Request advice for buying a NAS

[Enquiries]

Dear Nas-guys,
We want to ask you advice about which NAS system we should buy. We are looking for a system which our android devices and windows computers can securely access from the internet and our home network. Preferably through some transparant special folder or drive-letter. We will be using the NAS for storing documents, music, short videos and photographs (we are passionate photographers). We want a system that can provide us with a means of backup to be safe for disk or device failure and hackers who take data hostage. Easy to manage and expand. We expect to produce about 0.5 TB/year.
With all the brands, drives etc. we can't see the forest for the trees anymore and we hope you could help us.

[ed]

Hi there! I'd be happy to help you find a NAS system that meets your needs.

Based on what you've described, I would recommend looking into a Synology or QNAP NAS system. Both brands are well-known for their ease of use and wide range of features, including remote access, media streaming, and backup solutions.

For your storage needs, you can start with a 2-bay or 4-bay NAS system and expand as needed. As for which drives to use, I recommend going with NAS-specific drives such as the WD Red or Seagate IronWolf drives, as these are designed for 24/7 operation and have features such as vibration reduction that are important for use in a NAS.

To access your NAS from both your home network and the internet, you can use a VPN (virtual private network) connection or set up port forwarding on your router. Many NAS systems come with their own mobile apps and software that make remote access and management easy.

For backup, you can use the built-in backup solutions provided by your NAS system, such as RAID configurations and snapshots, or set up your own backup system using third-party software. I recommend having at least two backup copies of your important data, with one copy stored off-site in case of theft, fire, or other disasters.

Have a look at DS220+ or DS423+. These are good solutions for multimedia.