Editing Network-attached storage (section)

=== Comparing with DAS ===
The key difference between [[direct-attached storage]] (DAS) and NAS is that DAS is simply an extension to an existing server and is not necessarily networked. As the name suggests, DAS typically is connected via a [[USB]] or [[Thunderbolt (interface)|Thunderbolt]] enabled cable. NAS is designed as an easy and self-contained solution for sharing files over the network.

Both DAS and NAS can potentially increase availability of data by using [[RAID]] or [[Computer cluster|clustering]].

Both NAS and DAS can have various amount of [[Cache (computing)|cache memory]], which greatly affects performance. When comparing use of NAS with use of local (non-networked) DAS, the performance of NAS depends mainly on the speed of and congestion on the network.

Most NAS solutions will include the option to install a wide array of software applications to allow better configuration of the system or to include other capabilities outside of storage (like video surveillance, virtualization, media, etc). DAS typically is focused solely on data storage but capabilities can be available based on specific vendor options.