NAS for family

[Enquiries]

We're a family of 4. Our phones are at 99% storage mainly because of family photos/videos. We currently have 3.5±1 TB of data scattered across phones, computers, USB keys, and even drives collecting dust with 20-year-old memories.

What we need
A reliable inexpensive device to store everything so we can safely free up space.

Extra features
- Automatic Wi-Fi back up
- Free up old files
- Sort by dates/places/faces
- View all shared photos/albums in a single timeline
- Remove duplicates
- Snapshots
- Remote access
- Compact (fit next to router)
- Future-proof (storage, computer engeneering, video editing)

Other details
- Active devices: Android 12+ (Samsung), Windows 11
- Boycotting Amazon

What I think we need (after some research)
- A 4-bay NAS
- One 6 TB NAS drive (for now)
- A DAS plugged into the NAS (backup)
- A UPS
Is this overkill? Am I missing something? What would you recommend (hardware, software, advice, to save money short/long-term)?

Thank you very much for your support.

[ed]

Thanks for getting in touch. Based on what you need for a family photo and backup system, the QNAP TS-464 is the best fit. It handles everything on your list without being overly expensive or complicated, and it gives you a lot of room to grow over the next several years.

The TS-464 has automatic phone backup for Android, facial recognition, timeline sorting, duplicate detection, remote access and snapshots. It is compact enough to sit beside your router, and the hardware is strong enough for future expansion, larger drives, or even light video editing later on. You can start with a single six terabyte drive today and add more drives as your storage grows.

You do not need a DAS behind it, and you can add a small UPS later if you want extra protection. For your budget, requirements and long term reliability, the TS-464 covers everything cleanly.