Greatest NAS for Mac | Macworld

Editor’s word: On April 3, 2023, Western Digital reported that its My Cloud servers had been hacked and an unauthorized get together “obtained sure knowledge from its programs. The corporate is investigating the problem.

You’re spoilt for alternative on the subject of Western Digital’s My Cloud vary, with a number of fashions accessible for house customers and small companies, in addition to a variety of Knowledgeable and Professional fashions for bigger organizations.

The unique single-drive My Cloud is getting a bit outdated now, nevertheless it’s nonetheless round and intensely inexpensive. Nonetheless, you’re most likely higher off getting the newer My Cloud House mannequin proven right here, which is a bit more costly however is quicker and offers extra options comparable to help for the Plex Media Server software program (though that’s most likely not vital for Mac customers).

It comes with a variety of storage allocations; 8TB needs to be greater than sufficient for many properties, in addition to small workplaces and self-employed customers. The slimline white-and-silver unit is neatly designed and solely measures 2in large, so it’ll sit simply in your desk or on a shelf near your router with out taking on an excessive amount of area.

There’s additionally a bigger dual-drive mannequin, referred to as the My Cloud House Duo, which homes two matching drives and affords significantly extra storage. That gives RAID 1 mirroring for additional knowledge safety, however if you need extra subtle RAID options, in addition to the power to put in and take away drives your self, you’ll must step as much as the My Cloud Knowledgeable or My Cloud Professional fashions.

Western Digital all the time does an excellent job with Mac help, and the My Cloud House isn’t any exception, with apps that deal with a variety of duties rapidly and simply. The iOS app can carry out automated backups of your photographs and movies, whereas the Mac app permits you to use Time Machine to your backups (and there are Mac and Home windows variations of the apps accessible too).

There are some good touches too, comparable to the power to right-click a folder in your Mac and robotically sync the contents of that folder on to the My Cloud House. That will likely be useful for individuals who need an additional backup of their present work recordsdata or tasks along with the fundamental Time Machine backup. You too can right-click any file that’s saved on the My Cloud House and ship a obtain hyperlink as a way to rapidly share that file with associates or colleagues.

And, in case you additionally use a web-based backup service, comparable to Dropbox, then you’ll be able to sync the contents of your Dropbox account on to the My Cloud House too. You possibly can even again up photographs and albums from Fb on to the drive for safekeeping if you wish to.

There are a few tough edges. You possibly can’t merely double-click the drive’s icon on the Mac desktop as a way to open the drive after which drag-and-drop to repeat folders or recordsdata on to the drive. For some purpose you need to open the app’s pulldown menu and think about the contents of the drive via the app as a substitute. You possibly can’t create particular person consumer accounts on the Mac both, so that you’re compelled to make use of the app on an iPhone or iPad if you wish to invite another person to create their very own private folders on the My Cloud House drive.

Most Mac customers can have an iPhone or iPad, in fact, however we’d prefer to see the Mac app up to date to permit you full freedom to manage the My Cloud House along with your Mac as nicely.

Many individuals now depend on cloud storage, comparable to Apple’s iCloud Drive or Dropbox, for private use or working from house, however Synology is among the few corporations that also makes typical NAS drives that present bodily storage for house networks and small workplaces. The most recent addition to its vary is the Diskstation DS723+, which offers an inexpensive and easy-to-use storage system that may be additional expanded sooner or later if required.

The compact drive enclosure measures simply 166mm excessive, 106mm large and 223mm deep, so it’s simple to arrange in your desk or any handy shelf. There are two bays for arduous drives on the entrance, together with two small slots for SSD drives which can be positioned on the underside of the unit. Superior customers who need to configure their very own system should buy the DS723+ as an empty enclosure (unpopulated) for round £575/$450 after which present their very own alternative of HD or SSD drives. Or, in case you’re searching for a easy, all-in-one storage system then a few of Synology’s specialist sellers additionally promote the DS723+ with drive items already put in (populated). The value for ‘populated’ drives will clearly  depend upon the quantity of storage you require, however the 8TB mannequin that Synology supplied for our evaluation ought to price round $800/£850. Costs do fluctuate extensively on-line, although, so it’s undoubtedly value purchasing round to search out the most effective value (the beginning value quoted above will rise relying on the storage choices.)

