04 July 2024

Tamblyn Calman, sales & marketing director, QNAP

Choosing the right NAS for an enterprise environment requires careful consideration of several critical factors to ensure it meets the specific needs of the business. These factors include connectivity options, types of drives, and intended usage scenarios.

Connectivity options: 10GbE, 25GbE, and 100GbE

One of the foremost considerations is the network connectivity of the NAS. These devices come with various Ethernet options, including 110GbE, 25GbE, and even 100GbE. The choice of connectivity can significantly impact the performance and future scalability of the storage solution.

10GbE: For many enterprises, 10GbE provides a substantial improvement over traditional 1GbE networks, offering up to 10 times the bandwidth. This is particularly beneficial for environments where multiple users or applications access large files simultaneously, such as in media production or data analysis scenarios.

25GbE: Enterprises with more demanding performance requirements might consider 25GbE. This option offers greater bandwidth than 10GbE and can handle more intensive workloads, making it suitable for businesses that deal with large volumes of data or require real-time data processing.

100GbE: For the highest performance needs, 100GbE is the pinnacle of network connectivity. This is ideal for data centres, large enterprises, or organisations involved in high-frequency trading, scientific research, or any application requiring ultra-low latency and maximum throughput.

Selecting the right network connectivity ensures that the NAS can deliver the performance needed both now and in the future as the business grows and demands increase.

Types of drives

Another critical decision revolves around the types of drives to be used within the NAS. NAS devices support a variety of drive types, including high-capacity SATA HDDs and high-speed SSDs. The choice between these largely depends on the specific use case of the NAS.

High-capacity SATA HDDs: These drives are typically the go-to choice for large data stores. SATA HDDs provide high storage capacities at a lower cost per gigabyte compared to SSDs, making them ideal for applications that require storing vast amounts of data but do not necessarily demand high-speed access. Examples include archival storage, backup solutions, and content libraries where the volume of data is more critical than the speed of access.

SSDs: Solid State Drives offer significantly faster read/write speeds and lower latency compared to traditional HDDs. This makes SSDs ideal for applications that require high-speed access to data. Use cases include virtualisation environments, high-performance databases, and real-time analytics where performance is a critical factor. Additionally, SSDs are more reliable in environments with high I/O operations due to their lack of moving parts.

Hybrid storage solutions

For many enterprises, a hybrid approach that combines both HDDs and SSDs can offer the best of both worlds. NAS devices often support tiered storage, where frequently accessed data is stored on high-speed SSDs while less frequently accessed data resides on larger capacity HDDs. This setup can provide a balanced solution that optimises both performance and cost efficiency.

Additional considerations

When selecting a NAS, enterprises should also consider other factors that can impact the overall effectiveness of the solution:

Scalability: Ensure that the NAS can scale with your business needs. Look for devices that support expansion units or additional drive bays to accommodate future growth.

Redundancy and data protection: Features such as RAID, backup solutions, and snapshot capabilities are crucial for protecting data integrity and ensuring business continuity.

Management and software: There exists a comprehensive suite of management tools and software applications that enhance the functionality of their NAS devices. Some include operating systems that offer intuitive management, virtualisation support, and advanced networking capabilities.

Encryption: Ensure that the NAS supports robust encryption protocols to protect data at rest and in transit. This includes full-disk encryption and secure data transfer protocols such as SSL/TLS.

Choosing the right NAS for an enterprise involves evaluating the specific needs related to connectivity, storage types, and additional features. By carefully considering these factors, businesses can ensure they select a NAS solution that provides the necessary performance, scalability, and reliability to support their operations both now and in the future.