Permits files to be stored and retrieved on a network. The NAS authenticates users and manages file operations in much the same way as traditional file servers do through protocols such as NFS and CIFS/SMB, but at a much lower cost. Rather than use all-purpose computer systems with Windows XP, which drives up the price, NAS tends to use a small operating system embedded in a simplified hardware platform. Though NAS boxes support hard drives and at times tape drives, they do not have input/output devices such as a monitor or keyboard. NAS is easier to manage than a file server because it is designed specifically for network storage. Attacks to these systems are not widely known, but that might be because they are not yet widely installed throughout industry.

See Also: Network; Network File Systems (NFS).