How to Back Up NAS? Top 3 Strategies

NAS Backup Overview

NAS stands for Network Attached Storage, which allows saving files and data from various devices within the same internet environment. QNAP and Synology are leading providers of NAS solutions. While NAS offers a highly secure data storage service, it's essential to back up the data on it to guard against unforeseen data loss.

Why do we need to back up NAS:

1. NAS may be vulnerable to virus attacks.
2. Physical damage can result in data loss.
3. The storage capacity of NAS is finite.

There are various methods to back up a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Let's delve into a video tutorial that explains the process in detail. Here are five key points you wouldn't want to overlook: 1. **Understanding NAS Backup Basics**: The video will likely start by introducing the importance of NAS backups and explaining the fundamentals, such as different types of backup options available. 2. **Choosing Backup Software**: It may discuss popular backup software or tools compatible with your NAS device, highlighting their features and how they contribute to an efficient backup strategy. 3. **Configuring Backup Settings**: The tutorial will probably demonstrate how to set up and configure backup settings on your NAS device, including scheduling regular backups, selecting files and folders to include, and determining backup destinations. 4. **Cloud Integration**: If applicable, the video might cover integrating your NAS with cloud services for additional security and offsite storage, discussing pros and cons, and showing how to link your NAS to these services. 5. **Restoration Process**: Lastly, an essential aspect is learning how to restore data from a NAS backup. The video should guide you through this process, emphasizing the importance of testing your backup to ensure its reliability in case of data loss. Remember to take notes and pause the video as needed to follow along and fully grasp each step. Backing up your NAS is crucial for protecting your valuable data, so make sure to understand and implement a solid backup plan.

• 06:13 Ideal NAS backup solutions
• 06:37 Main ways of building a NAS
• 11:09 Mobile devices
• 11:37 Using your own NAS
• 13:32 Backup with PC

Copy NAS to External Hard Drive or USB Drive

A NAS (Network Attached Storage) device typically features one or more USB ports, allowing you to connect USB flash drives. To back up data from your NAS to a USB drive, you would connect the drive to one of these ports. Then, you would use the web-based management interface provided by the NAS manufacturer to initiate and perform the manual backup process.

This part will show you how to back up NAS to an external hard drive. Now, let's learn the details.

Step 1. Connect your NAS device to an external hard drive or USB drive.

Step 2. Access your NAS' built-in web page.

Step 3. Choose the data and files you wish to back up manually.

Step 4. Wait for the transfer process to complete, then safely disconnect your external hard drive or USB drive.

Back up NAS with Disk Backup Software

It's straightforward to back up your NAS to a local PC using disk backup software. All you need is Todo Backup Home to assist you in securing the data on your NAS.

What tools Todo Backup can do:

• Disk backup and recovery. You can back up data from a local disk, external hard drive, and network drive.
• Files backup and recovery. You can back up your NAS with full backup, differential backup, and incremental backup.
• Multiple backup options. It allows you to back up data to a local drive, cloud, NAS, and Security zone.
• It can help you backup network drive to an external hard drive and clone a hard drive.

We can back up NAS with tools Todo Backup in the following steps.

Step 1. Begin by selecting the backup content.

Step 2. There are four backup categories: File, Disk, OS, and Mail. Click on Disk.

Step 3. You can choose to back up the entire disk or a specific partition. Select the one you need and click OK.

Step 4. Choose the location where you want to save the backup.

Step 5. For disk/partition backup, you can opt to save the backup to a local drive or to a NAS.

Step 6. Once the backup process is finished, the task will be displayed on the left. Right-click on any of the tasks to manage your backup further, such as recovering it, creating an incremental backup, and more.

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Backup NAS to Cloud Drive (Google Drive)

Backing up NAS to a Cloud drive is also an advisable method. Disks or external hard drives can fail, but using a cloud drive protects against physical damage.

Let's begin by backing up Synology NAS to a cloud drive, using Google Drive as an example.

Step 1. Download and install Cloud Sync.

Step 2. Launch the Cloud Sync interface and click on "+". Select "Google Drive," hit "Next," and log in to your account to link your Synology NAS.

Step 3: Finish backup settings. Select "Upload local changes only", then click "Next".

Step 4. Complete advanced settings. Here, you can filter out unwanted files and encrypt your files. Click "OK" to proceed.

