A personal cloud NAS, also known as a personal cloud storage device, is a type of network-attached storage (NAS) that allows you to store your files remotely through the cloud. Unlike traditional NAS devices that connect to your local network, a personal cloud NAS connects to both your local network and the internet to provide easy remote access to your data from anywhere.
Some key questions about personal cloud NAS include:
What are the benefits of a personal cloud NAS? A personal cloud NAS provides flexible remote access, easier sharing options, built-in backup features, and expanded storage capacity over traditional external hard drives.
How does a personal cloud NAS work? A personal cloud NAS device connects to your home Wi-Fi network and the internet, allowing you to upload files that are then stored remotely on the cloud. You can access these files from any internet-connected device.
What features do personal cloud NAS devices have? Common features include automated backup, media streaming, mobile apps for remote access, link sharing capabilities, remote access, and RAID data protection.
Benefits of Personal Cloud NAS
There are several key benefits that make personal cloud NAS devices a popular data storage solution compared to traditional external hard drives:
Flexible Remote Access
A key advantage of personal cloud NAS is the ability to access your data from anywhere with an internet connection. With cloud connectivity, you don’t need to be on the same local network as the device to view and transfer files. This makes it easy to stay productive when traveling or working remotely.
Easier Sharing Options
Personal cloud NAS devices make sharing files and collaborating much easier thanks to link sharing capabilities. You can create unique links to folders or files on your NAS and email or message these links to others to provide instant remote access. No more emailing large attachments.
Built-in Backup Features
Many personal cloud NAS solutions have built-in automated backup features for your computers and mobile devices. This provides an extra layer of data protection and eliminates the need for separate cloud backup services.
Expanded Storage Capacity
While external hard drives are limited by their physical capacity, personal cloud NAS devices offer flexible scalability. You can start with the built-in hard drives and expand storage capacity anytime by adding more hard drives or connecting external drives.
How Personal Cloud NAS Works
The key components of a personal cloud NAS include both local network and internet connectivity to enable remote access. Here is an overview of how these devices work:
Local Network Connectivity
A personal cloud NAS device will connect directly to your home or office Wi-Fi router using an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi connection. This allows computers and devices on your local network to access the NAS to store and retrieve files.
Cloud Connectivity
The personal cloud NAS also connects to the internet, either through your home network router or via a direct Ethernet internet connection. This cloud connectivity enables remote access from anywhere with internet.
Centralized Storage
Once connected, the NAS provides centralized network storage. You can upload files from local devices to the NAS over your home network. These files are then stored remotely on the cloud.
Remote Access
With cloud connectivity, you can then remotely access everything stored on your personal cloud NAS from any internet-connected device using a web browser or mobile app provided by the NAS vendor.
Key Features and Capabilities
Personal cloud NAS devices come equipped with handy features and capabilities to enhance the functionality and experience. Here are some of the top features found in popular consumer NAS models:
Automated Backup
Backup all your computers, smartphones, and tablets to your personal cloud NAS automatically. Built-in backup software makes this easy and helps protect against data loss.
Media Streaming
Many NAS devices let you stream videos, music, and photos from your NAS to connected smart TVs, media players, and mobile devices on your home network.
Mobile Apps
Vendor-provided mobile apps for iOS and Android facilitate easy remote access and file management from smartphones and tablets.
Link Sharing
Securely share files stored on your NAS by creating unique links and sending them to others. Links can be password protected and set to expire.
Remote Access
Access and manage the files stored on your NAS remotely from any internet-connected computer or mobile device for convenient anywhere access.
RAID Data Protection
Many NAS devices support configuring the internal hard drives in a RAID array for redundancy. This protects your data from drive failures.
Custom Apps
Some NAS operating systems allow installing custom apps and software tools to expand functionality like BitTorrent clients, web servers, databases, and more.
Comparing Personal Cloud NAS Providers
There are many consumer NAS brands and models available from leading vendors. Here is an overview comparing key manufacturers of personal cloud NAS devices:
| NAS Vendor | Key Models | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|
| Synology | DS220+, DS920+, DS1520+ | User-friendly OS; abundant apps; link sharing; multimedia streaming |
| QNAP | TS-253D, TS-453DT, TS-453DX | Multimedia features; virtualization; scalability; apps |
| Asustor | AS6604T, AS5304T, AS1104T | Remote access; backup; business features; expandability |
| Western Digital | My Cloud Home, My Cloud EX2 Ultra | Simple interface; built-in backup; mobile app; photo management |
This table shows a sampling of popular personal cloud NAS models and manufacturers. Key factors when comparing include ease of use, supported features, expandability, processor performance, and number of drive bays.
