Sharing the Space, Part I

Written by Chester Chiew, ANZ Business Manager, Iomega

Benefits of the NAS

Have you ever been frustrated by a slow file and a sluggish network? It is probably because  there is a lot of data being shared from workstation to workstation and there is a lack of storage space on the server. Data storage is probably the most important concept in the world of technology, however it not often the most readily understood. Whether they know it or not, business owners are dealing with data storage everyday – whether it’s accessing a file, running an application, sending an email, or saving a document. As a business grows, so too does the amount of data generated. If there is not enough storage capacity to handle that data, the network will slow down and productivity will suffer. For all businesses, wasted minutes hurts the bottom line, especially for fledgling SMBs. That is why Network Attached Storage (NAS) is an important tool for this sector. This is also why there is a huge opportunity for resellers to capitalise in the importance on NAS devices.

NAS systems work to separate data. They are entirely devoted to storage. As such, these systems work by relocating the storage onto its own platform, effectively separating file sharing from application serving. This results in the freeing up of space on the file server, as applications and storage are no longer running on the same system. With the NAS system in place, applications are processed more efficiently and, therefore, staff have quicker and more reliable access to data.

NAS devices also provide a back-up to important information that is stored on a PC. This has obvious benefits in terms of the file corruption or physical damage that unfortunately occurs way too often.

This benefit is amplified if there are two NAS devices connected to the same network with internet and automatic backup. Resellers should be aware that this is especially useful for organisations where the employees may all be working from separate locations but connected to a central office.

Also, in the unfortunate circumstances of a natural disaster such as the Queensland floods, If one location is completely destroyed including NAS, PC and networking equipment, the NAS device at the alternate location will still hold all the data.