Independent Australian Storage & Infrastructure Authority

NAS for Lawyers and Law Firms Australia

Australian lawyers face strict record-keeping obligations, with some files requiring indefinite retention. A NAS gives law firms on-premises control over client files, matter documents, and privileged communications without relying on third-party cloud providers that may store data offshore.

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Our Pick

Synology DS225+

The DS225+ supports user and group permissions and configurable file-operation logging, but these controls must be enabled and governed appropriately and do not by themselves establish legal compliance. A UPS and off-site backup improve resilience, but applicable retention, safe-custody and trust-account requirements must still be assessed for the document type and jurisdiction.

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  • Drive Bays: 2x 3.5"/2.5" SATA, 1x 2.5GbE + 1x 1GbE

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Australian lawyers have some of the longest and most complex document retention obligations of any profession. Retention periods vary by document type, client instructions and jurisdiction. The current ASCR uses a seven-year rule for client documents subject to contrary legal obligations, while original safe-custody documents and trust records require separate analysis. A network-attached storage (NAS) device gives your firm on-premises control over matter files, client correspondence, trust account records, court documents, and privileged communications. Unlike cloud-only solutions where data may traverse international servers, a NAS keeps everything physically within your office. This can support security controls relevant to professional and state-based obligations and, where the Privacy Act 1988 applies to the firm, the Australian Privacy Principles; it does not establish compliance by itself.

In short: A 4-bay NAS in the $550-$1,000 range (diskless) suits most solo practitioners and small firms. For firms with 3-10 lawyers, a Synology DS925+ or QNAP TS-464 provides the storage capacity, encryption, access controls, and remote access capabilities that legal practices require. Budget $2,000-$4,000 total including NAS-grade drives. A 3-2-1 backup strategy improves recoverability, but no NAS configuration alone satisfies regulatory requirements, and useful life depends on capacity growth, workload, maintenance and vendor support.

Why Law Firms Need On-Premises Storage

Legal practices generate and receive vast quantities of documents that must be stored securely, retained for defined periods, and produced on demand when required. Matter files, client instructions, correspondence, trust account records, court filings, contracts, discovery documents, and privileged legal advice all need to be accessible, organised, and protected. Most practice management software. Including LEAP, Smokeball, and Actionstep. Either stores data locally or synchronises with cloud infrastructure. A NAS supplements or replaces local PC storage with purpose-built hardware designed for always-on operation, data redundancy, and automated backups.

The risk of relying on a single desktop PC or an external hard drive for your firm's documents cannot be overstated. One hardware failure, one ransomware infection, or one stolen laptop can destroy years of matter files and trust records. A NAS with RAID redundancy means a single drive can fail without data loss, giving you time to replace the drive and rebuild the array. For a firm holding thousands of client files and decades of retained documents, this protection is not a technology luxury. It is a basic professional obligation. For a broader look at how NAS fits small professional practices, see our guide to NAS for small business in Australia.

Legal Professional Privilege and Data Sovereignty

Legal professional privilege is the cornerstone of the solicitor-client relationship, and how you store privileged communications has direct implications for whether that privilege holds up under scrutiny. When privileged documents are stored on cloud servers operated by third parties. Particularly servers located outside Australia. You introduce risks around who can access that data, whether foreign government agencies can compel disclosure, and whether your client can genuinely be assured their communications remain confidential.

A NAS keeps privileged files physically on your premises, under your direct control. You decide who has access, you manage the encryption keys, and you control the physical security of the device. This does not mean cloud storage is inherently incompatible with privilege obligations. But it does mean you need to conduct due diligence on any cloud provider's data sovereignty, encryption, and access policies. For many small firms, avoiding that complexity entirely by keeping data on a local NAS is the pragmatic choice. Rule 9.1 of the Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules prohibits disclosure of client-confidential information to unauthorised persons, subject to specified exceptions; physical control of storage may be one security consideration but is not a compliance safe harbour.

