Permits files to be stored and
retrieved on a network. The NAS authenticates users and manages file operations
in much the same way as traditional file servers do through protocols such as NFS and CIFS/SMB, but at a much lower
cost. Rather than use all-purpose computer systems with Windows XP, which
drives up the price, NAS tends to use a small operating system embedded in a
simplified hardware platform. Though NAS boxes support hard drives and at times
tape drives, they do not have input/output devices such as a monitor or
keyboard. NAS is easier to manage than a file server because it is designed
specifically for network storage. Attacks to these systems are not widely
known, but that might be because they are not yet widely installed throughout
industry.
See Also:
Network; Network File Systems (NFS).
About, Inc. NAS. [Online, 2004.] About, Inc. Website. http://
compnetworking.about.com/library/glossary/bldef-nas.htm.