Network Attached Storage
Network Attached Storage (NAS) refers to dedicated file-level computer data storage servers connected to a computer network providing data access to a heterogeneous group of clients. It provides centralized and consolidated disk storage through standard Ethernet that is accessible by multiple users and heterogeneous client devices. NAS systems are networked appliances which contain one or more hard drives, often arranged into logical, redundant storage containers or RAID arrays. They are accessed by the network clients using network file sharing protocols such as NFS, SMB/CIFS or AFP. Network Attached Storage is an essential component in modern computing environments providing scalable, reliable and high performance data storage for applications ranging from home media streaming to enterprise business continuity solutions.