Types of Network Attached Storage Implementations

Network-attached storage (NAS) is a file-based storage architecture that makes stored data more accessible to networked devices means multiple users or client devices retrieve data from a single storage system.

NAS Implementations 

There are two ways to implement NAS 

1. Integrated NAS 
2. Gateway NAS

Advantages of integrated NAS

• Simple, affordable, and simple to set up.
• It has pre-installed software and can be rapidly set up for use.
• it is a single device, it is simple to administer and maintain.

Disadvantages of integrated NAS

• Because its storage array is combined with NAS head, it has limited storage capacity and is difficult to scale.
• Does not support advanced features like backup and recovery or data deduplication. 

Advantages of gateway NAS

• Enables advanced features like backup and recovery or data deduplication.
• As its storage array is not integrated with the NAS head, it is easily extensible and has no upper limit on its storage capacity.
• It is compatible with all storage systems, including conventional and legacy storage systems.

Disadvantages of gateway NAS

• it has to work with the existing storage system, it is complicated, expensive, and challenging to set up. It also demands for additional hardware and software.
• Its performance is based on the current storage system, hence gateway NAS often performs worse than integrated NAS

Difference between Integrated NAS and Gateway NAS 

Basis of Distinction	Integrated NAS	Gateway NAS
Hardware	Independent file storage device	It offers storage interface for installed systems
Operating System	It uses specialized own operating system	uses a generic operating system instead of having its own
use case	ideal for Small to medium-sized businesses	ideal for Enterprise environments
Access to storage	It Provides file-level access	it Provides storage capacity and data sharing capabilities
Cost	Cost-effective	Costly
Features	It does not support advanced features like data deduplication.	support advanced features like data deduplication.
Compatibility	It is not compatible with all types of storage systems, it compatible with storage system  with file-based protocols NFS and CIFS	A compatible with all storage systems like cloud Storage ,conventional and legacy storage systems