Step 5. Click "Apply" to complete creating a backup task. You can view your sync tasks on the "Task List" interface.

Conclusion

A NAS (Network Attached Storage) device is beneficial for both home users and enterprise users. For home users, it enables the backup of photos and movies, sharing of documents, and storage of essential files. For enterprise users, it provides a central location to store and manage important data, facilitating collaboration and ensuring file security.

To ensure the safety of your valuable data, don't forget to backup your NAS. We highly recommend using Todo Backup as your backup tool. It not only supports backing up NAS data to an external hard drive but also to cloud storage. This efficient solution saves time while keeping your data secure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up NAS

You can read more tips about backing up NAS in this section.

Yes, it is possible to back up a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device to an external hard drive. Here's a simple explanation: 1. **Connect the External Hard Drive**: First, connect your external hard drive to the NAS device using a USB cable or any other appropriate connection method supported by both devices. 2. **Configuration**: Access the NAS management interface, usually through a web browser by entering the NAS's IP address. Log in with your administrator credentials. 3. **Backup Software**: Most NAS devices come with built-in backup software or support third-party backup solutions. Look for a "backup" or "scheduling" option in the settings menu. Some popular NAS backup software includes QNAP's Qsync, Synology's HyperBackup, or WD's My Cloud Mirror. 4. **Create Backup Job**: Configure a new backup job that specifies the source (NAS folders or volumes) and the destination (your external hard drive). You might have options like incremental or differential backups, which only backup changes since the last backup, saving time and space. 5. **Set Scheduling**: Determine how often you want the backup to run - daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also set specific times for the backup process. 6. **Start Backup**: Initiate the first backup manually, and subsequent backups will occur according to the schedule you've set. 7. **Monitor Progress**: Keep an eye on the backup progress to ensure it completes successfully. If needed, adjust settings or troubleshoot any issues that arise. Remember, it's essential to regularly test the backup to ensure the data can be restored when needed. Also, consider having multiple backup copies and storing them in different locations for added data security.

Yes, you can directly back up your NAS to an external hard drive or utilize disk backup software, such as Todo Backup.

1. Click "Select backup contents" to initiate the backup process. 2. Choose "File" as the type of content to backup. 3. You can select both local and network files for backup. 4. Designate the location where you want to save the backup. 5. Click "Backup Now" to start the backup procedure.

Can I connect the NAS directly to the PC?

Yes, you can indeed connect a NAS (Network Attached Storage) directly to your PC. All you need to ensure is that both your NAS device and your PC are connected to the same network. Once they are on the same network, your PC should be able to detect and access the NAS automatically.

Yes, you can transfer files between a Synology NAS and a computer using a USB cable. This method typically involves connecting an external hard drive or USB flash drive to the Synology NAS, copying the desired files to the external storage, and then connecting that same storage device to your computer to transfer the files. Here's a step-by-step guide: 1. Connect the external hard drive or USB flash drive to one of the USB ports on your Synology NAS. 2. Log in to the Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) interface through a web browser on your computer. 3. Navigate to the "Control Panel" and then click on "Hardware & Power." 4. Locate the connected USB device under the "USB Devices" section. You may need to mount or format the device first if it's not recognized automatically. 5. Copy the files you want to transfer from the NAS to the connected USB drive using DSM's file manager, such as "File Station." 6. Safely eject the USB device from the NAS by clicking the "Eject" button in DSM or following the appropriate procedure for your NAS model. 7. Connect the USB drive to your computer. 8. On your computer, access the files on the USB drive and copy them to the desired location. Please note that this process is indirect, as it uses the USB drive as a medium for transferring files between the NAS and the computer. For direct transfer without a USB drive, you can use network-based methods like SMB, AFP, or NFS shares, or cloud-based solutions like Synology's Cloud Station.

Synology NAS devices do not support file transfer to computers via a USB cable; however, you can back up Synology NAS data to an external hard drive.

1. Connect your external hard drive or USB drive to the Synology NAS. 2. Open the built-in webpage of your Synology NAS. 3. Select the files and data you wish to manually back up. 4. Wait for the transfer to complete.

How can I clone my NAS?

You can clone your NAS (Network Attached Storage) by using cloning software, such as Todo Backup.

1. Select the tools and choose the clone option.
2. Choose your NAS (Network Attached Storage) device.
3. Determine the destination location for your image files.
4. Click "Next" to initiate the process.