There’s a Gigabit Ethernet port on the again of the for connecting to your own home or workplace community, however the DS723+ additionally has two growth ports that assist you to improve to 10 Gigabit Ethernet if required, and even to attach some extra drive bays so to add much more storage sooner or later. Synology’s manuals might look a bit daunting for individuals who haven’t used a NAS drive earlier than – there’s a 50-page PDF only for the preliminary set-up course of, and one other 80-page guide masking all of the options supplied by Synology’s DSM software program (Diskstation Supervisor). Nonetheless, you don’t must memorise all that information immediately, as there are fast and straightforward apps for iOS, Android, Mac and PC that may make it easier to with the set-up course of, and we had no hassle in any respect connecting the DS723+ to our workplace community after which utilizing the apps to attach our Mac and iPhone to the drive.

The widespread use of cloud storage providers comparable to iCloud and Google Drive signifies that NAS drives aren’t as standard as they was, and Synology is among the few corporations nonetheless making NAS drives that cater to the SOHO market (small workplace/house workplace) with its DiskStation vary. In actual fact, Synology is increasing its product vary with the introduction of the BeeStation.

The BeeStation seems to be like a reasonably typical desktop arduous drive, and it offers 4TB of storage so that you’ve obtained loads of room to your work or private recordsdata. Like most NAS drives it makes use of an Ethernet port to hook up with your own home or workplace community, however when you’ve related it to your Wi-Fi router, you’ll be able to merely scan a QR code along with your iPhone or iPad to hook up with the drive remotely and set it up utilizing an internet browser (though you’ll want to supply an e mail handle to arrange your Synology account first). You might be then prompted to obtain two cell apps referred to as BeePhotos and BeeFiles, which, because the names counsel, assist you to back-up photographs and different recordsdata onto the BeeStation. As soon as the drive is about up, you’ll be able to log in through an internet browser in your Mac, after which obtain the BeeStation desktop app for Macs (operating macOS 12 or later) and Home windows PCs.

These apps present loads of helpful options, together with the power to robotically add photographs and movies out of your cell units onto the BeeStation. You possibly can share recordsdata with associates, household or colleagues, and sync particular folders in your Mac with the BeeStation. Nonetheless, these apps is usually a bit difficult to make use of – they have an inclination to throw plenty of settings and data onto the display screen, and the Assist recordsdata on Synology’s web site use plenty of techno-jargon that could be complicated for much less skilled customers. Mac customers, as an illustration, will discover that directions for utilizing the BeeStation with Time Machine are hidden inside a reasonably convoluted Assist file about ‘native entry’ settings.

So it might take a bit of work to get the BeeStation correctly arrange, however its skill to supply each on-line storage for cell units and a NAS drive to your house or workplace community makes it a really versatile back-up machine for house and small enterprise customers.

Western Digital’s My Cloud House drive offers a fast and straightforward choice for house customers who aren’t acquainted with NAS drives and networking expertise. In actual fact, the corporate doesn’t even name it a ‘NAS drive’, choosing the extra user-friendly ‘private cloud’ label as a substitute. (If you happen to really feel a bit extra snug with jargon comparable to NAS and RAID, you would possibly need to step as much as WD’s ‘professional’ vary with the My Cloud EX2 Extremely as a substitute.)

The EX2 Extremely is a no-compromises NAS drive with extra options and customisation choices, whereas remaining inexpensive sufficient for house customers or self-employed folks, comparable to photographers or designers, who want a very dependable backup drive for necessary work recordsdata.

It’s a ‘two-bay’ drive that holds two separate arduous drives, and permits you to take away the highest panel so you’ll be able to take away the drives for repairs or including extra storage sooner or later. You should purchase the EX2 Extremely with a pair of drives pre-installed, with a variety of costs relying on the storage you choose.

