Can You Backup a NAS to External Hard Drive?
The full name of NAS is network-attached storage, and it is a storage device. NAS is a combination of software and hardware which obeys the protocols like NFS and SMB. It is used to share files with other devices that join the computer network. NAS helps various users to access the files on it in a fast and secure way. But only storing files on NAS seems not inadequate, it may be better to backup NAS to a cloud or an external HDD and you can see the reasons from the following 3 perspectives:
- Avoid Data Loss: Because NAS combines hardware and software, if the hardware part is broken or the software part is attacked, the data on NAS may lose. This may have a bad effect on data use, even information security. Thus, it can help you reduce the loss if you backup NAS to external HDD.
- Save NAS Storage: Although you can expand the storage of NAS if it is not enough to use, there is still a limitation to the expansion. If the storage can’t meet your need and you don’t want to add extra NAS drives, you can use an external hard drive to save the files on NAS instead.
- Improve Work Efficiency: Since the NAS's performance depends much on the network stability, you may find it slow to access the files if there are too many people using it at the same time. In this regard, if you backup Synology NAS to external hard drive, you can access these files quickly, even if there is no network connection.
How to Backup NAS to External Hard Drive [2 Ways]
You can use the free third-party service AOMEI Backupper or via dragging and dropping the files to backup NAS. Look through the specific illustrations below and choose the one you preferred to try.
Way 1: Via AOMEI Backupper
provides the service of Backup, Sync, Restore, and Clone to protect your data. It offers you multiple types of backup options, such as Full Backup, Differential Backup, and Incremental Backup. Therefore, you can use AOMEI Backupper to backup NAS to an external hard drive or other local folders. This method is also very easy to master with only 5 steps. AOMEI Backupper
Step 1: Download AOMEI Backupper for free and open it. Also, plug your hard drive into the computer.
Step 2: Turn to the Backup function and click “File Backup”.
Step 3: Choose Add Folder or Add File according to your requirement, then open Share/NAS.
Step 4: Click “Add Share or NAS Device” at the lower left and put in the Display Name and Network Path, then click the button “OK”.
Step 5: Click the second box and select your external hard drive as the destination. Then click “Start Backup” and you finish your operations to backup NAS to external hard drive.
Way 2: via Drag & Drop
Step 1: Plug your external hard drive into the NAS device to make a connection between them.
Step 2: Open File Explorer and the NAS and select the files that you are willing to backup.
Step 3: Drag the files you selected before and drop them into the hard drive folder in File Explorer. Then what you have to do is wait for the task to be accomplished.
FAQs
1. Can NAS work with external hard drive?
Yes, NAS can work with external hard drives. By connecting an external hard drive to the NAS, you can expand its storage capacity, create backups, or transfer data between the NAS and the external drive. This provides flexibility and additional storage options for your NAS setup.
2. Where do I backup my NAS?
You can backup your NAS to various storage options. The most common choices are external hard drives, cloud storage services, network backups to another NAS or server, or even a combination of these methods for added redundancy and data protection.
3. Can I backup NAS to Google Drive?
Yes, you can easily backup NAS to Google Drive through MultCloud Cloud Backup. Just create an account, add NAS and Google Drive to it, and start the backup process. All the operations are quite simple and the service is free.
Bonus Tip: Backup NAS to Google Drive via MultCloud
In this section, we will tell you the detailed steps with pictures for using MultCloud to backup Nas to Google Drive. After following the steps, your problems can be handled as soon as possible.
Step 1: Enter the MultCloud website and sign up for free.
Step 2: Add NAS and Google Drive to MultCloud by clicking their icons and logging in to your accounts.
Step 3: Click “Cloud Backup” in the left bar, and add NAS and Google Drive to the corresponding boxes. Then select the files that you’d like to backup and click “Backup Now” in the right corner. Finally, your operation is finished.
Tips:
- If you want to make the backup regular, you can tick “Schedule” in the lower place. After you open the Schedule interface, choose an exact time for the backup process to run.
- If you only want to backup the documents, videos, or photos from NAS to Google Drive, you can the Filter feature to let MultCloud select instead. Enter the file extensions and save the settings and you can free your hand from the troublesome file selection task.
Conclusion
You can practice with the above 2 ways to backup NAS to external hard drive and these 2 ways must solve your problems effectively. Besides, if you want to know the best way to backup NAS to Google Drive or another cloud, don't hesitate to use MultCloud.
What's more, MultCloud provides you with other great functions like Cloud Transfer, Cloud Sync, and Email Migration. Whenever you face a situation that needs to transfer OneDrive files to Google Drive, Cloud Transfer can do you a big favor with just a few clicks.
MultCloud Supports Clouds
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Google Drive
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Google Workspace
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OneDrive
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OneDrive for Business
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SharePoint
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Dropbox
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Dropbox Business
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MEGA
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Google Photos
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iCloud Photos
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FTP
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box
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box for Business
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pCloud
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Baidu
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Flickr
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HiDrive
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Yandex
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NAS
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WebDAV
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MediaFire
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iCloud Drive
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WEB.DE
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Evernote
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Amazon S3
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Wasabi
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ownCloud
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MySQL
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Egnyte
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Putio
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ADrive
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SugarSync
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Backblaze
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CloudMe
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MyDrive
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Cubby