Take a moment to assess your environment. Do you have complete control over your valuable business data? Are your services centralised or reliably backed up in case of an emergency? For these scenarios and more there is a solution that can minimise headaches, manage risk and importantly keep your business moving. 

Network Attached Storage. Another generic self-explanatory I.T acronym to add to your list. However, despite the unassuming name this device can perform a myriad of tasks to keep your small business running smoothly and provide peace of mind if there ever is an issue in your office. Let’s run through some of the benefits.

Sitting quietly on your network, the NAS provides a centralised location for your team members to store and access data. Better yet, it doesn’t matter what device you choose to access this data from as the NAS works with PCs, laptops, Macs and phones connected to your office network. Your team can access files 24/7 either within the office or externally.

We’ve touched on the compatibility with your favourite systems and devices, but wait there’s more! The humble NAS can sync and backup files with your favourite cloud storage providers, such as Google Drive, Dropbox and more. This feature provides an excellent level of redundancy either way. If your internet provider is having issues and you have limited or no access to the internet, your files are right there in the office and can be accessed locally regardless of your internet access. On the other hand, if something happens locally and you find yourself needing access to critical files, your team can still access them via your cloud storage. 

The NAS is scalable and affordable. You can add additional storage or upgrade if you find that your business needs are changing or expanding. There is a NAS for all office scenarios. Some start from as little as $160 AU for a single bay NAS with your average two bay NAS hovering around the $400 AU mark. Just remember this price does not include storage – that’s up to you however you have complete flexibility. More bays equal more redundancy via RAID and expanded storage capacity.

Okay, we all understand now what a NAS does in its primary role, however your new best friend keeps on giving depending on your needs. For example, you can also attach networked security cameras and store your footage on the device which you can access anytime. Different manufacturers provide different features – there will be one right for you.