Data sovereignty matters. A cloud provider subject to US jurisdiction may be required under US law to produce data within its possession or control, regardless of where the data is physically stored. Regardless of where you or your client are located. Keeping the only copy on a locally controlled NAS can reduce exposure to overseas cloud-provider demands, but cloud backups, synchronisation and remote-access services must also be assessed before concluding that the risk has been removed.

Record-Keeping Obligations for Australian Lawyers

Legal record retention in Australia is governed by a combination of state and territory legal profession legislation, trust account regulations, taxation law, and professional conduct rules. The retention periods are longer and more varied than most other professions, which directly affects how you plan your NAS storage capacity. For a broader overview of compliance obligations across industries, see our guide on NAS compliance for Australian small businesses.

Document Type Minimum Retention Period Governing Authority Notes
General matter files 7 years after matter concludes State/territory legal profession acts Includes correspondence, file notes, instructions
Trust account records 7-15 years (varies by state) Legal Profession Uniform Law / state acts NSW/VIC: 7 years. QLD: 7 years. Some states require 15 years.
Wills and testamentary documents Indefinite (or until returned to client) Professional conduct rules Must be stored securely. loss of a will is a serious professional liability
Deeds and original documents Indefinite (or until returned to client) Professional conduct rules Safe custody obligations apply
Conveyancing files 15 years minimum (some indefinite) State-based requirements Title-related documents may need indefinite retention
Tax and BAS records 5-7 years ATO requirements Firm's own financial records plus client tax work
Employment and HR records 7 years after employment ends Fair Work Act / state legislation Staff contracts, payroll, leave records
Court filings and transcripts 7 years minimum Varies by jurisdiction Retain copies of all filed documents

The practical takeaway is that law firms accumulate documents that must be retained for much longer than most businesses. A long-established practice may hold older files that still require retention because of client instructions, ongoing legal obligations, limitation issues or long-term documents, but not every twenty-year-old file is legally incapable of destruction. A NAS with expandable storage capacity. Starting at 4 bays and adding drives or expanding with additional units over time. Is a far more sustainable approach than filling external hard drives and hoping nothing fails.

Client Confidentiality and the Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules

Rule 9 of the Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules imposes a duty of confidentiality that survives the solicitor-client relationship. Meaning your obligation to protect client information continues after the matter concludes and after the client relationship ends. This has direct implications for how you store, back up, and eventually dispose of client data.

A NAS supports Rule 9 compliance through several mechanisms. First, user-level access controls ensure that only authorised staff can access specific matter folders. A paralegal working on conveyancing should not have access to criminal defence files. Second, encrypted shared folders (AES-256 on both Synology and QNAP) protect data at rest, so if the NAS is physically stolen, client data remains unreadable. Third, access logging creates an audit trail showing who accessed what files and when. Critical if you ever need to demonstrate that confidentiality was maintained during a complaint or investigation by your state law society.

Matter Management File Structures on a NAS

How you organise files on your NAS directly affects your firm's efficiency and your ability to locate documents quickly. Whether for an upcoming court hearing or a law society audit. A well-structured NAS folder hierarchy mirrors how legal practices have always organised physical files, but with the advantages of search, version control, and access logging.

A practical folder structure for a law firm NAS looks like this: a top-level shared folder for each practice area (e.g., "Conveyancing", "Family Law", "Commercial Litigation", "Criminal"), with subfolders for each matter using a consistent naming convention. Typically "[Matter Number] - [Client Surname] - [Brief Description]". Within each matter folder, use standardised subfolders: "Correspondence", "Instructions", "Court Documents", "Discovery", "Research", "Billing", and "File Notes". This structure works whether you have one lawyer or ten, and it scales cleanly as your firm grows.

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Conflict search consideration: When opening new matters, firms must conduct conflict checks across existing clients and matters. If your NAS stores matter documents, maintaining a separate conflict register (a spreadsheet or database listing all clients, related parties, and matter descriptions) on the NAS makes this process faster and more reliable. Some practice management platforms like LEAP and Smokeball have built-in conflict search. But keeping a backup register on the NAS ensures you can still run checks even if your practice management software is offline.

