Why you need a NAS in your life

Network Attached Storage is brilliant. It offers the ability to have centralized network storage, often far larger in capacity than any external hard drive can offer, at speeds usually good enough to stream HD video content at. Although NAS enclosures can be a little expensive ($200-400 for a mid range, 4-bay NAS), excluding the cost of populating them with drives, the benefits listed below more than make up for it.

Here's why you should buy a NAS:

• Local file sharing - NAS is autonomous, can be accessed by all, or select few, in network
• Back up all your files
• Removes need for mechanical drives in your desktop - pure SSD excellence!
• Connect it to your TV - stream all your media
• Keep everything you torrent, forever
• Got a wireless router? Cool, wirelessly stream all the same content your TV can recieve to your smartphone or tablet!
• More complex RAID levels available (0, 1, 5, 6, 0+1, 10) without the need to purchase a RAID card
• Off-site storage - two NAS owners who know and trust each other can host each other's content through a private network. Off-site backups are considered essential by many experts
• Frees up system resources - less tax on your CPU and RAM
• That overwhelming, but good feeling you get when 40 seasons of TV, 6 weeks of music, a few years worth of photos and complete back ups of two PCs has still only used about 3.5% of your total storage capabilities.

Thinking about getting a NAS? I recommend QNAP and Synology for the enclosures, and Western Digital Red hard drives. Alternatively, Seagate Barracudas also provide good performance and lifespan at a reduced cost. Currently, 2TB and 3TB drives provide the best price/storage ratio for a seriously large NAS.