Install a good file sharing client, like Transmission, and you can set up the connection and leave the NAS to manage downloads and uploads – and you’ve even got the file you wanted somewhere accessible and central when it’s done. Why tie up a PC or laptop downloading torrents when you can get your NAS doing it, quietly, in the background.

You’ll even find applications covering specific sectors or industries, such as Moodle in the education sector. For instance, if you’re looking for a CRM, both SugarCRM and Vtiger are available on a range of different NAS appliances from different manufacturers, while OrangeHRM will have you covered for HRM. Your business may not have the budget to run expensive, server-based enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), human resource management (HRM) or accountancy packages, but open-source alternatives are available, and many of these will serve a small office happily from a NAS. A NAS can even facilitate containerised apps like Kubernetes. A good range of APIs are available for NAS devices, and apps can be installed to handle version tracking or overall project management.

Web and server developers can use a NAS as the perfect development platform for server-side applications. In IT departments, virtual machines can be very useful for testing unknown applications, running software in very specific environments, and even for observing the effects of malware strains in the hands of security researchers.

Best nas for home media server