Network hard drives for beginners

Network attached storage (NAS) is simplified and used like a personal cloud.

When using electronic devices, data is constantly being generated. With the advancement of technology, this amount continues to grow. Starting from a maximum of 8 GB on the first-generation iPhone, the highest storage capacity now reaches 1 TB on the 16 Pro series. Alongside storage capacity, accessibility is also a challenge many people face with external storage solutions.

Cloud solutions have been steadily growing in recent years. However, with the ballooning amount of data, the number of users paying Google, Apple, or Microsoft continues to rise. Packages based on terabytes of data are becoming increasingly expensive.

Simultaneously, network attached storage (NAS) solutions, widely used in businesses, are becoming more accessible to retail customers. Synology is a global leader in this field. At Computex 2025, they introduced BeeStation Plus as an option for customers to get started with NAS.

Network hard drives with operating systems are known for their fast connectivity and ease of use, but setting them up isn't easy for users who aren't tech-savvy. Optimizing and maintaining the system, or troubleshooting, also presents a difficult challenge.

The BeeStation Plus model has an 8 TB capacity and costs around 10 million VND.

BeeStation was stripped of almost all customization options. Users only needed to connect a network cable and power supply to run it. It interacted with computers via web browsers as well as mobile applications. Customers utilized the device like a cloud service similar to Google Drive or iCloud.

The upgrade adds an 8TB option. This ensures a family can flexibly use it for the next 7-10 years without worrying about storage. That's equivalent to 3 million photos or 500 hours of 4K video . The new model can run as a central data storage hub for security cameras or a comprehensive movie library via the Plex tool.

Compared to conventional NAS devices, BeeStation Plus cannot replace external hard drives with external ones. This means that RAID configurations for speed enhancement or backup are not yet functional. The simplified operating system and basic configuration also prevent BeeStation Plus from running complex tools like those found in DSM.

In return, the initial investment cost is lower. The 8TB version of BeeStation Plus costs around $410 (10 million VND). This is equivalent to 5 years of using Google Drive's 2TB plan. Upgrading from the 128GB to 1TB version of the iPhone 16 Pro also costs around 15 million VND.

Compared to the original version, the new BeeStation also features AI for image classification. The app automatically categorizes uploaded photos by location, face, and other relevant information. The solution also allows synchronization with files from Google Drive and Dropbox, enabling seamless integration with a single cloud service.

However, the product also has the inherent problems of network hard drives. BeeStation works well with a stable network. The product stops working when the power goes out and does not operate continuously like cloud storage. In return, the cost and ample storage capacity help users save significantly.