A NAS is one of the devices you expect to be available 24/7, working around the clock to allow seamless file transfer and retrieval. The thing is, running non-stop means that even small differences in power consumption can add up on your electricity bill. The savings won’t be huge, but you can still shave more than a few bucks off your monthly costs by avoiding the following NAS mistakes.
Having too many drives in your NAS
Using fewer, higher-capacity HDDs is better
Higher-capacity hard drives typically use more power than smaller drives, both when idle and under load, largely because they contain more platters. However, the difference is relatively small, and in most cases, using fewer high-capacity drives results in lower overall power consumption.
Quiz
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
From basement file servers to enterprise data vaults — test how much you really know about NAS technology.
HistoryHardwareUse CasesProtocolsSecurity
Which company is widely credited with introducing one of the first commercially successful NAS appliances in the early 1990s?
Correct! Auspex Systems released the NS3000 in 1989, widely regarded as one of the earliest dedicated NAS appliances. They pioneered the concept of a standalone file server accessible over a network, laying the groundwork for the modern NAS industry.
Not quite. The answer is Auspex Systems, which launched one of the first dedicated NAS appliances — the NS3000 — back in 1989. While companies like Synology and QNAP are household names today, Auspex was breaking new ground decades before them.
Which network file sharing protocol is primarily used by NAS devices to serve files to Windows-based clients?
Correct! SMB (Server Message Block) is the dominant protocol for file sharing with Windows clients. Originally developed by IBM and later popularized by Microsoft, SMB is what allows Windows machines to seamlessly browse and access NAS shares as if they were local drives.
Not quite. The answer is SMB (Server Message Block). NFS is the protocol of choice for Linux and Unix clients, iSCSI is used for block-level storage, and FTP is a general file transfer protocol not optimized for seamless file system integration.
What does the RAID level ‘5’ specifically require as a minimum number of drives to function?
Correct! RAID 5 requires a minimum of three drives. It stripes data and parity information across all drives, meaning it can tolerate the failure of one drive without any data loss — making it a popular choice for NAS users who want a balance of performance, capacity, and redundancy.
Not quite. RAID 5 requires a minimum of three drives. The parity data distributed across all drives allows one drive to fail without losing data. RAID 1 only needs two drives, while RAID 6 requires four — so options vary depending on your redundancy needs.
What is ‘media server’ functionality on a NAS most commonly used for in a home environment?
Correct! Media server functionality — often powered by software like Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin running on the NAS — allows you to stream your locally stored media collection to TVs, phones, tablets, and more. It essentially turns your NAS into a personal Netflix for your own content library.
Not quite. The core use of a NAS media server is streaming locally stored movies, music, and photos to other devices on your network. Software like Plex or Jellyfin handles the heavy lifting, including transcoding video on the fly for devices that need it.
What is the ‘3-2-1 backup rule’ that NAS users are often advised to follow?
Correct! The 3-2-1 rule means: keep 3 total copies of your data, store them on 2 different types of media (e.g., NAS and external drive), and keep 1 copy in an offsite or cloud location. This strategy protects against hardware failure, theft, fire, and other disasters that could wipe out local backups.
Not quite. The 3-2-1 rule stands for: 3 copies of your data, stored on 2 different media types, with 1 copy kept offsite. It’s a best-practice framework designed to ensure your data survives almost any disaster scenario, from a failed hard drive to a house fire.
Which protocol allows a NAS to present storage to a computer as if it were a locally attached block device, rather than a file share?
Correct! iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface) transmits SCSI commands over IP networks, allowing a NAS to present raw block storage to a host computer. The computer then formats and manages that storage like a local disk — making iSCSI ideal for virtual machines and databases that need low-level disk access.
Not quite. The answer is iSCSI. Unlike SMB or NFS, which share files over a network, iSCSI exposes raw block storage — the host computer sees a NAS volume as though it were a physically attached hard drive, which is critical for workloads like virtual machine datastores.
Which of the following best describes a ‘surveillance station’ use case for a NAS?
Correct! Many NAS brands — including Synology and QNAP — offer dedicated surveillance station software that turns the NAS into a Network Video Recorder (NVR). It can connect to multiple IP cameras, record footage continuously or on motion detection, and store months of video locally without a subscription fee.
Not quite. A surveillance station on a NAS refers to software that connects to IP security cameras, records video footage, and stores it locally. This makes a NAS a powerful and cost-effective alternative to cloud-based security systems, since you own and control all your recorded footage.
Synology, one of the most recognized NAS brands today, was founded in which year and country?
Correct! Synology was founded in Taiwan in 2000 and has grown into one of the most beloved NAS manufacturers in the world. Their DiskStation Manager (DSM) operating system is frequently praised for its polished interface and rich feature set, making Synology a top choice for both home users and businesses.
Not quite. Synology was founded in Taiwan in 2000. Taiwan has become a major hub for NAS hardware development, with competitors like QNAP also headquartered there. Synology’s DiskStation Manager software helped set the standard for what a user-friendly NAS experience could look like.