Encryption Requirements for Legal Data

Encryption is not optional for a law firm NAS. Client files contain sensitive personal information, privileged communications, financial records, and in some practice areas (family law, criminal defence), information that could cause serious harm if disclosed. Both Synology DSM and QNAP QTS support AES-256 shared folder encryption, which encrypts data at rest on the NAS drives.

Enable encryption on every shared folder containing client data. Store your encryption keys separately from the NAS. In a password manager or a physically separate secure location. If the NAS is stolen and the encryption key is stored on a sticky note attached to the device, the encryption is worthless. For firms using remote access (which most will. See below), ensure that connections to the NAS use TLS/SSL encryption in transit as well. Synology's QuickConnect and QNAP's myQNAPcloud both support HTTPS connections, and you should enforce HTTPS-only access to prevent unencrypted data traversal. For a comprehensive look at protecting your NAS from threats, see our NAS security and ransomware protection guide.

Remote Access for Lawyers. Working from Home, Court, and Client Sites

Modern legal practice demands access to files from outside the office. Lawyers work from home, access documents at court, prepare for hearings at client sites, and collaborate with barristers who may be anywhere in the country. A NAS that only works within the office network is not practical for how lawyers actually work in 2026.

A law firm's phone system needs that same flexibility, and NTKComms covers VOIP for Australian law firms, including staying reachable at court, at client offices, and from home without losing calls.

Both Synology and QNAP offer built-in remote access solutions. Synology's QuickConnect provides relay-based access without needing to configure your router, while Synology Drive (similar to Dropbox) allows selective file sync to laptops and mobile devices. QNAP's myQNAPcloud offers similar relay-based access, and QNAP's Qsync provides file synchronisation. For a more secure approach, both platforms support VPN server functionality. QNAP QVPN can run OpenVPN or WireGuard directly on supported NAS models; Synology VPN Server supports OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec and PPTP but does not list WireGuard.

The CGNAT Problem on Australian NBN Connections

If your office internet is on an NBN plan using Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT), direct remote access to your NAS becomes significantly more complicated. CGNAT means your office does not have a unique public IP address. Multiple customers share the same IP. Which blocks direct VPN connections and port forwarding. This is increasingly common on budget NBN plans and some 4G/5G fixed wireless connections.

If you are affected by CGNAT, you have three options. First, contact your ISP and request a static public IP address. Static-IP availability, CGNAT opt-out policies and fees vary by retail provider and plan; confirm them with the firm's ISP. Second, use Synology QuickConnect or QNAP myQNAPcloud relay services, which work around CGNAT by routing through the vendor's relay servers (slower, but functional). Third, use a third-party VPN tunnel service like Tailscale or ZeroTier, which establishes mesh connections that bypass CGNAT entirely. If a public static IP is appropriate, check availability, pricing and security requirements with the firm's ISP; provider-hosted relay or mesh-VPN options may be preferable in some deployments.

Also consider NBN upload speeds when working remotely. NBN upload capacity depends on the access technology and the selected retail and wholesale speed profile; verify the service's actual upstream rate before sizing remote-access workflows. If multiple lawyers are accessing the NAS remotely while the office is also using the connection, large file transfers will be slow. For heavier remote access, consider a business fibre plan with higher upload capacity; where symmetric speeds are required, investigate Enterprise Ethernet or another service that expressly provides them.

Recommended NAS Models for Australian Law Firms

The right NAS depends on the size of your firm and the volume of documents you manage. Prices below are from Scorptec as of February 2026 and are for the NAS unit only (diskless. Drives purchased separately).

Solo Practitioner or Small Practice (1-2 Lawyers)

The Synology DS225+ is a 2-bay NAS advertised at $599 by Scorptec when checked in August 2026 and may suit solo practitioners and very small firms. Two bays configured in RAID 1 (mirroring) give you one drive of redundancy. If a drive fails, your data is safe on the mirror. With 2 x 8TB NAS-grade drives, you get 8TB usable storage, which is more than sufficient for a solo practice managing text-heavy matter files. The DS225+ runs Synology's DSM 7 operating system with Synology Drive for file sync, Hyper Backup for automated offsite backups, and built-in VPN server for secure remote access.

