Hello, I am iCloud and Dropbox users. I bought WD my cloud ultra in the past but with no luck (I am not that tech person, found it a bit complicated and was worried about security). I am thinking to give NAS another try. I use Dropbox and iCloud almost as internal hard drive, and work perfectly for me. But I am looking for long term solution, also to store personal photos etc. I am a Mac user, so I need something easy to use and work well with Macs, iPad etc. Do you think NAS is good option for me, and if so what you recommend? I am also thinking about turning Mac mini into NAS, what you think about that? thank you very much
A NAS can be a great option for long-term storage and backup of your personal files, including photos and documents. It can also provide additional benefits such as remote access and streaming capabilities. However, choosing the right NAS device can be overwhelming, especially for someone who is not tech-savvy.
If you prefer a plug-and-play solution, I would recommend considering a NAS from Synology or QNAP. These brands offer user-friendly interfaces and software that can be easily managed with a web browser or mobile app. The Synology DS220+ or QNAP TS-251D could be good options for your needs. Both devices have dual-drive bays, so you can start with two hard drives and easily expand your storage capacity in the future.
If you prefer to use your existing Mac mini as a NAS, you can install software such as FreeNAS or OpenMediaVault. However, setting up and managing a DIY NAS requires some technical expertise and may not be as user-friendly as a pre-built NAS from Synology or QNAP.
When it comes to security, both pre-built and DIY NAS devices offer various security features such as data encryption, user authentication, and firewalls. It's also important to keep your NAS software up to date with security patches and to use strong passwords for your user accounts.
Overall, a NAS can be a great long-term storage and backup solution for your personal files, but it's important to choose a device that fits your needs and technical comfort level.