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For instance, a WD Red Pro 12TB HDD draws between 6W and 8.8W when active (depending on the variant) and about 2.8W when idle, while a 24TB model draws a similar amount of power under load but around 3.6W when idle. So if you replace two 12TB drives with a single 24TB drive, you can cut active power consumption in half, with idle consumption dropping from about 5.6W to 3.6W. The savings aren’t huge, but they can add up in NAS systems with many drive bays.
Please stop putting desktop hard drives in your NAS
Don’t start your NAS journey off on the wrong foot.
Ignoring power-saving settings
You can save a decent chunk of power with just a few tweaks
Many first-time NAS users simply leave their device running 24/7, but in reality, you may not need it working around the clock. The good news is that most NAS models support scheduled shutdowns and startups. For example, you can set the device to power off overnight and turn back on in the morning, which can save you a nice chunk of change over time. That said, this isn’t viable for every setup. If your NAS handles tasks beyond storage (e.g., as a media server or self-hosting machine), it’s often better to keep it running continuously.
Wake-on-LAN (WoL) is another handy feature supported by many NAS devices. It allows the system to remain powered off or in a very low-power state and then be turned on remotely over the network when needed. WoL is a solid alternative to scheduled shutdowns.
- CPU
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Intel x86 Quad-Core CPU
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4GB
Some NAS operating systems also offer predefined power-saving profiles that can reduce energy usage without manual tuning. Instead of configuring everything yourself, you can select a power-saving mode and let the OS do the work.
If you’ve repurposed an old PC as a NAS, it’s also worth checking the BIOS for power-saving options. On AMD systems, you can reduce power consumption by undervolting the CPU or enabling ECO Mode, which lowers the CPU’s power limit (TDP).
If the CPU in question is Intel, you should make sure MCE (Multicore Enhancement) is disabled, as it allows all CPU cores to run at their maximum boost clock simultaneously, which consumes more power. You can also fine-tune power limits (PL1/PL2) to achieve similar results.
Never spinning drives down
Give your storage drives some rest
HDD hibernation, also known as drive spindown, is a somewhat controversial topic in the NAS community. While enabling it can lower power usage and reduce noise and heat, it may also introduce additional wear. Spinning drives up after an idle period also causes a brief surge in power draw as the platters accelerate from 0RPM to operating speed.
Hard drives are rated for a limited number of start/stop (load/unload or spin-up/down) cycles, since spinning a drive down and back up puts stress on the motor and related components. On the other hand, keeping drives running 24/7 also contributes to gradual wear. At the end of the day, HDDs will age either way, no matter whether you hibernate them or not.
Using an aggressive spin-down timer (say, 10 minutes) can be detrimental to your NAS drives, as it may lead to frequent cycling and increased wear. On the other hand, you shouldn’t keep your drives running nonstop either. Setting them to spin down after, say, one hour of inactivity means they’ll cycle only a few times per day during idle periods while also consuming less power. Given that the average NAS HDD is rated for tens of thousands of start/stop cycles (often ~50,000 or more), this approach is generally well within safe limits for long-term use.
Using HDD hibernation can also be an effective alternative to scheduled power-offs, allowing your NAS to remain accessible 24/7 while still reducing power usage during idle periods.
Using a power-guzzling CPU
There are plenty of efficient CPUs out there
Modern CPUs can be impressively efficient while still packing a decent punch. Intel’s N-series chips, for example, sip power when idle and typically draw between 10W and 35W under load, which is far lower than a typical desktop CPU. Prebuilt NAS devices are usually powered by low-power x86 or ARM processors, but if you’re building your own NAS, it’s easy to end up with a power-hungry system.
Now, if you’ve repurposed an old PC as a NAS, there’s no reason to worry about CPU power consumption because the cost of replacing the CPU and (perhaps) the motherboard will likely outweigh any realistic savings on your electricity bill from using a more efficient CPU. However, if you’re building a NAS from scratch, it makes sense to choose a low-power CPU if you care about power efficiency. You can also undervolt the CPU or enable power-saving BIOS settings, which can further reduce power draw.
A power-efficient NAS won’t only save you cash
Optimizing your NAS for lower power usage won’t only reduce your electricity bill, but it will also help it run cooler and quieter. Drives will generate less heat overall, and the CPU won’t waste energy boosting unnecessarily for lightweight tasks.
After you optimize your NAS to use less power you should learn Docker, which can open up a wide range of additional use cases and let you use it for a ton of cool stuff beyond its primary role.
7/10
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8-core
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4GB LPDDR4X RAM
This unified storage hub supports massive capacity up to 60TB. Unlike cloud storage with recurring monthly fees, a UGREEN NAS enclosure requires only a one-time purchase for long-term use. Equipped with a high-performance processor, 1GbE port, and 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, this NAS handles multiple tasks with ease.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