Synology DiskStation DS225+
Synology DiskStation DS225+ on Amazon AU
Model Synology DS225+
Bays 2
AU Price (Scorptec) $549
RAID Configuration RAID 1 (mirroring)
Usable Capacity (2 x 8TB) ~8 TB
Suited For Solo practitioners, barristers, 1-2 lawyer practices

A 2-bay NAS has one limitation: no room to grow without replacing drives with larger ones. If you anticipate your firm growing or accumulating large volumes of scanned documents and discovery material, starting with a 4-bay unit is a better long-term investment.

Small Firm (2-5 Lawyers)

The Synology DS425+ and the Synology DS925+ are both 4-bay units that suit small firms. The DS425+ is the entry-level 4-bay with sufficient power for file serving, backup, and remote access. The DS925+ uses an AMD Ryzen V1500B processor, includes 4GB DDR4 ECC memory expandable to 32GB, has two M.2 NVMe slots for compatible cache or storage-pool configurations, and provides dual 2.5GbE ports. Better suited for firms where multiple users access files simultaneously.

Still deciding? Our top pick: Synology DS225+. Check price →
Synology DiskStation DS925+
Synology DiskStation DS925+ on Amazon AU
Model Synology DS925+
Bays 4
CPU AMD Ryzen V1500B (quad-core)
RAM 4 GB DDR4 ECC (expandable to 32 GB)
AU Price (Scorptec) $995
RAID Configuration SHR or RAID 5 (one-drive redundancy)
Usable Capacity (4 x 8TB) ~24 TB
Suited For 2-5 lawyer firms, small partnerships

The QNAP TS-464 is a strong alternative if your firm prefers QNAP's QTS interface or your IT provider has QNAP experience. It offers an Intel Celeron N5095 processor, 8GB RAM, two 2.5GbE network ports, and two M.2 NVMe SSD slots. The dual 2.5GbE ports are a genuine advantage for firms with 2.5GbE switches. A relatively inexpensive networking upgrade that provides noticeably faster file access compared to standard 1GbE.

QNAP TS-464-8G
QNAP TS-464-4G on Amazon AU
Model QNAP TS-464-8G
Bays 4
CPU Intel Celeron N5095 (quad-core)
RAM 8 GB DDR4 (expandable)
AU Price (Scorptec) $999
Network 2 x 2.5GbE
Suited For 2-5 lawyer firms wanting 2.5GbE networking

Medium Firm (5-10+ Lawyers)

Firms with five or more lawyers, particularly those handling litigation with large discovery sets, should consider a Synology DS1525+ ($1,759 from Scorptec when checked in August 2026) with five bays or the Synology DS1825+ ($1,899) with eight bays. At this scale, RAID 6 or SHR-2 (two-drive redundancy) becomes appropriate. Losing two drives simultaneously without data loss provides a meaningful safety margin when you are storing decades of client files. These models also support 10GbE expansion cards, which matters if your firm is pushing large document sets across the network. Business models at this tier are sometimes ordered through distributors rather than held in retail stock. Request a formal quote from a specialist retailer like Scorptec, PLE, or DeviceDeal, and the reseller can request pricing support from distributors to sharpen the price.

Integration with Practice Management Software

Most Australian law firms use practice management software to manage matters, time recording, billing, and document generation. Three practice-management platforms available to Australian firms are LEAP, Smokeball, and Actionstep. How your NAS integrates with these platforms depends on whether the software is cloud-hosted, locally installed, or a hybrid model.

LEAP has moved heavily toward cloud-based infrastructure, with documents stored in LEAP's cloud environment. A NAS complements LEAP as a local backup target. Back up the firm's non-LEAP documents separately, and use a LEAP-supported export, backup or continuity process for LEAP data rather than assuming that a desktop cache is a complete recoverable copy. A NAS is not LEAP's primary document store. A local continuity copy requires a vendor-supported export or backup process; it should not be inferred from locally cached application data.

