NAS (Network Attached Storage)
Also known as: Network Attached Storage
A NAS is a standalone storage device on the network that several workstations can access at the same time.
A NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a device dedicated purely to storing data, reachable over the network rather than built into a single computer. It exists because several workstations need access to the same files without everyone keeping their own copy, and without a single PC acting as everyone's storage location.
In practice a NAS usually sits in a server room or network cabinet, holds several hard drives in a RAID array, and is reached from every workstation through shared folders - much like a drive letter, except the data physically lives on a separate device. Many NAS units also serve as the second backup target in the 3-2-1 rule.
The most common mistake is running a NAS as the only storage location with no further backup. Even a NAS with RAID can be lost entirely to theft, fire, or ransomware - RAID protects against a failed drive, not against losing the whole device.
What it means in practice
For a business this means: a NAS is a solid central location for shared files, but it does not replace an off-site backup. NDVDL uses NAS devices as one part of a storage strategy, not as its only component.
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