Data Security​

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As our lives become more and more digital, there are two key aspects to data security. ​

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1. Protecting against Loss​

2. Protecting against Theft​​

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The first is focused on ensuring that we don’t lose key files, memories, information or work that makes up a larger part of our lives every day. ​

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The second is focused on ensuring that our information, memories or often financial information, does not get into the wrong hands. ​

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Securing Against Theft​

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Love them or hate them, passwords have become the default method of safeguarding our data by encrypting them (making them unintelligible) unless they are unlocked by a word or phrase. ​

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Securing Against Data Loss​

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One of the most important ways to ensure that you don’t lose access to important data is to make copies and store them in different – secure- places.​

 

Cloud Storage​

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The simplest way to make copies of data today is to sign up to a cloud storage service. Offered as a free storage and sharing platform, cloud storage are extremely popular. They can also help to make a copy of files for use on other systems. ​

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While it is unlikely, data lost by a cloud storage platform is gone forever. The free storage space is also limiting for many users and get expensive thereafter. It is also important to remember that users need to pay for internet access to upload and download files from each accessing system. Of course this is not a huge problem if you buy unlimited internet access. Uploads and downloads can take a long time, depending on the amount of data, and size of files.​

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For most of us, it is the time that matters the most. And accessing over wireless internet makes this even worse. For users who create larger digital files for videos, music, content, etc, each one of these limitations can be problematic.​

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Disk-Attached Storage​

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The simplest, and cheapest, way to store data locally is to attach an external hard drive. Copying files is relatively fast and external disk drives are not super expensive. ​

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USB or Thunderbolt connections provide quick and easy ultra-fast connections to move data from any number of systems to a relatively large and purpose-built storage device.​

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The difficulty is that external drives can quickly accumulate. Once a drive is full, it is time to buy a new one, or begin to delete files to make room for new content. ​

They are also somewhat a pain to arrange on your desk. Plugging and unplugging external hard drives can be a pain and simply overlooked. As a result, we are likely to miss copying files just prior to needing them.​

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Copying files to an external hard drive does not, however, help much in moving files to a second or third system. ​​

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Network Attached Storage (NAS)​

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A NAS is a device with the main purpose of storing and retrieving data while being connected to a network. ​

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The greatest benefit is that the NAS is actually an intelligent server and manages, monitors and updates data without users having to copy each file. Using storage software, the centralized storage system collects and versions files so that nothing is lost in the case of theft, lost system, data corruption, virus or other digital calamity.. It can also protect against ransomware, if it is properly firewalled.​

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As you can see, the NAS offers the most protection and functionality with the least amount of work. It s also a one-time cost you don’t need to worry about increasing.​

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The biggest constraint with having a NAS at home, is data transfer networks. ​

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