NAS

In short: NAS stands for Network Attached Storage: a storage device with its own disks that hangs directly in the network and provides files for all devices.

In more detail: A NAS is a small, power-saving computer with several bays for hard disks or SSDs. It connects through Ethernet to the router or switch. PCs, phones and TVs access it like a network drive.

In Depth

• Protocols: SMB (Windows shares), NFS (Linux), often also FTP, WebDAV and media-server services.
• Failure protection: several disks can be combined as RAID, so a failed disk does not mean data loss.
• Typical use: central file storage, backups of the computers, photo and video archive, media server, small services such as Docker containers.
• Important: RAID is not a backup. Important data also belongs on a second medium in another place (3-2-1 rule).
• Compared with other storage: a USB disk is attached to one computer. A NAS is itself on the network and works even when no PC is on.

See also: NAS server, RAID, server