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What is NAS - What is Network Attached Storage

Definition:
In the field of computer networking NAS generally stands for the Network Attached Storage. It is a type of data storage that deals the network storage initially or at the fist level and can manage to give the opportunity to all the data access to the clients of different nature is refereed to as the network attached storage or NAS. Network Attached Storage commonly represents the easy methods to access the network and store different types of data over network. NAS is quite different from SAN and DAS.

Background of NAS:
Network Attached Storage is not a new technology but the roots of the technology are in the old era. It was first introduced in the late 1980s when storage of the data is the big need of the all the types of networks. Its origin was in the Newcastle University by the Brain Randell and his mates. After some time in 1983 it was attached with the different protocols of the network. Recently in 2009 this technology is so advance that they can provide the opportunity to the users to store their important networking data online.

How Network Attached Storage Works?
As NAS is the storage technology so the main duty of the NAS is to provide a way to different clients over the network to store their important data online. Network attached storage also provide the backups of the data storage. Different types of hard drives are attached though the RAID system to maintain the performance pf the NAS. Basically it is a technology that provides the easy access to the clients for the sale of data storage with multitasking from different devices on the network. With the help of different types of software, operating systems for the benefits of the users and give them a source of network accessing, data storage etc. network attached storage systems can be monitored or controlled by using different forms of browsers or address such as MAC or IP. The performance of the NAS is quite better as compared to the local derives because it totally depends upon the RAM of the system and also contains its own file sharing services to the users.

Technicalities of NAS:
Every system or technology has different types of technical features in it, like others network attached storage also have some technical characteristics that carry on the technology smoothly. Some important of them are as follows.

Different types of protocols are involved in maintaining the data storage through network attached storage. Some of the common protocols that are used in storing the data over the network are FTP, NFS, and SCP etc.
Connections are also built between the NAS and the network, commonly these connections are carried out with the help of Ethernet cables. Users can also use fiber optics to connect the NAS. Nowadays some wireless related technologies are also available.
Drives are the main component pf the network attached storage because it is a part which provides the storage space to the users. Generally SCSI is involved internally in NAS. But nowadays different types of optical devices are also used to serve the NAS such as CD or DVDs etc.

Important Uses of NAS:
Network Attached Storage or NAS many uses because it is very beneficial technology for the users. Some of the important uses of the NAS are given below.

It is very much useful as compared to the centralized storage because NAS has capacity to store large amount of data.
It is very simpler that every user can understand the terms and conditions of the NAS and can store their data over network.
NAS are also applicable on the lower cost or inexpensive systems and optical derives.