Glossary · Hardware

NAS (Network Attached Storage)

A NAS is a dedicated storage device on a network that shares files with many computers and devices, usually using several drives in RAID.

Updated October 6, 2026

A NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a small server dedicated to storing and sharing files over a network. It typically holds multiple hard drives and is accessed using protocols such as SMB, NFS or a web interface.

Why it matters

A NAS gives a home or office a central place for shared files, backups, media and photo libraries, often with RAID for drive-failure protection. Many models also run apps, containers and sync tools.

Because it is network-based, uptime and connectivity matter. Monitoring it ensures you notice a failed disk or offline unit.

Example

$ mount -t nfs nas.local:/volume1/shared /mnt/shared
$ df -h /mnt/shared
Filesystem                Size  Used Avail
nas.local:/volume1/shared  7.3T  2.1T 5.2T

This mounts a NAS share on Linux.

Common mistakes

  • Treating RAID on the NAS as the only backup.
  • Exposing the NAS admin page directly to the internet.
  • Ignoring disk health alerts and firmware updates.

Get notified when this term updates

Plus occasional practical tips on uptime and monitoring, nothing else. Unsubscribe anytime.

Keep reading

Glossary · NetworkingConnection DrainingConnection draining lets a load balancer stop sending new requests to an instance while allowing its existing connections to finish before removal.Glossary · Cloud & HostingContainerA container is a lightweight, isolated package that bundles an application with its dependencies and runs on a shared operating system kernel.Glossary · Cloud & HostingDaemonA daemon is a background process on a Unix-like system that runs without direct user interaction, typically providing a service.Guide · Hosting & CDNApache vs nginx Troubleshooting: Logs, Config Tests and Common ErrorsSide-by-side troubleshooting for Apache and nginx: where logs live, config test commands, restart vs reload, and fixes for the most common startup and runtime errors.8 min readGuide · Hosting & CDNDocker Website Down? A Step-by-Step Troubleshooting ChecklistDiagnose a dockerized website that is down: container state, exit codes, published ports, healthchecks, logs, reverse proxy upstreams, OOM kills and full disks.9 min readGuide · Downtime & ErrorsHow to Fix a 502 Bad Gateway Error (nginx, Apache, PHP-FPM, CDN)What a 502 Bad Gateway really means, how to find the failing upstream with logs and curl, and fixes for nginx, Apache, PHP-FPM, Node and Cloudflare setups.8 min read

This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.