What is NAS and why does a small business need it?
NAS = Network-Attached Storage. It's a box with multiple hard drives connected to your office network. Everyone can access files, back up data, and sync between computers. **Why NAS over cloud (Dropbox, OneDrive)?** • Lower cost: $2,000 NAS = 5 years of storage (vs $120/year per person × 10 people = $6,000) • Faster file access: Local network is 100× faster than internet • Full control: You own the hardware and data • Compliance: Some industries require on-premise storage • Offline access: Works if your internet goes down **Why NAS over external hard drives?** • Automatic backup: Files sync without manual effort • RAID redundancy: If one drive fails, data survives • Multi-user access: 5-50 people access simultaneously • Remote access: Access from home or on-the-go (VPN) **Best for**: 5–50 person teams needing $50K–$500K data protection.
NAS capacity and drive count — how to calculate what you need
**Small team (5-10 people)**: 8TB–16TB usable • 4-bay NAS with 2TB drives (16TB raw, ~14TB usable after RAID) • Supports 50–100GB per person • Example: 10 people × 5 media files avg 500MB each = ~2.5TB/month • One 4-bay NAS covers 6 months **Medium team (10-30 people)**: 24TB–48TB usable • 4-bay NAS with 4TB drives (16TB raw, ~14TB usable) OR 8-bay with 4TB drives • Supports 100–200GB per person • Scales to 12 months of backups **Growing team (30-50+ people)**: 48TB+ usable • 8-bay NAS with 8TB drives (64TB raw, ~56TB usable) • Supports 500GB+ per person • Add a second NAS for redundancy **Formula**: (people × average file size per person × months to keep) ÷ 0.85 (RAID overhead) = drive capacity needed
RAID configuration for business backup
RAID = Redundant Array of Independent Disks. Protects against drive failure. **RAID 1 (Mirroring)** • 4 drives = 2 drives storage (50% overhead) • If one drive fails, data intact on mirror • Slowest write performance • Best for: Teams that rarely lose a drive **RAID 5 (Striping with parity)** • 4 drives = 3 drives storage (25% overhead) • If one drive fails, data rebuilt from parity • Rebuild takes 8–12 hours (vulnerable during rebuild) • Best for: Most small businesses (good balance) **RAID 6 (Dual parity)** • 4 drives = 2 drives storage, can lose 2 drives • Slower rebuild, safer during rebuild • Best for: Teams with critical data, can't tolerate downtime **Recommendation for small business**: Start with RAID 5. If downtime is costly (media production, law firms), upgrade to RAID 6.
Synology vs QNAP — which NAS system?
**Synology (DiskStation DS420+ / DS920+)** • Pros: Best software (DSM OS), easiest setup, excellent support, great backup tools (Hyper Backup), local accounts • Cons: Slightly higher price ($500–$800 for 4-bay) • Best for: First-time NAS buyers, teams without IT staff • Example: DS920+ (4-bay, $400–$500) + 4×4TB drives ($400) = $800 total **QNAP (TS-432PX / TS-832PU)** • Pros: Lower price ($350–$600), more hardware options, good backup tools, runs Docker • Cons: More complex UI, steeper learning curve, support varies by region • Best for: Tech-savvy teams, Docker/containerization needs • Example: TS-432PX (4-bay, $350) + 4×4TB drives ($400) = $750 total **Bottom line**: Synology is easier. QNAP is cheaper. For most small businesses, Synology's superior UI justifies the $50 premium.
Backup strategy: Local NAS + cloud redundancy
**Tier 1 (Daily backup)**: All computers → NAS via automatic sync • Files modified are synced every hour • Protects against accidental deletion • Protects against ransomware (if caught early) • Restore time: <1 minute **Tier 2 (Weekly backup)**: NAS → External hard drive (off-site) • Weekly snapshot stored on external drive (kept off-site or at home) • Protects against NAS hardware failure • Protects against office fire/theft • Cost: One $100 external drive, periodic transfer **Tier 3 (Monthly backup)**: NAS → Cloud (Backblaze, Wasabi, AWS) • Monthly full backup sent to cloud • Protects against catastrophic loss • Can recover anything, any time • Cost: $10–$50/month depending on volume **Total cost**: $800 NAS + $100 external + $20/month cloud = $1,240 one-time + $240/year ongoing. Insurance cost for a 10-person business with $100K+ data.