Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A NAS is a storage server that allows clients to access a centralised filesystem over a network. Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) can be incorporated into the setup to prevent data loss due to hard drive failure.

NAS is a great solution for centralising and sharing large volumes of data, but plans must be made for making backups of the data and for archival towards the end of the research project life cycle.

We cautiously recommend NAS because all cluster labs currently using NAS have problems with backing up their data as they accumulate large amounts of data without clear plans on how to manage the growth or volume.

Storage

NAS can be scaled up to tens of terabytes on consumer grade options and hundreds of terabytes on enterprise grade offering. Usually, NAS modules have to be purchased separately from the hard drives, which have to be slotted in. For use cases needing high throughput, more expensive Solid State Drive (SSD) options can be considered.

Labs considering a NAS solution should think about factors like cost, Input/Output speeds, RAID levels, sophistication, expandability, support, security, and storage needs.