Dive Brief:

• Network attached storage tools offer districts a secure, cost-effective way to rapidly store data and allow multiple users access.
• Historically, schools have relied on more insecure methods like USB drives or slower ones like cloud storage.
• Meanwhile, network attached storage allows schools to keep their current infrastructure, while accessing the benefits of virtual storage.

Dive Insight:

As with so many tools, network attached storage systems offer challenges as well. For example, they likely need to be part of a larger approach to securing data, as they can be destroyed, stolen, or damaged. Without backup systems, retrieving the data would be difficult or impossible.

But if some of those concerns are addressed, Brian Chee, an IT specialist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, says they can be a powerful tool for schools: “It’s no longer as hard to implement, it’s no longer hard to set up remote access, and it’s no longer hard to expand.”