We're looking for central storage for a small company, with around 2 to 4 TB of files. People need to work both remotely and locally, sometimes on the same files. Most are Word and Excel documents, but there may be AutoCAD files too.
Would a NAS with Tailscale or Nextcloud make sense? I know Tailscale but haven't set up a NAS or RAID before. I'm also wondering whether NAS software would limit how much I can configure.
For Word and Excel, I'd look at Microsoft 365 shared storage first. Check what the company already pays for, how much storage the plan includes, and what enough capacity for 2 to 4 TB would cost. Google Workspace is another option worth comparing.
A hosted service may be easier to maintain than a NAS, especially if you haven't administered one before. Test the actual co-editing workflow with your users rather than assuming every file type will behave like an Office document.
The big distinction is shared access versus simultaneous editing. A file share can let several people open the same location, but that doesn't mean their applications can safely combine changes to the same file.
For AutoCAD and similar files, look for a supported locking or check-in and check-out workflow. Otherwise people can overwrite each other's changes or run into damaged files. Also test performance over the connections your remote staff actually use.
A NAS with Tailscale is a reasonable route if you want to run the storage yourselves. Samba can provide a straightforward file share, while Nextcloud is another option with more to set up and maintain. Neither choice by itself settles the co-editing question.
Remote connections matter too. An unstable link can interrupt access to a network share, so try the real applications over typical remote connections before committing. Plan for backups and recovery separately from RAID.
the spare ukulele:
Who will handle updates, failed drives and restores? That ongoing work belongs in the comparison with a hosted service.
I'd pin down the requirements before buying anything. How many people need access, what's the budget, and how much downtime can the company tolerate? Also figure out which files need true co-editing versus one person editing at a time.
Those answers could point toward different tools for Office documents and larger design files. Services such as Egnyte and LucidLink are also worth evaluating alongside general cloud storage.
Not every NAS is the same kind of box. Ready-made systems such as Synology and QNAP offer business-oriented software, but a managed appliance can trade some flexibility for convenience. Check the specific product's features and administration limits against what you actually need before ruling it in or out.
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actually_a_volunteer:
AutoCAD needs a separate check. A service that handles simultaneous Office editing well isn't necessarily the right workflow for drawings.