As the world moves towards more efficient and higher-capacity storage solutions, people are looking for alternatives that free them from the laborious task of storing data on (often multiple types) of hardware. As the world becomes more and more digitized, companies are being forced to keep up with technologies that make people’s computing lives easier. Network-attached storage (NAS) options are becoming more and more diverse. Therefore, people should educate themselves on what to look for in a solution. In general, NAS solutions are known for their ease of use and capacity, as well as their low cost compared to other types of solutions.

If you’re looking for a NAS solution, it’ll be worth your time to familiarize yourself with several things: the standards that companies are setting for software options, as well as some of the best practices from the highest-ranking producers. Main features are. The top performers in 2023 stand out for user-friendliness, ease of use across platforms, and several other features that set them apart from the rest.

Let’s take a closer look at these solutions and see how they compare to each other.

Starwind SAN and NAS

Starwind SAN (Storage-Area Network) and NAS have been given five stars by their users for the many features that set it apart from the rest. Firstly, it provides a management control center. This means that you can perform all your actions in a single tab, instead of having to switch between tabs in the process, as is often the case with other solutions. Starwind centrally controls SAN & NAS hardware and software features, relieving users of the burden of moving them around. Plus, because of its unique ability to switch between functions without additional measures, the solution offers both hardware- and software-based redundancy storage options.

Starwind SAN & NAS also include other features such as integration with ZFS (Zettabyte File System), which bundles storage together into a single unit. In addition, it offers a virtual storage appliance option, web-based management, and a V Center plugin for ease of integration between different features. And, more importantly, Starwind has just released a free NAS version of the solution.

In addition, Starwind SAN & NAS have a wide range of possible user interfaces, including web-based, text-based and command-line, that can be used in cluster operations.

These are just some of the features that make Starwind SAN & NAS stand out as a top choice in 2023.

free nas

Free NAS makes the rank for 2023 for several reasons. The solution is based on BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution, an operating system based out of the University of California at Berkeley) and was developed by iXsystems. The most prominent feature of Free NAS is that it’s open-source and, as the name suggests, free, although it doesn’t offer as many features as Starwind SAN & NAS. It is known for its versatility, and for its ability to be installed on components as diverse as hard disks, as well as CD cards and flash drives.

Free NAS also has other distinctive features that should be noted. It offers the ZFS RAID system (RAID is a data protection method that spreads data between separate disks to increase efficiency and reduce the chance of problems during use), including storage. In addition, it works with a variety of network devices and has a Windows/Apple backup mechanism.

The Free NAS gets high marks for its web interface, and for the 2-factor authentication mechanism that allows for greater security.

open media vault

Open Media Vault is based on Debian Linux. It also includes a web-based administration that eliminates the need for cumbersome downloads. It gets points for ease of use (especially with installing updates), link aggregation, and volume management among users. Like Starwind SAN & NAS and Free NAS, it includes a RAID option and supports multiple levels of it. It has a web-based administration.

Open Media Vault uses SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology), which can automatically detect failed drives without the use of other tools. It also includes “Wake-on LAN”, a feature that allows a computer to automatically wake up from sleep or standby when remote activity is detected. It is a good option for simple and straightforward use.

Another feature is that it offers solid hardware support, multiple language support, as well as plugin infrastructure.

XigmaNAS

XigmaNAS is another open-source software option based on free BSD. It functions on many operating systems and is known for its ease of use and for allowing the sharing of large amounts of data across a given network. It also uses RAID technology as well as hard drive and volume management.

The XigmaNAS gets high marks for versatility because it allows a variety of multimedia to be streamed over the network and uses a variety of architectures. It also gets high marks for its intuitive user interface, as well as additional features, such as UPnP (a universal set of protocols that allow different devices – including printers and Internet gateways) to find each other and set up a network together. receives. This is another solution that uses smart systems.

EasyNAS

EasyNAS is based on OpenSUSE, a free, open-source RPM-based Linux distribution system. It is “easy” in the sense that it was made for novices and is therefore very user-friendly. EasyNAS doesn’t include as many advanced features as other solutions because it aims to be simple and straightforward. It brands itself as being for home or office use. Users say it “allows you to build your NAS” because of the flexibility of options.

EGNAS supports BTRFS, or “B-Tree File System”. It is a file system that was created to manage the emerging problems in enterprise storage systems related to data security, management and other problems that may arise. Only a limited number of NAS devices support BTRFS.

EasyNAS allows use in a variety of protocols but does not allow individual configuration. If you are a first time user and looking for a simple solution, then this would be a good option for you.

remember these names

These are the top choices for NAS this year, picked from a large field with a wide variety of features. They were chosen not only because of the features that they offer but also because of the positive customer reviews that give them marks for working effectively and efficiently. Depending on your needs, experience and available time, there should be an option that suits you. Prior to any potential purchase it would be wise to review the features of your system and consider which option offers you the best combination of ease of use and advanced options for your purposes.

2023 will bring yet more options. Of course, additional factors will be involved in making the decision criteria because equipment types, systems and other contributing factors are also in constant flux. Nonetheless, delivering a solid version lays the groundwork for future success. It would be wise to keep these names in mind, as the same companies will continue to be the trendsetters in providing upgrades and better options in the future.