Creative storytellers and media creators are using network-attached storage (NAS) solutions to protect their video assets and expand their storage system. Instead of relying on external hard drives, video production teams are using a localized storage network like their own personal cloud service.
A network-attached storage architecture can give your video production increased performance, storage, security, and ease-of-use by using multiple hard drives to increase performance and protection. With a NAS system, you can add devices to your NAS configuration to keep up as your business scales up. You can easily share files with multiple users by using your NAS’s unique, built-in file-sharing service.
Storage
Before choosing the right NAS system for you, you’ll need to consider how much storage capacity you need and will need. Basic nas drives have space for one hard drive, as opposed to larger units that have more bays for additional hard drives. For video production, you’ll need at least 6 TB of storage space to handle a large video file collection.
Some NAS devices come with hard drives pre-installed for easy set-up, but tend to be more expensive than NAS systems without hard drives. Your business can scale up by using NAS systems that support multiple bays for an astounding amount of storage capacity for your video production needs. NAS drives also enable you to schedule regular backups of your data, so you can set it and forget it.
Data Protection and Security
One of the most important aspects of choosing the right storage solution is data protection. NAS with multiple hard drives typically have some form of RAID configuration, meaning your data is restored if one of your hard drives fails. All you need to do is replace the faulty hard drive. Some NAS systems will even send you an alert when one of your hard drives needs to be replaced.
NAS drives with a “hot swap” feature enable users to replace the hard drive without having to power down the entire NAS system. A NAS server for video production allow data to be stored in a central location giving you full-control of which users can access which files.
Improved Workflows
Does your operation include multiple workstations doing 4K or higher-resolution editing? A NAS system can be your “local cloud server” giving every team member quick and real-time access to data. One benefit of using NAS servers to keep up with increased video production needs is the ability for improved collaboration. Some NAS servers give users access to the data no matter where they are. Files can be saved to a cloud-service as a backup meaning remote access is available. When you need to stream your footage, NAS systems make it easy for you to pull up your work via HDMI, iTunes, DLNA, Bluetooth, and many more streaming devices.
Apart from being able to retrieve information quickly, NAS drives are typically platform-agnostic. That means that a NAS drive will work with almost any device you connect your your network including DLNA-compatible devices and even mobile apps for iOS or Android.
A NAS server is so much more than a powerful storage system. A NAS system can function as your personal media streaming server so you can watch your work through your network’s media players. NAS systems can also be excellent email archiving solutions for on-site email storage that you can manage from one location. NAS systems also provide scalable storage space, fast disaster recovery, and helps companies stay in compliance with email archiving.
