Own your NAS storage.
Honest NAS storage guides and free tools to help you pick, size and protect network attached storage, without the jargon or the monthly cloud bill.
Free NAS tools: do the maths in seconds.
No signup, no tracking. Just fast answers to the questions every NAS buyer asks.
NAS storage guides: learn it once, buy it right.
What is a NAS? A plain-English guide
Network attached storage explained: what it does, who needs one and how it differs from an external drive or the cloud.
RAID explained: which level should you use?
RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10 compared in plain language, with the trade-offs between capacity, speed and safety.
How many bays do you need? Sizing a NAS properly
A simple method to size your NAS for today’s data and three years of growth, without overspending.
RAID, drives and NAS how-tos.
Synology RAID Calculator: How Much Usable Space Will You Get?
How to estimate usable space on a Synology NAS, including SHR with mixed drive sizes, and when a standard RAID calculator is enough.
How to Calculate RAID 5 Capacity (With Examples)
The RAID 5 capacity formula explained with worked examples for 3, 4, 5 and 8 drives, plus how RAID 6 and RAID 10 compare.
4TB vs 8TB NAS Hard Drive: Which Size Should You Buy?
A practical comparison of 4TB and 8TB NAS hard drives covering cost per terabyte, rebuild time, bay count and drive ratings.
Four steps to network storage you can trust.
Measure
Add up what you store today and how fast it grows.
Size
Pick bays, drives and a RAID level that fit the plan.
Build
Use NAS-rated CMR drives and set up snapshots.
Protect
Add an offsite copy. Follow the 3-2-1 rule.
Quick answers.
Is a NAS the same as a backup?
No. A NAS gives you shared storage and redundancy against drive failure, but a true backup also needs an offsite or separate copy.
Can I use any hard drive in a NAS?
Technically many will work, but NAS-rated CMR drives are strongly recommended for reliability and rebuild performance.
How much usable space will I get?
It depends on the RAID level. Use the RAID calculator to see exact usable capacity for your drive count and size.
What is network attached storage?
Network attached storage (NAS) is a small always-on device that holds hard drives and shares them with every computer, phone and TV on your network. See what is a NAS for the full explanation.
Are your calculators accurate?
They use standard formulas for common RAID levels. Real systems lose a little space to file system overhead, so treat results as close estimates.