Backup methods compared
Cloud (AWS, Google Drive, OneDrive): $10-20/month, slow initial, fast restores from anywhere. NAS (Synology): $400 upfront, very fast, local only. External drive: $60-100 upfront, slowest, physical storage, one-time buy.
Cost comparison over 5 years
Cloud (500GB, $15/mo): $900 total. NAS (4-bay, $500 + 4x$100 drives): $900 total. External drive (4TB, $80 + 2 replacements): $240 total. Winner: external drive (by 75%).
Speed comparison
Cloud upload 100GB: 10-20 hours (depends on internet). NAS upload 100GB: 15-30 minutes (gigabit). External drive 100GB: 20-30 minutes (USB 3.0). NAS fastest for local backups.
Data recovery scenario
House fire: Cloud safe, NAS lost, external drive lost if in house. Computer theft: Cloud safe, NAS safe (different location), external drive lost if in bag. Best practice: 2+ backups in different locations.
Recommended hybrid approach
Primary (daily): NAS at home (speed, redundancy via RAID 5). Secondary (weekly): External drive (offsite, cheap insurance). Tertiary (monthly): Cloud (disaster recovery, one set of files). This covers all scenarios.
What to buy for different needs
Photographer (1TB/month): NAS 2-bay + external 4TB + cloud 1TB. Student (100GB/year): External drive only. Business (10TB): NAS 4-bay + cloud 2TB + external 2TB. Home office: NAS + cloud essential.