When it comes to storage options for the home, business or enterprise there are a few options. Two of the most common storage options are RAIDs and NAS. So what are the differences between the two and which should you use?
What is a RAID?
A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) takes two or more disks and duplicates the data for stability and protection or stripes data across multiple drives for increased performance.
There are several different RAID configurations which each have their own benefits when it comes to performance and stability. Some RAID configurations can even replicate data that has been deleted in the event of a drive failure.
What is a NAS?
Network Attached Storage which is a storage device that connects to workstations over a local network without additional software applications or eating up storage on your workstation.
Which should you use?
If you are looking to connect multiple workstations to have access to the same data, a NAS is the best option. If you want to connect directly to your workstation to add additional storage or improve performance and security, a RAID array is the way to go.