Personal Cloud NAS vs Traditional External Hard Drives
While external hard drives provide simple storage expansion and portability, personal cloud NAS provide more benefits:
Remote Access
External hard drives only provide local access to your data while a personal cloud NAS allows remote access from anywhere at anytime.
Sharing and Collaboration
Sharing files from an external drive is cumbersome. A NAS makes sharing seamless with creation of public links.
Backups
Backing up your PC to an external drive requires manual effort. A NAS provides automated cloud backup capabilities for all devices.
Scalability
External drives have fixed capacity. A NAS allows expanding storage capacity by inserting more hard drives.
Data Protection
External hard drives are prone to failure and data loss. A NAS can be configured in RAID for drive redundancy to protect your data.
Streaming
You cannot centrally stream media files to devices from a USB hard drive. A NAS allows media streaming anywhere on your network.
Personal Cloud NAS vs Enterprise Network Attached Storage
In addition to being used by consumers, NAS devices are also extensively leveraged by businesses. Here are some key differences between consumer personal cloud NAS systems and enterprise NAS:
Intended use
Personal cloud NAS caters to home users while enterprise NAS serves business storage needs like shared storage for offices.
Durability
Consumer NAS uses off-the-shelf desktop hard drives while enterprise NAS uses more durable server-grade hard drives designed for 24/7 operation.
Availability
Enterprise NAS systems offer higher availability, redundancy, and fault tolerance for constant uptime.
Scalability
Enterprise NAS scales much larger in storage capacity into the petabytes while personal NAS maxes out at around 100 TB.
Performance
Enterprise NAS leverages faster processors, connectivity, and enterprise SSDs to deliver higher performance.
Support
Enterprise NAS comes with 24/7 dedicated technical support services unavailable for consumer NAS products.
Cost
Consumer NAS is more affordable for homes starting at a few hundred dollars while enterprise NAS costs several thousands.
Personal Cloud NAS Implementation
Implementing a personal cloud NAS involves three main steps – choosing a NAS device, connecting it to your network, and configuring it:
1. Selecting a NAS
First, select a consumer grade personal cloud NAS from reputable vendors like Synology, QNAP, Asustor, or Western Digital. Consider storage capacity, processor performance, RAM, and features.
2. Connecting the NAS
Connect your NAS to a router via Ethernet cable. Alternately, you can use Wi-Fi if it has wireless connectivity. Connect external hard drives if your NAS has USB ports for storage expansion.
3. Configuring the NAS
Access your NAS management interface through a web browser to handle admin tasks like creating users, enabling remote access, setting up link sharing permissions, configuring backups, and installing apps.
What to Store on a Personal Cloud NAS
A personal cloud NAS is ideal for storing your most important data thanks to the remote accessibility and built-in data protection features. Types of files you may want to store include:
Personal documents
Store personal documents like Word files, PDFs, spreadsheets, scans, and other important files.
Photos and videos
Backup irreplaceable photo and video memories in the cloud for safekeeping and easy remote access.
Music library
Store your entire music collection in the cloud for streaming to any device in your home.
Movie collection
Rip DVDs and Blu-Rays to your NAS to stream video on all your devices and enjoy your own cloud media library.
Sensitive personal records
Financial documents, tax records, medical records, and other private information can be stored more securely.
Backups
Automatically backup your computers, phones, and important files to your personal cloud for disaster recovery.
Personal Cloud NAS Security Best Practices
Storing your sensitive personal data on a NAS comes with security responsibilities. Follow these best practices to keep your data secure:
Strong passwords
Use strong complex passwords for all user accounts and Wi-Fi networks. Enable two-factor authentication if available.
Latest software
Maintain the latest NAS firmware and software updates to benefit from security patches as vulnerabilities are discovered.
VLAN/VPN
Use a VLAN or VPN for more secure remote NAS access instead of opening ports or enabling UPnP.
Access control
Leverage access control lists and permissions to restrict users’ access to only their own private folders and data.
Disable services
Turn off any unneeded port forwarding, FTP access, media servers or other services to minimize exposure.
Link expirations
When sharing files publicly via links, set reasonable expiration dates or passwords to prevent lingering access.
Encrypted backups
Backup critical data to encrypted shares on the NAS or use encrypted cloud backup services for maximum security.
Physical security
Keep your NAS physically secure by placing it in a restricted access area to prevent unauthorized physical tampering.
Conclusion
Personal cloud NAS provides substantial benefits over traditional external storage by combining the convenience of the cloud with the high capacity of network-attached storage. When implemented properly, personal cloud NAS allows securely accessing your data from anywhere while also streamlining sharing and protecting files against both physical failures and cyber threats. Consumer-focused NAS systems from Synology, QNAP, Asustor and Western Digital help make the advantages of personal cloud storage accessible for homes and small offices.