Personal Cloud Storage vs Network Attached Storage

blwetorch

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I am interested in buying something like a WD My Cloud Personal Cloud Storage. The intention is to store all my files( docs/music/video/photos) in the Storage on the fly........ that is, either from home or office or through my mobile or tab, on the move...... but the destination will always be the Personal Cloud storage. While browsing through Amazon, etc...I come across another very similar equipment called Network Attached storage , which I feel is slightly like a scaled up Personal cloud storage only....like an enterprise storage, used in offices.
Can you please tell me, what are the basic differences between the two and why is one favorable over the other? Or are they one and the same thing?
I am also interested in some kind of Auto-Sync feature, just like in Dropbox, so that whatever I save, either in Office or home or in my mobile, the final folder gets updated on the fly automatically.
Kindly give me suggestions, if you have any. Thanks
 
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WD Cloud and a dedicated NAS are more or less same thing. A dedicated NAS like synology does a lot lot more then a WD Cloud can do. But for basic file sharing WD Cloud is more than sufficient. Not sure if sync feature is there with WD Cloud. I have a synology NAS, which is working for 2 years now non stop. If you have a good budget you can go with synology. Check out THIS thread for more info.

Recently I came across an application/OS called TONIDO which can make any computer in a Cloud Storage (exactly like dropbox but your own cloud) with access to your files from internet as well, without the need of technicalities like port forwarding and all. Its available for windows, linux and Raspberry Pi. I recently tried it on Rasp Pi and it is an amazing piece of software. You can try the windows one if you have an old PC lying around, or infact purchase a dedicated hardware as well for the same. More details on that project in below link ..

http://www.hifivision.com/home-thea...pi-project-personal-cloud-powered-tonido.html
 
I have seen your thread......and must say, without delving too much into it that, it is a fantastic achievement. I shall refer to your thread, when I reach that advanced stage, in the future...... but for now, I have a few simple, albeit stupid questions:

1. Do you really need the Tonido application when you already have the Synology NAS?

2. Did you mean that we can transform a dedicated PC to function like a NAS by using the Tonido application?

3. Can the Broadband(ADSL) modem function as the router, required to connect the NAS?

Regards.

P.S: I almost had a hunch that you will be the first one to reply to my thread:thumbsup:
 
I have seen your thread......and must say, without delving too much into it that, it is a fantastic achievement. I shall refer to your thread, when I reach that advanced stage, in the future...... but for now, I have a few simple, albeit stupid questions:

1. Do you really need the Tonido application when you already have the Synology NAS?

2. Did you mean that we can transform a dedicated PC to function like a NAS by using the Tonido application?

3. Can the Broadband(ADSL) modem function as the router, required to connect the NAS?

Regards.

P.S: I almost had a hunch that you will be the first one to reply to my thread:thumbsup:

No question is stupid ... :) To ans your queries ....

1. Do I need Tonido if I have synology, well yes and no ..:) There are quite a few differences between cloud which synology offers and TONIDO. The same question was asked by mohanavel in the other thread. I will ans the same ......
There are couple of differences ....


1. you can set up your own cloud for as less as 35 USD (Rasp Pi) or at the most 7-10K (including HDD) if you do decide to purchase a dedicated hardware.(or use any old computer) Synology on the other hand is an expensive device, the cheapest 2 drive itself is 15K without the HDD. So one cannot purchase synology just for having a dedicated cloud, however if you already have synology (like I do) then yes its cloud station can be used (though it still has its limitations, read below point 3)

2. Also synology cloud look and feel cannot be customized

3. In synology You cannot have a dedicated domain just for the cloud. There is no dedicated url that would take you to your cloud share directly. In synology, cloud share acts just like any other share, so you can only access it via file station or via VPN.
Plus Synology Cloud station is feature that would only sync between your synology NAS and the client computers where the cloud station client is installed.

4. Tonido is much like DropBox cloud where you have a dedicated url, a dedicated web interface where you can download/upload and execute your media as well, right from the browser. Plus it also has the sync feature obviously.

BTW I am not using the Synology Cloud feature, however another ultimate synology feature call Cloud Sync is something I am using extensively.


2. NAS and cloud (Tonido) are two different terms. NAS is network attached storage and Tonido is cloud platform. It can be argued that both offer storage at your home, yes thats true but NAS is a dedicated storage that offers much better security, backup solutions and robust file system than cloud. Cloud refers to just a storage on internet (or home in case of Home Cloud). Security and Backup are of less priority. So to directly ans your 2nd question, Tonido will convert any old PC to a cloud storage and not NAS exactly. For Home NAS Tonido is not the answer, OS like FreeNAS, NAS4Free, Openfiler, AMAHI, Open Media Vault are the answer.
So if you have to convert an old PC in to NAS get one of these. Install Tonido is you want your PC to act as a cloud storage.

Refer the below article for better insight ...

http://www.businessbee.com/resource.../cloud-vs-network-attached-storage-pros-cons/

3. A modem can act as a router IF it has inbuilt router functionality not all modems can act as router. So you have to see if your ADSL modem is a router as well or just a modem.


feel free to ask any more question ... :)

Regards
Sammy

PS: Just thought to add Tonido for windows is absolutely easy to implement, its just a matter of installing the application and accessing the same from browser. create account,share drives and you are good to go. Plus its completely free (thats the best part)
 
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