Should I get a NAS for my backups?


  1. Denis54
    Posts : 9
    Win 7
       New #1

    Should I get a NAS for my backups?


    I do not know much about backups and would appreciate some guidance.

    Right now I have an old 500 GB that I use for my backups. When I want to make a backup I open my case, start the computer, attach the drive to a SATA cable, make an image with Macrium Reflect Free, shut down the computer, remove the drive, close the case and restart the system. I also take the drive to my daughter's place from time to time to make an image of her system to my 500 GB drive using the same method. This is not a lot of work but it is not very convenient.

    I would like to get basic understanding of how a NAS drive works.

    The WD Live seems to be popular. Is that a good choice? Anything else I should look at?

    If I understand correctly, I would attach such a drive to my router and then I could access it from my computer or my daughter's computer. Am I correct?

    Could I still use Macrium Reflect to make an image to that drive?

    Is the software that comes with the drive reliable regarding security. Obviously I want my data to be only accessible from my daughter's computer or mine.
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  3. pparks1
    Posts : 7,878
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       New #2

    A NAS drive is more or less a box, that connects to your home network, and shows up as it's own computer device with shares. You can access those shares and store files on them.

    In the event that you wanted to use it from your daughters place, you would physically have to pick it up and move it, unless you have tons of internet upload bandwidth and make your device available across the web.

    The best bet for backups, IMHO is an external portable hard drive that is stored "off-site" once the backup is made. For example, if your NAS device is in your house and your house burns to the ground, you would lose your backup. Probably not what you wanted to have happen.
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  4. Denis54
    Posts : 9
    Win 7
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    What would recommend I get instead of a NAS?

    Should I get an USB 3 external drive?

    Should I get an eSATA external drive?

    Should I get a prepackaged external drive such as one of those from Western Digital?

    I understand Macrium is better than the software that comes with these prepackaged drives. Am I right?

    Should I rather assemble my own with an external enclosure an a SATA drive
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  6. kado897
    Posts : 10,455
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
       New #4

    Macrium will handle USB3 and eSATA (and a NAS if you want). You will need to use the WinPE recovery disk rather and the Linux one for USB3. whs has kindly provided a link to a pre-built one in this tutorial. You just need to burn it to disk.Imaging with free Macrium
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