price G-Technology has long been a favourite of Mac creative professionals, and no small part of this is the clever use of silver aluminium that perfectly matches Apple’s iMac casing, keeping desktop areas with a uniform appearance.

The latest incarnation of its G-RAID dual hard disk Thunderbolt product isn’t just a start performer, capable of 440 MB/sec transfer rates in RAID 0, which is pretty incredible for hard disks, but it also gives you a few extras. There's an HDMI 2.2 port on the back, which routes a video signal for an external display over the G-RAID’s Thunderbolt 3 cable, which has plenty of bandwidth to spare even with the hard disk going at full speed. It also has a USB-C port to connect to Macs or PCs that lack Thunderbolt.

Expect to pay a small fortune for the largest capacities, but thanks to the easy drive removal system, you could always buy a cheaper, lower capacity G-RAID and upgrade it with off-the-shelf hard disks yourself. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt. Limited hard disk performance If you want to make use of your Thunderbolt port, then this Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt is a great option, as it provides twice the speeds of standard USB 3.0 drives.

It's also not especially expensive compared to other Thunderbolt drives. This is mainly down to the fact that it's a traditional hard drive, not an SSD, which means it's not quite as fast as it could be – though it will still give you an upgrade to your transfer speeds. Helpfully, the Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt also comes with a USB 3.0 port for connecting to computers that don't have a Thunderbolt port. LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive 4TB. You need USB-C ports to take advantage of speed The LaCie Porsche Design is one of the best external hard drives for Macs on sale today, and comes with both USB Type-C to Type-A and USB Type-C to Type-C connectors, making it a versatile way to expand the storage space of your Mac, regardless of what ports it has. This is also one of the most stylishly-designed external hard drives on this list, and it comes with a large 4TB capacity (with other sizes available as well), and it performs brilliantly.

Adata SD700 External SSD. No USB Type-C The Adata SD700 will suit those looking for a rugged storage device that can provide ample capacity without costing too much. It performs superbly well and remains the only SSD we’ve seen that's IP68 rated. Thanks to the solid state drive that resides in this external hard drive, it's a lot faster than external drives that use traditional spinning hard drives – so you're getting great transfer speeds as well as rugged protection.

It also comes in capacities up to 1TB, so you don't have to worry about missing out on storage space just because it uses an SSD. This Adata drive really does hit all the right notes. WD My Book Duo.

Limited performance compared with Thunderbolt drives If you're looking for the absolute largest capacity external USB hard drive, then the WD My Book Duo Is the one to get, as it now goes all the way to 20TB. If you don't mind sacrificing some of the ample storage space you can set the drives up in a RAID 1 array, so you have file backups of your files should one of the drives die. This is an excellent feature if you're going to use this device to back up irreplaceable data, such as your creative work, as it adds a level of protection in case things go wrong. It provides two additional USB ports on the rear, so you can easily insert flash sticks. The device, which comes with two-year warranty, has 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and automatic backup software (WD SmartWare Pro). It's also worth noting that the enclosure used is fully serviceable and that WD ships the drive already pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS), so you'll want to reformat it to work with your Mac. Read TechRadar's review.

LaCie Rugged USB-C. Ugly orange casing Lacie’s rugged hard disk series is instantly recognisable from its orange casing, which is a rubber enclosure that keeps the disk safe from even medium-height drops up to 1.2m, along with your precious data. According to Lacie it can apparently withstand the pressure of a one-ton car, and is resistant to rain. That makes it a great choice for content creation when you’re out and about, whether you’re participating in daredevil sports, travelling the world, just a bit paranoid or simply clumsy.