Hard Drives (HDD, SSD & NAS)

Hard Drives

HDDs, SSDs, and NAS devices are all types of hard drives provided by brands such as Western Digital (WD) and Seagate. However, while they perform similar basic functions, each one does so differently depending on the type, and each type will provide different benefits depending on your needs.

A NAS hard drive, also known as network attached storage, is a type of drive that holds the primary function of providing a single, centralized point for backing up important data or critical files. Many small businesses turn to NAS for their data compilation needs, and some of the benefits include:

• NAS devices are user-friendly and thus relatively simple to set up and start using right away. You don't have to worry about having a lot of technical know-how to start using NAS.
• Unlike some networked solutions, you won't need to purchase expensive licensing in order to utilize these products.
• There are strong built-in backup features in place for increased reliability with most NAS units, especially if you're using more than one of these drives. If a drive happens to go down, the networked nature of the system means that your data is still backed up and secure.
• You can retrieve the files you need anytime and anywhere via remote access.

SSDs, or solid-state drives, functionally do everything a hard disk drive does but in a very different way. They store data digitally using a series of interconnected chips. Well-known tech brands such as Seagate and WD provide these kinds of hard drives, among others. Some of the benefits of an SSD drive include:

• Solid-state drives are great for data retention. If the device housing your SSD suffers a loss of power, the SSD continues to function as a memory bank so that any unexpected interruptions will not result in a loss of data.
• Because SSDs have no mechanical moving parts, they can perform read/write operations at a very high speed.
• They are relatively hardy and resistant to common types of damage, again thanks to a lack of mechanical parts.

HHDs, also known as hard disk drives are the classic, perhaps most well-known iteration of computer storage devices. A mechanical platter physically writes data to the disk area in this case. Some of the reasons for sticking with one of these easy-to-use hard drives for your memory needs include:

• These hard drives offer a large amount of reusable storage capacity. Because the technology was continually refined over the years, experts found different ways to pack more and more room into each drive.
• HDDs are well-known for their longevity, too. Unlike some other forms of the hard drive, HDDs have extensive read/write capabilities, and you can typically write over or erase unnecessary data an almost infinite number of times.