Different Types of NAS and Their Vulnerability to Data Loss

What is a NAS Server?

Network-Attached Storage (NAS) servers are used for accessing, storing, and sharing data between clients connected to them. There are different types of NAS servers available in the market, based on the amount of data to be stored, type of supported hard drive interface, network bandwidth, type of client connectivity, RAID support, and so on.

Image Source: TechTarget

Broadly, NAS servers are segregated into three different categories:

1. Enterprise-level NAS
2. Midmarket NAS
3. Consumer-level NAS

Different Types of NAS: Comparison of Enterprise-Level, Midmarket, and Consumer-Level Servers

Below are the different types of NAS servers, highlighting their key features and capabilities to help you understand which is best suited for various use cases. The table compares enterprise-level, midmarket, and consumer-level NAS across several important aspects.

Enterprise-Level NAS	Midmarket NAS	Consumer-Level NAS
Serves more than 1000 clients	Connected clients are lesser as compared to enterprise-level NAS	Most brands support connectivity of up to 20 clients
High storage capacity - Up to petabytes	Most midmarket NAS servers support 20-64 TB storage capacity	Supports up to 20 TB of storage capacity
RAID and Virtualization capabilities	RAID and Virtualization capabilities	RAID is not supported
High availability with clustering	Clustering is usually not supported	Clustering is not supported
Typically used for data backup and sharing files	Used for data backup, sharing files	Used for storing and backing up data, sharing files, streaming media
Used for hosting applications that support email systems, accounting database, payroll, video recording and editing, data logging, etc.	Used for hosting applications that support email systems, accounting database, payroll, video recording and editing, data logging, etc.	Most brands don’t offer cloud backup
Cloud backup available	Cloud backup available	Remote access to data
Remote access to data	Remote access to data

1. Enterprise-Level NAS Server

Image Source: Cepoint Networks

The enterprise-level NAS servers offer high storage volume, Virtualization, and other advanced features. The enterprise-level NAS servers allow more than 1000 clients/users to be connected to it.

They have several bays to accommodate multiple high-capacity storage drives. Some advanced NAS servers can provide a storage capacity of more than 1000 TB (1 petabyte).

These high-end servers can easily handle multiple requests coming from different users in the organization because of the support for higher network bandwidth and quicker processing speed.

Moreover, you can configure such NAS servers with different RAID levels to increase performance and leverage RAID disk fault tolerance. Most of the enterprise-level NAS servers used in large organizations support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1 + 0, RAID 5, RAID 5 + 0, RAID 6, and other RAID configurations.

One of the major requirements of large businesses is the high availability of servers. Thus, to provide high availability, enterprise-level NAS servers can be clustered with other NAS. So, if a NAS server encounters any problem, another server from the cluster takes over the server having issues.

2. Midmarket NAS Server

Image Source: StorageReview

Midmarket NAS servers support a storage capacity of up to 64 TB, which is comparatively lower than the enterprise-level NAS servers.

These NAS servers have advanced processors and are suitable for hosting applications that support email systems, accounting databases, payroll, video recording and editing, data logging, etc. Most of these midmarket NAS servers come with RAID and virtualization support.

3. Consumer-Level NAS Server

Image Source: Extreme Tech

Consumer-level NAS servers are the cheapest among the categories. As these low-end NAS are manufactured considering the requirement of home users, they can support the connectivity of nearly 20 clients only. These servers are capable of storing and backing up home user’s data, streaming media files for them, sharing and synchronizing files, giving users remote access to their data, etc. They usually don’t have support for RAID functionality.

Also Read:

• How to Avoid Data Loss in Network Attached Storage (NAS) System?
• How to Recover Data from NetApp® Server with WAFL Inconsistent Error?
• How an Automobile Manufacturer Overcome Data Loss?
• RAID Data Recovery From Damaged HDD in SYNOLOGY DiskStation DS412+ NAS
• Data Recovery from Physically Failed Netgear® ReadyNAS RAID 5 Server

NAS Servers Vulnerability to Data Loss

Enterprise-level and midmarket NAS servers are less vulnerable to data loss as compared to consumer-level NAS. Most of the enterprise-level and midmarket NAS servers support fault-tolerant RAID configurations, allowing you to rebuild RAID (within fault-tolerance limits) in case of failure of a RAID disk and restore data. If a RAID array becomes degraded or data is lost, RAID data recovery techniques can be used to recover lost information. Moreover, some of these servers offer a cloud storage feature so that you can restore data from cloud backups if required.

However, not only the consumer-level NAS server users but also midmarket and enterprise-level NAS server users are vulnerable to data loss. You may lose data from NAS servers due to various unavoidable reasons such as human errors, mechanical faults, overheating of drives, sudden power cuts, natural catastrophes, etc.

If you’ve lost data from enterprise-level NAS, midmarket NAS, or consumer-level NAS, you must not use hit-and-trial methods of data recovery. This may put your huge amount of crucial business and personal data at risk of permanent loss. Instead, you must contact a NAS data recovery expert such as Stellar in the first place to recover the lost data with safety.

Conclusion

In conclusion, NAS servers play a vital role in data storage and sharing, with enterprise, midmarket, and consumer-level models offering varying features and capacities based on needs. While enterprise and midmarket NAS provide advanced capabilities, consumer-level NAS is more affordable for home use. However, all NAS servers are susceptible to data loss, making reliable backups and expert data recovery services essential for protecting valuable data.

FAQs – Different Types of NAS

1. What is NAS storage and how does NAS work?

NAS (Network-Attached Storage) is a centralized storage system that connects to your network, allowing multiple users to access and share files. It works by storing data on hard drives that can be accessed remotely, providing an efficient solution for data management and sharing.

2. Can I use a regular hard drive in NAS?

While you can use a regular hard drive in a NAS, it’s not ideal. NAS drives are designed for 24/7 operation, offering better durability, error recovery, and performance. Regular hard drives may not handle the constant load and could result in slower performance or data issues.

3. How to backup Synology NAS to an external hard drive?

To back up your Synology NAS to an external hard drive, connect the drive via USB and use the Hyper Backup tool in Synology’s DSM interface. This tool lets you create scheduled backups, ensuring your data is safely stored.

4. How to use NAS as cloud storage?

You can use a NAS as cloud storage by enabling remote access and configuring cloud sync features like Synology’s Cloud Station or QNAP’s myQNAPcloud. This allows you to access your files remotely, just like cloud storage, but without relying on third-party services.

5. How to recover data from Netgear NAS drive?

To recover data from a Netgear NAS, check the RAID status and rebuild it if necessary. If data recovery tools don’t work, contact a professional data recovery service to avoid further damage to your data.

6. What’s the difference between NAS and cloud storage?

The key difference is that NAS is local storage connected to your network, offering faster access and full control over data, while cloud storage is hosted remotely, accessible from anywhere, and typically involves subscription fees.

7. Can I use NAS for media streaming?

Yes, many NAS devices support media server applications like Plex or DLNA, enabling you to store and stream music, movies, and photos to devices like smart TVs, making it a great option for home entertainment.