Smokeball also operates primarily in the cloud but maintains local file synchronisation. Smokeball allows matter files to be downloaded locally, but its documented offline files are temporary. Use a vendor-supported export or backup procedure before treating a NAS as an independent copy of Smokeball data.

Actionstep is fully cloud-based with no local file storage. Here, a NAS serves as your independent backup repository. Export matter documents periodically and store them on the NAS to maintain a local copy that is not dependent on Actionstep's continued operation or your internet connection.

For firms using locally installed software (less common in 2026 but still found in some established practices), a NAS can serve as the primary network file share where matter documents are stored and accessed. Map the NAS shared folders as network drives on each workstation, and the experience is identical to using a traditional file server. But with better redundancy, lower power consumption, and built-in backup tools.

Ransomware Protection for Law Firms

Law firms are high-value targets for ransomware because they hold sensitive client data, time-critical court documents, and trust account records. A ransomware attack that encrypts your firm's matter files the day before a trial deadline creates enormous pressure to pay the ransom. Which is exactly what attackers count on.

A properly configured NAS provides several layers of ransomware protection. Synology's Snapshot Replication and QNAP's snapshots create point-in-time copies of your data that cannot be modified by ransomware running on a connected PC. If ransomware encrypts files on the NAS, you can roll back to a snapshot taken before the attack. Synology supports immutable snapshots on the named models. On QNAP, immutable snapshots require a compatible model running QuTS hero h6.0; ordinary QTS snapshots should not be assumed to be administrator-proof. For a detailed walkthrough, see our NAS security and ransomware protection guide.

Beyond snapshots, follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of your data, on two different media types, with one copy offsite. Your NAS is copy one. An automated backup to an external USB drive or a second NAS is copy two. An encrypted backup to a cloud service (Synology C2 or a generic S3-compatible provider) is the offsite copy three. If your NAS is destroyed by fire, flood, or theft, the offsite backup ensures your firm can recover.

Court Filing Backup and Document Versioning

Court filings represent some of the most time-sensitive and critical documents a law firm handles. Missing a filing deadline because the document was lost to a hardware failure is both a professional negligence issue and a potential disaster for your client. A NAS with versioning enabled means that every save of a court document creates a recoverable version. If a document is accidentally overwritten or corrupted, you can restore a previous version instantly.

Synology's DSM 7 supports file versioning through Synology Drive Server, which maintains previous versions of documents and allows one-click restoration. QNAP's Qsync offers similar versioning functionality. Enable versioning on all matter-related shared folders and set a retention policy that keeps at least 30 days of versions. The storage overhead is minimal for text-heavy legal documents but provides invaluable protection against accidental deletion, overwrites, and corruption.

Buying a NAS in Australia. Retailer and Pricing Context

NAS pricing in Australia is remarkably uniform across major retailers because margins are tight. The meaningful difference between retailers is stock availability, pre-sales technical knowledge, and after-sales support. For a law firm, buying from a specialist retailer like Scorptec or PLE. Where staff can provide genuine advice on which model suits your needs. Is worth more than saving $20 at a retailer that treats a NAS like any other box on a shelf.

Request a formal quote for any business NAS purchase. Resellers can request pricing support from distributors and vendors. For a law firm buying a NAS, drives, and potentially a UPS, the total order value often justifies sharpened pricing.

Australian Consumer Law protections apply when purchasing from Australian authorised retailers. This gives you statutory warranty rights beyond the manufacturer's warranty. Including rights to repair, replacement, or refund if the product fails to meet consumer guarantees. For a device that stores your firm's client files, buying from an Australian retailer with ACL coverage is non-negotiable. Parallel imports bought from an Australian business carry the usual consumer guarantees. Overseas purchases may also be covered when the seller directly offers goods to Australian consumers, although enforcement can be more difficult and some wholly overseas or freight-forwarded transactions are not covered.

