What Are Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Drives?

An explosion of digital content is creating new challenges for local storage infrastructure. At the same time, organizations are facing greater pressure—from regulatory laws as well as their own customers—to implement data management practices that offer more accessibility, security, and reliability than existing storage solutions.

Network-attached storage (NAS) systems are increasingly considered a viable solution to these challenges. Read on to learn more about NAS systems, NAS drives, and the benefits of equipping your organization with this flexible, expansive storage infrastructure.

What Is a NAS System and What Are NAS Hard Drives?

A NAS device is a dedicated file storage system connected to a network. It allows multiple users and devices connected to that network to access data from a centralized location. Unlike traditional external hard drives—which connect directly to a computer—NAS devices connect to a network, enabling data sharing and collaboration across various devices within the network. This setup is particularly useful for homes, small businesses, and larger enterprises, as it offers a more efficient and secure way to manage data compared to using multiple individual storage devices. NAS devices are designed to provide centralized storage, making it easier to manage and back up data. They allow for easy access to files from any device connected to the network, including computers, smartphones, and tablets. This centralized approach to data storage enhances efficiency and simplifies data management and backup processes. NAS systems are also scalable, meaning they can be expanded by adding more hard drives, which is particularly beneficial for growing storage needs.

NAS hard drives are specialized drives designed specifically to work in the unique environment of a NAS system. These drives differ from standard desktop hard drives in several important ways. NAS drives are built to operate continuously and provide 24×7 access to data, making them extremely reliable and durable for constant use. They also often include features such as vibration resistance and advanced error recovery controls to help maintain data integrity and ensure smooth operation within a multi-drive NAS setup. NAS hard drives are an essential component for constructing a reliable and efficient NAS device that supports continuous data access and storage.

How Do NAS Drives Address Storage Challenges?

NAS drives address the challenge of centralized data access and management by providing a single, cohesive location for data storage. In traditional setups, data might be scattered across multiple devices, making it difficult to manage and access information efficiently. With a NAS system, all data is stored in one place and accessible to all users on the network. This centralization simplifies data organization, reduces redundancy, and ensures everyone has access to the most up-to-date files. It enhances collaboration by allowing multiple users to work on the same documents and projects without complex file transfer processes.

Scalability

Scalability is another significant challenge in storage management, and NAS drives offer a robust solution to this issue. As data needs grow, traditional storage solutions can become cumbersome and difficult to expand. NAS systems, however, are designed to be easily scalable. Users can add additional hard drives to the NAS enclosure, increasing storage capacity without significant disruption. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for businesses and individuals who anticipate their data storage needs will grow over time. With most NAS systems, you can use more than one hard drive and different redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configurations. This makes it easy to add more storage as needed while keeping speed and dependability high.

Reliability and Data Protection

Reliability and data protection are critical concerns in storage management, and NAS drives are designed to excel in these areas. These drives are built to operate continuously, providing 24×7 access to data, which is essential for environments that require constant data availability. Many NAS devices support RAID configurations, which offer data redundancy and protection against drive failures. By using RAID, NAS systems continue to operate even if one or more drives fail, supporting data integrity and minimizing downtime. This level of data protection is crucial for both businesses and individuals who cannot afford to lose access to their important files.

Specialized Features for Network Environments

NAS drives often include features specifically designed to enhance their reliability and performance in a networked environment. These features include vibration resistance, advanced error recovery controls, and firmware optimized for NAS systems.

Vibration resistance helps prevent mechanical wear and tear—especially in multi-drive setups—and advanced error recovery controls promote data integrity by managing read/write errors more effectively.

Firmware optimized for NAS systems improves overall performance and ensures compatibility with various RAID configurations. These features help keep data safe, boost performance, and extend the life of the drives, which makes NAS a robust solution for many storage challenges.

Considerations for Choosing the Right NAS Drive

When choosing the right hard drive for your NAS, you’ll need to evaluate the specifications and hardware features. Consider the following when searching for the best NAS drive.

Hard Drive Storage Capacity

Capacity is one of the most important factors to look at when choosing a NAS drive. It’s important to determine your current storage needs and anticipate future growth. NAS drives come in various capacities, typically ranging from 1TB to 24TB or more. For personal use or small businesses, a lower capacity might suffice, but larger businesses with extensive data storage needs should opt for higher capacity drives to avoid frequent upgrades.

Reliability and Durability

NAS drives are designed to operate round the clock in a multi-user environment, so reliability and durability are critical. Look for drives with features that enhance their lifespan and protect performance under constant use. Seagate IronWolf® and IronWolf Pro drives include vibration resistance, which is essential in multi-drive NAS systems to prevent wear and tear. Advanced error recovery controls also help maintain data integrity over time.

Performance

Performance is another crucial consideration, especially if the NAS will be used for tasks that require fast data access and transfer speeds, such as video editing, large backups, or running virtual machines. Drives with higher revolutions per minute (RPM) and larger cache sizes typically offer better performance. Additionally, consider the interface speed and note that most NAS drives use SATA III (6Gb/s) for optimal performance.

RAID Compatibility

Many NAS systems support RAID configurations, which provide data redundancy and improve performance. Be sure the NAS drives you choose are compatible with the RAID levels you plan to use. Some drives are optimized for RAID environments and include features like RAID error recovery, which can help maintain the array’s health and performance.

