I'm in the process of moving data from our network drives to SharePoint, and there are some old files that users don't want anymore. I need to archive about 2TB of this data. I'm considering using an external USB hard drive or setting up a NAS. I'm wary of costs associated with storing everything on SharePoint, so I'm leaning towards a more cost-effective solution. I have some uncertainty around how often I might need those archived files; I imagine there might be random requests a few times a year. That makes me think a NAS might be more suitable, especially since I have a managed service provider (MSP) that can help, provided their setup fees aren't too steep. My main questions are if a NAS is indeed the best option, or if external drives can fulfill my needs. Also, what kind of ongoing maintenance costs or requirements might come with a NAS?
5 Answers
2TB is a manageable amount. Consider your data retention policies—losing your NAS isn't a small risk. Look into options like Azure Blob or Wasabi for cloud storage too. They can be quite effective, plus you wouldn't have to deal with any physical hardware issues.
You could also consider cloud storage solutions. I use Azure storage with restricted IP access for old files, and it works great. If data requests come in, it's easy to pull what you need without managing physical drives.
If speed is a concern, an encrypted external USB might actually be faster than accessing files over the network, depending on your current setup. Just be sure to keep backups, regardless of what route you choose!
Ultimately, both options are valid, but a NAS can offer better organization for restoring data later. It might be worth checking with your MSP about their requirements for a NAS so you don't get caught out with unexpected costs if they need specific models.
I'd recommend going with a NAS. It's great for network access, plus you can set it up with RAID for extra data protection. Setup and maintenance are pretty straightforward, especially if you're not continuously needing access to those files as you'll only be pulling them periodically. Plus, having your archival data centralized can simplify retrieval a lot.
Thanks for the input! I think a NAS sounds like the right call for easier access down the line.