WD consists of its high-performance Pink Drives and 1GB of reminiscence to assist the EX2 Extremely multi-task when completely different persons are utilizing the drive on the community on the similar time. There’s a Gigabit Ethernet port for connecting to your community, and the EX2 Extremely additionally has two USB ports that assist you to join an exterior USB drive for extra storage.

Alternatively, you have got the choice of shopping for the EX2 Extremely ‘unpopulated’ – with no drives in any respect – after which offering your personal drives to fit your specific wants. That is the best choice in case you assume you would possibly need to add additional storage sooner or later, and set up is very easy: the highest panel merely pops open on the press of a button to disclose the inner drive bays.

Utilizing two separate arduous drives additionally means the EX2 Extremely can work as a ‘RAID’ drive, with both RAID 0 – which improves efficiency by splitting recordsdata throughout each drives (referred to as ‘striping’) – or RAID 1 ‘mirroring’, which makes separate copies of your recordsdata on every drive for additional reliability. If you would like much more safeguards to your necessary recordsdata, there’s additionally an choice to again up knowledge from the EX2 Extremely on to an exterior arduous drive related to certainly one of its USB ports.

Regardless of all these additional options, organising the EX2 Extremely continues to be very easy, because the drive helps Time Machine for robotically backing up recordsdata out of your Mac. There’s additionally a My Cloud app for iOS/iPadOS and Android that permits you to again up and share recordsdata utilizing non-Apple units as nicely.

The app offers distant entry to the drive over the web, and there’s an internet browser interface additionally accessible for Macs and PCs, which permits extra superior customers to configure RAID settings and options such because the FTP server – and even to make use of it as an ‘iTunes Server’ for streaming music throughout your community.

It’s value trying out the adjustments made by the
My Cloud OS 5 software program replace, nonetheless; this provides a number of new options, however reduces compatibility with some net providers.

A five-bay drive such because the 5N2 could be pointless for house customers, however Drobo has a well-deserved status amongst skilled and artistic customers who want a flexible and dependable NAS drive.

The 5N2 is dearer than most of its rivals. However whereas the nondescript black field isn’t a lot to have a look at, it’s completely full of options designed to maintain your knowledge protected and can earn its maintain in your workplace.

Drobo claims to supply “the advantages of RAID with out the complexity”, and the corporate does a very good job of serving to newcomers to get began and displaying you how you can use the 5N2.

Even earlier than you flip it on or set up a single arduous drive you’re instructed to go to the Begin web page on the Drobo web site. This exhibits how one can merely slot the drives into the 5N2 after which join it to your router – and the 5N2 even has two Gigabit Ethernet ports, which may be ‘bonded’ collectively to supply increased efficiency for units such because the iMac Professional, with its 10GB Ethernet interface.

After the preliminary setup, you’re prompted to obtain Drobo’s Dashboard app for Macs and Home windows PCs. This installs a pulldown menu into the primary menu bar on the high of your Mac’s display screen, offering instantaneous entry to the drive’s primary options.

Nonetheless, you most likely gained’t want to make use of Dashboard fairly often, as lots of the drive’s options work robotically. As soon as the drives have been put in there’s a collection of lights on the entrance panel that point out the standing and well being of every drive, together with a row of blue lights that act as a capability gauge to let you already know while you’re operating out of storage.

The 5N2 additionally permits you to ‘hot-swap’ drives, take away and change defective drives, or just add some additional storage with out having to restart the unit. It even has a small built-in battery that may shield the 5N2 from energy failures, retaining it operating lengthy sufficient to finish the present job after which shut down with out shedding any knowledge. And, reasonably than providing typical RAID modes the 5N2 makes use of Drobo’s personal BeyondRaid software program to robotically shield your knowledge (which is useful if, like me, you’ll be able to by no means bear in mind the distinction between RAID 0 and Raid 1).

