Looking for a storage solution, but don’t want to pay the extreme prices network attached storage or storage area networks can get up to? Direct attached storage is the perfect solution for organizations that need large amounts of storage on a budget. Much like the name suggests, direct attached storage (DAS) attaches directly to a computer—providing it with its memory capacities.
While a regular hard drive also counts as DAS, it’s usually not enough for company storage. That’s why there are larger models available that can really crank up what a computer can remember. DAS can also easily be transferred from computer to computer if you need faster data transfer speeds—or if the data is shared over a different network. For this reason... , due to its cost and flexibility from a computing standpoint, DAS is perfect for small businesses. Not only do small businesses benefit, but so do independent creators working on memory-heavy tasks such as video editing or medium-scale data analytics.
By having the ability to disconnect from a computer, DAS can also be a relatively effective tool for storing backups that are sequestered away—helping to protect from cyber attacks such as ransomware. After all, cyber attacks can’t hit something if it’s not connected to your network in any way, shape, or form. This coincides with one of the other advantages of a DAS system—it’s easy to set up. If your company has a small IT practice, or none at all, DAS can be a simple and effective storage solution without having to worry about extra staffing or consulting costs.
There is a word of caution, however, when buying DAS as a mechanism that your organization solely relies on. DAS doesn’t scale as well over more than a few computers. If your organization is looking to grow quickly, DAS might leave you high and dry where a more significant investment in other storage options would serve you better. That being said, DAS technologies could then be scaled back to be used in smaller projects or for different areas in the company.
If you’d like to know more about setting up an effective DAS system, and want to find out if DAS is right for you, get in touch with the team here at Connection. You are only a call or click away from talking to one of our product experts who will be able to help you get the answers you need.