

10 steps to configure your NAS deviceĮach vendor has its own way of doing things, but there are 10 basic steps involved in getting a rackmount NAS appliance up and running. This gives users a way to access file data without having to traverse a WAN link. At the same time, however, many organizations deploy smaller NAS appliances at the edge, particularly in branch offices. For example, NAS appliances used for local backups or for hosting shared folders are often deployed in the data center. When it comes to setting up your NAS, it's important to consider how it will be used. Find out about the three basic types of NAS systems: low-end, midmarket and high-end NAS. Still other appliances are suitable for small or medium-sized businesses.

Some NAS appliances are geared specifically toward enterprise environments, while others are intended for use by home users. NAS appliances can vary widely in terms of both cost and capability. In an enterprise environment, a gigabit connection is commonly attached to the management network, while higher-speed ports accommodate user traffic on the local network or replication traffic associated with another NAS device. The port offerings vary considerably based on vendor and model, but gigabit Ethernet ports are commonly used, as are 10 GbE ports.

An appliance will include a number of drive bays that collectively accommodate multiple disks. Storage is perhaps the most important component associated with any NAS appliance. Some NAS manufacturers also provide an app store, making it possible to run backup or security apps directly on the NAS appliance. Therefore, the appliance's OS is configured to act as a web server. Modern NAS devices typically include a web interface that is used for storage management and to configure and monitor the appliance. The OS's job is to manage the appliance's hardware and run the management interface. NAS OSes are usually proprietary, although there are appliances that run Linux or Windows. Like any other computer, a NAS appliance also contains an OS.
