DAS vs NAS: Which Storage Do You Actually Need?
A DAS is an enclosure of drives plugged into one computer: cheap, fast, and useless when that computer is off or elsewhere. A NAS is a small computer on your network that any device can reach at any time. Buy the DAS as cheap capacity or a backup target for one machine; buy the NAS if more than one device or person needs the data.
At a glance
| QNAP TR-004 4 Bay DAS | Synology DiskStation DS224+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Network accessible | No | Yes |
| Multiple users | No | Yes |
| Runs applications | No | Yes |
| Speed to the host | Very fast | Limited by the network |
| Always available | Only when the host is on | Yes |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
Choose the QNAP TR-004 4 Bay DAS if…
You need more space on one machine, or a local backup target. A DAS is the cheapest way to add several bays, and the connection is faster than any home network.
Check QNAP TR-004 4 Bay DAS on Amazon
Choose the Synology DiskStation DS224+ if…
Phones, laptops and a television all need the same files, or more than one person uses them. That is the entire reason a NAS exists, and it also runs backups on a schedule without any computer being awake.
Check Synology DiskStation DS224+ on Amazon
Filling either box for less? Drive shucking explained covers when a USB external is the cheaper source of a bare drive, and the best budget NAS covers the cheapest NAS worth owning.
Related
Comparison based on published manufacturer specifications and the general consensus of owner reports. We have not tested these products side by side. Confirm current specifications and prices before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Deciding on a specific model? We review the UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus review in full.
Frequently asked questions
What limits DAS storage capacity?
A DAS holds the number of bays times the size of the drives in them, minus whatever the RAID mode uses for redundancy. A four-bay DAS with four 16 TB drives gives 64 TB raw, or 48 TB in a single-parity layout. Capacity is similar to a NAS with the same bays, but only one computer can use it at a time.
Is a DAS good for backup?
It works well as a backup target because it is cheap capacity, but a DAS plugged into the computer it backs up is not off-site and a failure or ransomware on that computer can reach it. Keep one more copy elsewhere, ideally a NAS or cloud copy that the computer cannot overwrite.
Can a DAS do RAID?
Many can, in hardware. The catch is that if the enclosure fails you may need an identical one to read the array, whereas a NAS using standard software RAID is generally recoverable on other hardware.
Which is the better backup target?
A NAS, mostly because it can pull backups on a schedule from several machines without anyone doing anything. A DAS relies on the host being on and the software running.
Do I still need off-site backup?
Yes, with either. Both sit in the same building as the thing that might burn, flood or be stolen, and neither protects against ransomware that reaches the host.
How we choose: we compare published manufacturer specifications, drive datasheets, published reliability statistics and verified owner reviews. We do not test hardware in person, and we are not tied to any NAS vendor. Capacity and power figures here are researched guidance, not a warranty. RAID protects against drive failure, not against deletion, ransomware, fire or theft, so keep verified backups regardless of what any calculator tells you.