Warranty and Support

Consider the warranty and support provided by the manufacturer. NAS drives typically come with warranties ranging from two to five years. A longer warranty period offers better protection and peace of mind. Additionally, look for drives that come with reliable customer support and data recovery services, which can be invaluable in the event of drive failure or data loss. Seagate IronWolf Pro drives are rated for 2.5M hours MTBF and include a five-year limited warranty for hassle-free data storage and best-in-class total cost of ownership (TCO).

Power Consumption

NAS systems operate continuously, so power consumption is an important consideration, especially for home users or businesses looking to manage operational costs. Look for drives that are energy-efficient and have features like power management to help reduce power usage and heat generation without compromising performance.

AgileArray™ is a technology in Seagate IronWolf and IronWolf Pro drives that enhances drive performance and reliability in NAS environments. AgileArray also offers optimized power management to help drives maintain consistent performance and manage power usage effectively. This is particularly important in multi-bay NAS setups where several drives operate simultaneously.

Price

While investing in high-quality NAS drives is important, budget considerations must be considered. Compare the prices of different drives and balance cost with the features and reliability you need. Sometimes, spending a bit more upfront can save you money in the long run by providing better performance and durability.

With features such as advanced power management, rotational vibration sensors, and AgileArray technology, Seagate NAS drives are designed to withstand the demands of continuous operation. This robust design reduces the likelihood of drive failures—and minimizes the associated costs of data recovery or replacements—making Seagate NAS drives a cost-effective choice over time.

By carefully considering these factors, you can confidently choose the NAS drive that meets your specific needs and secures your stored data.

Should You Only Use NAS Drives in a NAS?

Although standard hard drives can be used in a NAS system, the ideal environment will feature storage drives specifically designed for NAS. Doing so will give your NAS system the storage specifications it needs to achieve maximum performance and durability.

That said, regular storage drives can be an effective storage solution if you need to increase your storage space and a NAS drive isn’t immediately available. While these drives aren’t designed specifically for use in a NAS, they can still offer excellent capacity, read/write performance, and other beneficial features for your larger NAS system.

Introducing Seagate IronWolf: The NAS Drive Experts

When it comes to optimizing the performance and durability of your NAS system, Seagate IronWolf NAS drives are up to the task. These tough, purpose-built drives provide scalable, 24×7 performance in multi-bay, networked environments—making it easy to create, expand, and enhance your NAS solution.

Choose between a wide range of storage capacities and reap the many benefits of investing in Seagate IronWolf storage.

Key Benefits of Seagate IronWolf NAS Drives

IronWolf NAS drives are designed to meet the unique requirements of NAS systems, delivering important benefits for your storage environment, including:

Optimized for 24×7 Operation

IronWolf NAS drives are rated for 180TB annual workloads, which can support 24×7 operation in small business and enterprise environments.

Advanced Data Protection

IronWolf Health Management provides prevention, intervention, and recovery recommendations to ensure peak NAS system health, actively protecting all of the data stored on your IronWolf drives.

Integration with NAS Platforms

Seagate IronWolf drives are compatible with leading NAS builders—such as Qnap and Synology—allowing you to fully experience your NAS system performance capabilities.

Scalable Storage Capacity

With RAID-friendly drives offering up to 24TB storage, IronWolf NAS hard drives offer versatile scalability for your network storage, making it easy to expand your capacity as needed by integrating additional drives.

High-Performance Data Access

Top-performing NAS drives can achieve sustained data rates of 180MB/s, as well as burst data rates of 6GB/s, allowing for fast data access at any time and from any location.

Storing Structured vs. Unstructured Data on NAS

While NAS drives can be used for both structured and unstructured data, NAS is often a popular option for unstructured data storage because it can help organize this data, resulting in a more user-friendly experience.

How Are NAS Systems Affected by Cybersecurity, Ransomware, and Viruses?

Because they place all data in a central location within your network, NAS systems are a common target of cyberattacks seeking access to critical data. To mitigate the negative impact of a system breach, NAS systems must be backed up by security and data recovery services.

Along with multi-layered security to prevent network breaches, businesses can also invest in NAS drives that feature built-in data safeguards. All IronWolf NAS drives, for example, come with three years of complimentary Rescue Data Recovery Services to help organizations recover in the aftermath of unexpected data corruption or loss.

Using NAS vs. External Drives for Backups

While external drives can be a serviceable option for backing up your network data, NAS drives can be a more effective backup solution because of their scalability and flexibility, which allows a single system to serve as the sole backup destination for your data.

IronWolf NAS drives offer built-in security and intelligence features, including IronWolf Health Management, to improve network data protection.

Explore Seagate NAS Drives

With diverse storage capacities and a purpose-built design, Seagate IronWolf NAS drives are designed to support heavy annual workloads and fast read/write performance needed by enterprise organizations, small businesses, and individual consumers alike.

IronWolf and IronWolf Pro also come with a number of valuable features and support services to maximize the performance, longevity, and ROI of your NAS storage investments. Take advantage of built-in health monitoring, data recovery services, limited warranties on new product purchases, and ongoing technical support to realize the full potential of upgrading your NAS environment.

Seagate IronWolf: Your Trusted NAS Ecosystem Partner

When building or upgrading a network-attached storage environment, fit-for-purpose storage drives can significantly impact your overall experience. Specialized NAS drives are tailored to the unique performance requirements of your NAS environment, making it easy to optimize this storage solution—and to keep pace with your evolving storage needs over time.