NAS and DAS, in general, are both very compelling products.
Do I want both? Sure I do. If I can only have one not both which would I chose?
Let me go through this NAS vs DAS in reference to the TerraMaster NAS F4-210 & DAS D5-300C.
NAS F4-210 delivers file storage, multimedia management, data backup, cloud synchronization,and remote access solutions, "and many more" (
https://www.terra-master.com/global/pro ... 210-1.html).
As a TNAS owner, I understand what the above functions mean.
I understand too that the TNAS attaches to a network.
I also know that TerraMaster deliver their "many more" solutions claim via the increasing number of "native" apps (although I would like to see TerraMaster bump up the speed in this area) and with Docker "container apps". With Docker, options are limited only by one's ability to install and maintain Docker containers.
I have not used any DAS before.
The very little I know about DAS and TDAS D5-300C comes from reviews online.
This review (
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/terramast ... 0c-review/) describes the DAS D5-300C as an enclosure to hold multiple hard drives. Using a very fast UCB-C interface, it can be connected to a running computer (including mobile phone) as an external storage, but cannot be connected to a network.
If the DAS D5-300C is basically a fast external storage, I would imagine that the uses as described in the product page (
https://www.terra-master.com/global/pro ... -300c.html) refer to those areas where one may require file/data storage:
"D5-300C is usable for various data application including video editing, photo backup, research and development, technical document preservation, file backup, music library, financial records, video surveillance, and corporate data storage."
Both the TerraMaster NAS F4-210 & DAS D5-300C are storage solutions. Their difference in this area lies in the TNAS being a storage solution accessible through a network while files/data held in the TDAS can be accessed by directly attaching the device to a running computer.
TNAS F4-210 is more than a storage solution, as described above.
Would the extra functionality make NAS F4-210 better than DAS D5-300C? Not really.
Both have their use case for me.
Which between NAS F4-210 & DAS D5-300C would I prefer?
When I am out looking to buy anything, I set my mind on what I need and pick the product that best fulfills that need.
As I already own a TNAS my answer to the question would be the NAS F4-210. It's because I can use a second NAS as an automatic redundancy backup (was I being redundant with that?)