NAS or cloud: where should you store your company data?

NAS or cloud: two different ways to store your company's data online.

What sets them apart? Which criteria should you weigh to make the right choice?

A NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a standalone file server connected to the company network. It takes the form of an enclosure holding the hard drives, the motherboard and the software system. It is used to store and back up data, which then stays in-house, on the company's own premises.

The cloud, for its part, lets a company outsource its data storage to a provider. That provider then takes charge of maintaining the storage servers. If the company opts for a SaaS cloud solution, the provider also manages the application itself. All the company has to do is take out a subscription to use the service; it no longer handles either the installation or the maintenance of the storage solution.

NAS vs cloud: cost

Choosing a NAS means high upfront costs to buy the hardware, on top of which come the costs of installation, configuration and long-term maintenance. A NAS calls for an IT specialist to administer and update the system.

SaaS cloud solutions, on the other hand, let you optimise what your data storage costs, because you can get a tailored service and pay only for what you use: you are not buying a 2 TB NAS when you have 500 GB of data to store. You can adjust your storage space whenever you like, which gives you far more flexibility. You simply take out a subscription to enjoy a turnkey solution that is ready to use, needs no installation, and whose updates are deployed automatically by your provider. Do steer clear of consumer services, though: free as they are, they offer nowhere near enough security for professional use.

NAS or cloud: getting to your data

A NAS is perfectly good for storing data, but what about remote access? SaaS cloud solutions generally come with free mobile apps for reaching your files on phones and tablets. Some NAS manufacturers offer these too, but getting to your documents on the move is considerably more complicated. In the same way, if your NAS manufacturer does not offer synchronisation, you are entirely dependent on a good internet connection to reach your documents when travelling.

Comparing NAS and cloud: rights management, traceability and collaborative features

Managing access rights on documents stored in a NAS means going through an IT provider, or tying up an in-house specialist, which is expensive. Do not skip that step if you go for NAS storage, though, because the confidentiality of your data could otherwise be called into question. With a SaaS cloud solution, you administer your own platform and its access rights, as finely as the provider you have chosen allows.

When it comes to tracing the actions carried out on documents, you will again need an IT specialist to get anything reliable back. Most cloud solutions, by contrast, give you access to an event log listing everything that has been done to your documents.

As for collaborative document sharing, a NAS simply cannot do it. Cloud solutions, on the other hand, let you share documents and folders by generating a link, in just a few clicks.

Leaning towards storing your data in the cloud? NetExplorer is a file storage solution: do get in touch for more information.