In actual fact, most individuals will most likely solely use Dashboard to arrange consumer accounts for different individuals who additionally want to make use of the 5N2 for community storage, or to arrange Time Machine backups to your Macs – which you are able to do concurrently organising the ‘share’ for every consumer. If you wish to discover additional, Dashboard additionally permits you to set up extra apps, such because the Plex media server, or Drobo Entry, which offers distant entry over the web. There are iOS/iPadOS and Android variations of Drobo Entry accessible too, so you’ll be able to view and edit recordsdata saved on the 5N2 along with your cell units, together with a DroboPix app that permits you to again up your photographs and movies.

It’s most likely too costly for many house customers, however the admirable ease of use supplied by the Drobo 5N2 makes it a perfect alternative for small companies and artistic customers who might not have used a NAS drive earlier than. And, with failsafe options comparable to its inner battery, the 5N2 can provide rock-solid reliability for safeguarding your most necessary knowledge.

The one drawback is that Drobo says that it has been “severely impacted” following Coronavirus and associated manufacturing delays. Because of this there are inventory shortages.

Buffalo’s LinkStation 220D is a flexible and inexpensive NAS drive that’s appropriate for each house and enterprise customers. However, as we’ve seen with Buffalo previously, its merchandise generally lack the simple ease of use that Mac and iOS customers take with no consideration.

The LinkStation 220D is a dual-bay NAS drive that homes two separate arduous drives. You should purchase it ‘unpopulated’ – with no drives in any respect – after which present the drives that you simply need to use for your self. Alternatively, you should buy it with 2TB, 4TB or 8TB.

There’s additionally a dearer mannequin referred to as the 220DR that’s designed to be used with Western Digital’s high-speed Pink drives, however the usual 220D mannequin that we evaluation right here needs to be completely satisfactory for many properties and small companies.

The twin-bay setup additionally means you should use the LinkStation as a RAID drive, supporting both RAID 0 for optimum efficiency, or RAID 1 for optimum knowledge safety (storing separate copies of your knowledge on each drives). Future upgrades are easy as nicely, as you’ll be able to rapidly take away the entrance panel of the LinkStation and pull out the drives by their handles, with no screws or instruments required. There’s additionally a USB port on the again of the LinkStation that can be utilized to make extra backups to an exterior USB drive for additional security.

Getting began is sort of easy, because the 4TB LinkStation that we examined robotically confirmed up on our workplace community as soon as we related it to our router with an Ethernet cable. That allowed us to easily drag-and-drop recordsdata onto the LinkStation for fast backups, however issues get a bit extra sophisticated while you begin to transfer past the fundamentals. The LinkStation does work with Time Machine so to again up your Macs over the community, however organising Time Machine and a ‘shared folder’ to your backups proved reasonably sophisticated.

Buffalo’s NAS Navigator app for Macs permits you to view the LinkStation in your community and shows fundamental data, comparable to its IP handle. Nonetheless, utilizing another options requires you to open up an internet browser as a way to view the LinkStation’s net interface.

This does embody a wide range of helpful options, together with Time Machine help, distant ‘net entry’ for while you’re away from house or the workplace, BitTorrent downloads, and the power to make use of the LinkStation as an iTunes server for streaming your music throughout the community. However this browser interface may be very sophisticated and gained’t be simple for non-technical customers to know – and Buffalo’s 125-page jargon-heavy PDF guide doesn’t actually make life any simpler.

And neither do Buffalo’s cell apps. Buffalo offers two separate apps for iOS units: Smartphone Navigator for fundamental setup, and WebAccess to supply entry to your recordsdata through Wi-Fi while you’re out and about.

These apps are getting on a bit, and a few customers have complained that they’re unreliable. In actual fact, the apps appeared to run on our workplace iPhone and iPad with none issues, however they’re nonetheless fairly sophisticated and unhelpful for individuals who aren’t acquainted with NAS drives and networking expertise.

So whereas the LinkStation is an effective choice for extra skilled house or enterprise customers who already know a bit about NAS drives, it’s most likely not the best choice for first-time customers who’re nonetheless studying the ropes.