Network-Attached Storage – NAS
A network-attached storage (NAS) device is a server that is dedicated to nothing more than file sharing. Network-attached storage does not provide any of the activities that a server in a server-centric system typically provides, such as email, authentication or file management.
NAS is a Storage-Centric Design
NAS allows more hard disk storage space to be added to a network that already utilizes servers without shutting them down for maintenance and upgrades. With a NAS device, storage is not an integral part of the server. Instead, in this storage-centric design, the server still handles all of the processing of data but a NAS device delivers the data to the user.
A NAS device does not need to be located within the server but can exist anywhere in a LAN and can be made up of multiple networked NAS devices.
Read Also:
- network access server
Abbreviated as NAS, a network access server is an access gateway between an external communications network and an internal network. A common use of NAS is by Internet service providers (ISP) where the user dials into the ISP and is given access to the Internet after being authorized by the access server. Network access server […]
- network appliance
A typically inexpensive personal computer, sometimes called a thin client, that enables Internet access and some business-related activities but lacks many features of a fully equipped PC, such as a hard drive or CD-ROM. Applications used on network appliances typically are housed on a Web server accessed by the appliance. Network appliances are used to […]
- network baselining
Network baselining is the act of measuring and rating the performance of a network in real-time situations. Providing a network baseline requires testing and reporting of the physical connectivity, normal network utilization, protocol usage, peak network utilization, and average throughput of the network usage. Such in-depth network analysis is required to identify problems with speed […]
- network camera
Also called an IP camera, a network camera records images and sends the compressed versions over the network. Network cameras used in surveillance systems usually offer a browser interface so the camera can be remotely accessed and viewed over the Internet. Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems use network cameras.
- Network Computer
A computer with minimal memory, disk storage and processor power designed to connect to a network, especially the Internet. The idea behind network computers is that many users who are connected to a network don’t need all the computer power they get from a typical personal computer. Instead, they can rely on the power of […]