Jan 27, 2024 • Filed to: Take Data Backup • Proven solutions
There are the basic methods for storing important files, such as on your PC’s hard drives or external storage devices (e.g., flash drives and hard disks). However, both methods listed above, though easily accessible, can be very unreliable at times. This is why many other ways to store your important files are available nowadays. One of the most reliable ways to do this is through NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices.
NAS devices are perfect for storing your files because you can access them through your local network or the internet. This means that you can easily access them through your devices at home or even when you’re thousands of miles away from your home. You do not have to carry any external hard drives around to access your files.
What makes them even better is that you can connect them to your smart TV to play media files, and they are compatible with all types of operating systems across all devices. This article will discuss why you should perform NAS cloud backups to enjoy their full capabilities even further. However, cloud backup for NAS devices can be tricky. This is because they do not support all cloud storage services. However, we’ll recommend a software that can help you circumvent this limitation. Keep reading to learn more!
While NAS devices are great for storing your files, you should not use them as a backup device. This is because even though they serve as excellent storage devices, they are hardware devices. Every hardware device is prone to damage after an extended period of use. Even if the NAS device doesn’t get damaged, the hard drives could.
Performing a NAS cloud backup is vital, especially if you run a business organization. This way, if your NAS device gets damaged, you can easily keep the company running with the data stored in the cloud. When the NAS device gets re-installed, restoring your data is even easier thanks to the cloud backup storage. Here are a few other reasons you should backup your NAS device to the cloud:
Storing your data to the cloud helps to fulfill the laws of the 3-2-1 data storage principle. This states that you should have three different data backups with at least two of them in different formats, and one of them should be in a different backup location. With NAS cloud backup, you can fulfill this law very easily. All you need to add is a local NAS backup software like AOMEI Backupper, and you’re good to go.
You’ll agree that it can be quite annoying to have to carry those pesky external drives along with you whenever you go out. However, using a NAS box with cloud backup will allow you to access your files in two different online locations. This way, working in any location is significantly easier.
With NAS cloud storage, you can have your files secured by yourself and your cloud service provider at once. Your files are safer this way, and one of them will come through if the other fails.
This section will discuss the best way to backup NAS to the cloud. As we mentioned earlier, some of these devices might not work with all cloud storage services. However, we found a software that can perform any type of cloud backup for NAS devices. The name is AOMEI Backupper. This software can sync and backup your device to any kind of cloud service. Want to know how to go about it?
Step 1 - Download and install any cloud drive of your choice to your computer. For this example, we’ll be using OneDrive.
Step 2 - Download and install the Backupper software to your computer. After this, launch the software.
Step 3 - After launching the software, it takes you to the home interface. To pair your QNAP NAS box with cloud backup, click on ‘Backup’ then select ‘File Backup.’
Step 4 - In the next window, you’ll add the files or folders you have on your Network Attached Storage that you’ll like to backup to your cloud service. To do this, you click on ‘Add file’ or ‘Add folder.’ A prompt will ask you to add your NAS drive. Select your NAS drive using the left-placed sidebar and click on 'Open' to dismiss the prompt.
Step 5 - The next window will display a Network Location Management page. Click on 'Add Network Location' and enter your NAS drive's name or IP address. If the drive is encrypted, don't forget to input your username and password as well.
Step 6 - On the next page, Backupper will show you the contents of your QNAP NAS drive. Select the file(s) you’ll like to store to your online backup for NAS devices. Click on ‘Ok’ when done.
Step 7 - The software will then bring up the filter settings page. Here, you can choose not to backup specific file formats, and you can also schedule automated backups to make cloud backup for NAS devices even easier. However, this feature is only available in the Professional edition.
Step 8 - You’ll then return to Backupper’s main interface page. Click on the triangle icon (on the right side, next to the folder-shaped icon). Then, click on 'Select a Cloud Drive.' You can set-up more advanced options by clicking on 'Options,’ 'Schedule,’ or 'Scheme' in the bottom portion of Backupper's interface.
Step 9 - It takes you to the ‘Select Cloud’ page, where you choose the cloud service provider you want to backup your NAS drive to. If you can’t find it, then try reinstalling the cloud backup software.
Step 10- It will then return you to the home interface. Click on ‘Start Backup’ to combine your NAS box with cloud backup. That’s all. Your QNAP NAS cloud backup is complete!
WD has attained quite significant success with its unashamedly consumer-friendly My Cloud products, which can stream to any DLNA-compliant device and be accessed via mobile apps for iOS and Android. The MyCloud drives have been lauded for their straightforward setup and fast performance.
MyCloud is available in 2TB, 3TB and 4TB capacities. MyCloud is based on Western Digital's WD Red hard drives specifically designed for regular NAS use and features a new dual-core processor. It's NTFS formatted and is compatible with Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (SP3), Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, and Snow Leopard.
To carry out your WD NAS cloud backup, you simply have to follow the process above and switch in the WD NAS drive wherever necessary.
Buffalo is one of the biggest names in the NAS drive business also. Having made renowned products like the Terastation and Linskation lines, they’ve cemented their spot as one of the best in the business. The latter is renowned for its ability to integrate directly with BitTorrent, which means that it can download files for you even when your PC is not on.
You won’t need to worry as much about your downloads getting interrupted. Like many of the other devices listed, you can also stream to it via various devices, it's platform-agnostic, and you can use it as an iTunes server. It also comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 2TB to 8TB.
To perform your Buffalo NAS backup to cloud, all you need to do is to follow the steps listed for the QNAP NAS cloud backup and select your Buffalo NAS drive wherever necessary.
If you’re familiar with NAS drives, there’s a high chance you’ve come across a Seagate product before. Just like WD, they are also known for their consumer-friendly products, and the Seagate Personal Cloud NAS drive is a product that goes blow-for-blow with WD’s ‘My Cloud.’
The Personal Cloud can be used to stream video or music to a number of devices, from smartphones and tablets to Roku, Google Chromecast, and a number of smart TVs. It also supports local file system backup including Apple's Time Machine. We also appreciate the no-fuss appearance of this unit, meaning it fits easily under a router or on a shelf. Plus, it can work with cloud accounts – like Dropbox and Google Drive.
Backupper can not only perform NAS cloud backups but can do a whole lot more. Apart from backing up NAS drives to the cloud, here are a few other functions that Backupper can execute:
AOMEI offers both local and cloud storage features to its users. Under backup, you can have a file backup, system backup, partition backup or disk backup.
Backupper is widening the gap between it and other local backup software by including the cloud sync. With this feature, you can sync files from online backup services such as OneDrive and Google Drive.
You can also clone your files by using AOMEI Backupper. Similar to the backup process, there are many types of cloning. You can do a disk clone, system clone, command line clone, partition clone and clone with partition alignment.
You can also restore your files using the Restore feature. There are different restoring processes when using Backupper. Each one depends on the backup mode.
You may also like: QNAP NAS Data Recovery
Instead of trying to choose between NAS drives and cloud backup, the best practice is to combine both to give you the best results. There's no other local backup software that can facilitate your NAS cloud backup better than Backupper. This article addresses how you can use the software to facilitate NAS cloud backups for different brands of NAD drives.
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Amy Dennis
staff Editor