Having all our data and files available anywhere thanks to the cloud is something that is increasingly present. We have many options in this regard. We can use any device to control the content, edit, delete, share … This is something we can do, for example, with photos and videos. Until now, Google Photos was a free option and with unlimited storage for it, but in a few months it will cease to be and will be limited to 15 GB. In this article we are going to talk about the alternative of the private cloud on NAS to save photos.
Private cloud on NAS, the alternative to Google Photos
When we use third-party services, such as Google Photos , and especially if they are free, we run the risk that at any given time they stop providing service. Ultimately, these are tools or platforms that need maintenance, ultimately a cost. As soon as they are no longer profitable or are no longer part of that company’s strategy, they can be forgotten.
This we mentioned is a major problem when we trust that we are going to have it available forever and we start saving photos or videos, for example. However, suddenly they tell us that they limit the service or that it will not even be available anymore and we have to find an alternative to keep everything the same.
Without a doubt, an ideal alternative to Google Photos is the private cloud on NAS. It gives us absolute control over our files. We can manage it as we want, have enough storage for all our files and they will also be safe, without depending on third-party services that could even have vulnerabilities. You can see our list of best NAS servers.
Complete control with the private cloud
Having a NAS server allows us to store all kinds of files and have total control over them. We can save photos and videos in the same way as in Google Photos, but on our own device.
The best option is definitely to use a NAS server with 2 or more bays . We can choose RAID 1, which are two equal disks (also known as mirror disks) in which one of them stores everything that we are saving, while the other is creating a backup copy. In this way, if at any time we have a problem, the disk has failures or information is lost, we always have that backup copy on the second disk. We have a list of cheap 2-bay NAS servers.
We can also opt for RAID 5, which also provides faster access to content by using one of the disks for fault tolerance that may be on any of the other disks.
Applications to save photos in the private cloud
We have different programs that allow us, in a centralized way, to store photos and videos in our private cloud on NAS. It allows us to have options similar to Google Photos, but all on our own device.
An example is the QNAP Photos app . It allows us to upload images from our mobile device even in real time. That is, we can configure it so that each photograph we take is automatically uploaded to our cloud. In this way we avoid data loss in the event that our mobile phone breaks or we lose it on a trip. We would keep all the content that we are generating in a safe place.
An alternative option is Synology’s Photo Station . It allows us to store and manage all the photographs that we upload to our private cloud in a simple way. We can create albums, share them with other users, access from anywhere, create automatic backups from the mobile, etc.
We also have the option of Photo Gallery , from ASUSTOR . As in the previous cases, it allows us to synchronize our photos on the NAS to have them available anywhere. We can create folders, share them easily, quickly search for a specific image and all this always under our control.
In short, photo applications like the ones we have mentioned allow us to have full control of photos and videos on our private NAS cloud. An ideal alternative to Google Photos to never lose the photos we take on trips, events or any memory that we do not want to erase.
Much more than saving photos
But the private cloud not only allows us to save photos and videos. It is undoubtedly a very important instrument for both private users and companies. It allows us to store all kinds of files and have them always available anywhere. We already know that today it is very common to switch between devices and what better way to centralize everything than to use a NAS server.
It is also a very good solution to create backup copies and avoid problems such as ransomware, since we would always have everything stored in another place from where to back up the information. It is very important to always generate copies of our devices so as not to lose data in case of a problem.
Another very important issue is remote work . The Covid-19 pandemic has brought important changes in this regard and more and more people are working electronically. A NAS server also allows us to share work with other users remotely and also have full control without depending on third-party platforms or services.
On the other hand, the private cloud allows us to avoid possible limitations when it comes to sharing large files , as with free platforms. We can share folders with friends or family regardless of the number and size of files they have.
