The Most Secure NAS Devices In 2017

The Synology DS418 NAS is among the best sellers in the SMB category. This particular model supports up to 4 drives and employs 2 GB DDR4 along with a powerful processor in order to provide top performance. Synology is a market leader in the segment and has designed several features that cater to business owners.

The company has developed a collaborative solution that allows several users to work on office documents (spreadsheets and rich text documents for example) storing the data securely on the NAS. Public and private cloud instances can be set easily in order to facilitate easier file sharing over the Internet. Home users can rely on a 4k Multimedia server with hardware transcoding which guarantees that even the highest quality of video will play without any issues.

The Synology DS418 NAS server includes the Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) technology which automates the volume management. This makes it very easy to administrate the installed hard drives and protect the data from incidents. An easy mode is available for beginner users while adept users can take advantage of the wide range of capabilities.

The model is especially suited for integration into complex environments. Synology includes a surveillance station that allows web cameras to be recorded, monitored and managed. Backups for desktop, laptop and mobile devices can also be automated when an appropriate setup has been configured.

The Qnap TS-431X2-8G NAS server from QNAP is a high-performance model that is specifically developed for the small and medium business owners. It is equipped with a special processor and expandable memory that guarantee top speeds (both read and write operations). Like the Synology unit it supports hardware encryption (military-grade AES-256) and still manages to deliver fast speeds. The model provides two built-in Gigabit Ethernet ports and a 10GbE SFP+ port connection for fast network transfer. This NAS supports SSD cache acceleration, a new feature that greatly boosts the IOPS performance.

On the software side the QNAP TS-431X2 supports block-based Snapshots that record and save files and metadata at any time. This means that if a drive fails or a dangerous malware infection happens the data can be safely retrieved from the snapshot. Multiple versions can be retrieved as this model supports up to 64 snapshots per volume. A replica feature allows for double protection by sending a copy to a remote QNAP NAS server for safekeeping.

The Container Station is something that distinguishes the QNAP product from other vendors. It integrates virtualization appliances that allows the system administrators to set up multiple isolated Linux systems. Other built-in software services include “Qfiling”, an automated file organization application and “Qsirch” which is a feature-rich search tool.

The built-in collaborative framework allows users to store, share and edit notes, emails and contacts. A modular operating system is employed that allows new modules to be easily added to the system. The stored data can be shared and synced using multiple protocols. It also supports flexible backup and disaster recovery solutions. Security options include antivirus software, IP blocking, two-factor authentication and others. The included surveillance station module is a professional-grade solution bundle with the device.

Western digital offer several NAS server iterations, for this particular article we have chosen the PR4100 model. The product is bundled with WD SmartWare Pro, an application that allows backups to be made using both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. The device itself features an integrated copy button that automatically starts to backup files instantly.

This NAS server allows the administrators to set up password protection for the RAID volumes, as well as configure 256-bit AES encryption. A useful feature is the availability of two power ports that guarantee a backup line in case of a power failure.

Computer users will find that the built-in transcoding server along with the Plex instance very useful when organizing their digital media collections. Other types of content can be syncronized with the specialist WD Sync function. The PR4100 NAS server is also compatible with the Adobe Creative Cloud which makes it a natural choice for creative teams.

The Drobo 5d3 NAS is a 5-bay device that has been created for media professionals and small and business owners. Alongside the typical network ports it also bundles Thunderbolt 3 connectivity options for faster delivery. The vendor has optimized the device to be fully-integrated into a 4K/5K media workflow.

Drobo integrated their award-winning BeyondRAID technology that protects the stored data against single or dual disk failure. The installed drives can be added, hot-swapped and updated in real time with zero downtime. The Drobo is compatible with the Time Machine software allowing advanced configuration of the backup generation.

An additional feature found in the Drobo 5D3 units is the accelerator bay that contains a mSATA card holder. Patented technology is used to keep a record of the most frequently accessed data that is delivered at faster speeds. The bay accepts standard mSATA SSD drives which leaves all five 3.5” drives bays available for high-capacity HDDs. Data protection is guaranteed even when a power outage. In the event of such an issue a battery backup is bundled into the drives to protect the data in memory or the cache. Immediately any in-flight data is moved to the onboard flash for protection.

This is a classic NAS server from Buffalo Technology that is widely regarded as one of the best options for small and small business owners. The TeraStation TS3400 series are a reliable choice for everyone that seeks wider connectivity options. The NAS server can be connected to any network and computer as it even has a serial port built-in. Customers can purchase a model in both desktop and rackmount versions.

Prospective buyers should note that this NAS server provides a rich list of RAID array options. All popular protocols are supported, the software also support network monitoring and simultaneous NAS and iSCSI target functionality. Software configuration is done over an accessible web interface. The backup options include a failover setup creation which can interact with other Buffalo NAS devices. A replication feature is also included which allows data to be synchronized over several devices. The Apple Time Machine backups can be configured to use the NAS, as well as the S3 Amazon cloud backup options. System administrators will appreciate the ability to backup files to USB storage or other equipment using the rsync protocol.

With each bundle 11 licenses are given out for a professional backup software. This means that with a single devices a SOHO network can operate with data assurance. The vendor has bundled support for Buffalo WebAccess, a web client protocol that allows the data to be accessed from mobile apps. A surveillance server is ready to be used with 5 cameras. Buffalo’s TeraStation 3400 is Citrix ready to integrate into any enterprise workflow.