What's the point in dedicated NAS

[mortino]

For years I've run a home server machine for the simple fact that i hate moving files back and forth whenever i need them (especially media files). I recently moved so was just getting around to thinking of getting my server back up this weekend. While is was on my mind it occurred to me why do i really need this? Can't remember exactly how i stumbled upon it but long story short i ran into the windows 7 network sharing and started using it and so far I can't see the point in why anyone would use anything else? (except maybe for nightly back-ups). Anyone have any thoughts on this? I've only been using it for a day now so I could be missing something big.

 

[Smoka]

Other then the things you just said a NAS is usually more power friendly :)

[L.E.D]

Usually a custom built NAS, could run any software, I run FreeNAS, It has WAY more options then any consumer NAS out there, I can use just about any service that I would need for my personal use and there is even stuff that you can use in the enterprise level, You could use a custom built NAS if you want to learn about or, if you want more control of who can access what and what they can do, where they can access, management is also allot better then running a Share from Windows 7, It is easier to upgrade, If you want to upgrade the network on it you can pop in a network card and a few clicks it runs, Also, If you run a dedicated NAS that is all it does... If you run a share from your PC that is just a few more things your PC now has to do, I understand with todays CPU's it won't make much of an impact but for some guys who always do intensive things with there PC it could make there lives easier by having another machine do that task, the other machine may also host many services, not just 1, as Windows 7 would, Also 1 really big thing with running a NAS you can usually add any number of drives, as well as configure them in most common Raid's, what ever you Raid Card or Motherboard supports of course.

 

I think I have given some in site as to why people will run dedicated NAS'.

 

Nathan

[skippytheturtle]

More options/customization, different software options, if you ever turn off the computer that has the file on it and you need the file on a different computer you can't have it. :) (I hope I understood your question). Also you get bragging rights "I have a home server, what do you have." :)

[mortino]

Thanks for the replies and I'm still just using the windows option atm and I would go as far as to say I think i let it better than when I was using a home server for my NAS needs. As Skippy said about the only thing i kinda miss is the you know bragging rights lol. I have had no issues in the past week at all I am using a RAID 5 config for my storage (same as what i was using in my home server) and i even put my boot drive as an accessible drive just so if there's something i downloaded or something that i forgot to put into storage (or was too lazy to get around to moving it yet lolz). As far as performance i haven't even noticed any resources being used from it besides obvious network usage and hard drive activity.