The ideal capacity of a NAS for your backups

NAS servers are very useful for hosting content and being able to access it from anywhere. They are an alternative to using cloud services, such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Basically it is a physical device that has storage and that you are going to connect to the network to be able to access it remotely. They are interesting to create backups. Now, what capacity should we buy it for backups?

What capacity to use a NAS for backups

The ideal capacity of a NAS for your backups

Logically, the capacity will depend on what we are going to use it for and what type of backup copies we need. It is not the same to simply create backup copies of the mobile from time to time, as it is also to save files from the computer and various other devices. In addition, depending on what type of files we are going to store, we will need more or less.

The ideal is to also think in the long term and not only in what we are going to need now. For example, maybe you want to create a backup of photos and videos from your trips. You have all this content on your computer, but you also want to create backup copies to be able to access it from anywhere and at any time. But of course, maybe now you have an amount of space occupied and in a few months or years it will be greater.

My advice is that you choose a NAS server that allows you to create a backup copy of the maximum of the hard drive of the computer you use, as well as the memory of the mobile. But also, it should be at least twice that amount . In this way you will have a good margin to not only create backup copies of those devices, but also future files that you can store. For example, computer programs that you use, series that you want to save, etc.

If, for example, your computer has a 1 TB hard drive and the mobile has 512 GB of memory (for example, 256 internal and another 256 micro SD that you put in it), the ideal thing to create backup copies is to have a NAS of at least 3TB. You can see the differences between private cloud and NAS server.

NAS servers, much more than a backup store

Also think that NAS servers have utility beyond simply creating backups. You can even install programs in some cases. You can also use them to download content from the network remotely. Therefore, having a good storage capacity is interesting to have plenty of and not need more in the future.

If you only want the NAS server to create backup copies of the mobile, for example photographs that you are taking, text files that you are creating and the like, surely much less will work for you. Even having a 1TB NAS can work for you. But, as we say, you usually have to think long term and have a forecast of how much content we can generate over time and not have problems.

In short, having more or less storage available on NAS servers for backups will depend on how you use it. A good idea is to at least buy a device that has twice the capacity of the equipment you use, such as your computer and mobile. But also, you must think long term and how much you may need.