This Cloud service is a feature you’d find on majority of NAS devices. With NAS, you can remotely access files on the device from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an account setup. It must be plugged in to a compatible port on your computer. Some manufacturers offer Backup and recovery services, email and communication, surveillance, as well as some office apps like Spreadsheet, Documents, and Slides with their NAS devices.Īn external hard drive connected to a computerĪs you already know by now, you’d need to be in physical contact with an external hard drive to have access to files, media or other documents on it. Hard drives have traditionally been pretty dumb devices-for the most part, they neither know nor care about the machine they are attached to. They come with fully functional operating system, RAM (which is also expandable) as well as support for first and third-party applications that extend the functionality of your NAS device(s) beyond storage. In fact, NAS is sometimes referred to as a hard drive with a brain. While external hard drives can hold you files, media, and other documents just as well as a network-assisted storage will, NAS is more flexible and does a whole lot more. You can even plug-in and configure a printer to the port and it will show up on the network. To add, some NAS devices come with one or more USB ports which even allows you plug-in an external hard drive. NAS can have as many as two, three, four, and up to 8 bays. Bays are extra space that allow users attach extra hard drives to the network in the case of storage space shortage. NAS comes in different models based on what is called “Bays”. Should you need more storage in the future, you’d have to purchase a new hard drive. For easy access to your files, you should purchase an external hard drive if you are mostly on the move, or have no/poor internet and power supply.Įxternal hard drives are mostly always come with fixed storage capacities that cannot be expanded.

You should know that there are also big-sized high-capacity external hard drives that require a power source (from a wall socket) in addition to being plugged in to a computers USB port. NAS, on that other hand, usually come in the form of boxes meant to be placed in a permanent position, plugged into a power source and router. Also, they do not necessarily require internet connectivity or power supply to function.

Generally, external hard drives are small, compact and built to be easily conveyed around - in your backpack or maybe your pocket.

Usb 2 vs usb 3 external hard drive