NAS Setup Checklist for Law Firms

Once you have your NAS and drives, configure these settings before storing any client data. If your firm does not have in-house IT capability, engage your IT provider to complete this initial setup. Getting the foundations right from day one avoids painful reconfiguration later.

Configuration Item Why It Matters Priority
RAID configuration (SHR/RAID 5 for 4-bay, RAID 1 for 2-bay) Drive redundancy. protects against single drive failure Critical
Individual user accounts (no shared logins) Audit trail, access control, Rule 9 compliance Critical
Folder-level permissions per practice area Separation of matters, confidentiality between teams Critical
AES-256 shared folder encryption Protects data at rest if NAS is stolen Critical
Access logging enabled Supports security monitoring, incident investigation and evidentiary review; configure the required events and retention Critical
Automated backup schedule (3-2-1 strategy) Offsite copy protects against fire, flood, theft, ransomware Critical
Snapshot replication enabled Point-in-time recovery from ransomware or accidental deletion High
Remote access configured (VPN or QuickConnect/myQNAPcloud) File access from home, court, client sites High
UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected Prevents data corruption from sudden power loss High
Firmware auto-update enabled Security patches applied promptly Medium

Related reading: our NAS buyer's guide.

Real estate agencies share many document management and compliance challenges with legal firms. Our NAS for Real Estate Agencies guide covers listing media storage, AU data retention requirements, and the right hardware for a busy agency.

Our NAS Sizing Wizard helps size storage for legal document workloads and user counts, and our Backup Storage Calculator estimates the backup capacity needed to satisfy AU retention obligations.

See also: our complete Synology NAS Australia guide.

See also: our complete QNAP NAS Australia guide.

Can a NAS replace our law firm's file server?

Yes. A modern 4-bay NAS from Synology or QNAP can serve as the primary file server for a small law firm. It supports SMB/CIFS file sharing (the same protocol used by Windows file servers), user-level access controls, and Active Directory integration for firms already using a Windows domain. A NAS may use less power and cost less to operate than a Windows server when only file sharing and backup are required, but reliability and total cost depend on workload, redundancy, support, licensing and configuration. A dedicated server may still be required for software compatibility, databases, application hosting, directory or compute workloads, high-availability requirements, performance needs, or vendor-support conditions; confirm the complete workload with each software vendor. Check with your software vendor before committing.

How long do law firms need to keep client files in Australia?

The baseline is seven years after a matter concludes for general files. Trust account records must be retained for 7-15 years depending on your state or territory. Wills, deeds, and certain conveyancing documents should be retained indefinitely or until returned to the client. Given the low cost of storage. A 4TB NAS-grade drive costs around $299. Firms should apply a documented retention and disposal schedule that accounts for client instructions, legal obligations, limitation issues, safe-custody documents and, where applicable, APP 11.2 requirements concerning information no longer needed. A properly configured NAS with RAID redundancy and offsite backups makes indefinite retention practical and affordable.

Is it safe to access my NAS remotely from court or client sites?

Yes, if configured correctly. Both platforms support OpenVPN; QNAP QVPN also supports WireGuard, while Synology VPN Server lists OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec and PPTP. Security depends on correct configuration, patching, authentication and endpoint controls. This encrypts all traffic between your device and the NAS. If running a VPN is not practical, Synology QuickConnect and QNAP myQNAPcloud provide encrypted relay access. Avoid accessing your NAS over unencrypted HTTP, and always use strong passwords with two-factor authentication enabled. If your office NBN connection uses CGNAT, request a static IP from your ISP or use a mesh VPN service like Tailscale to bypass the CGNAT restriction.

What happens if my NAS is seized by law enforcement during a raid?

AES-256 shared-folder encryption can protect data at rest when the folder is locked and the key is kept separately; it does not guarantee inaccessibility if the folder is mounted, the key is stored on the NAS, or an authorised session remains available. However, you may be compelled to provide the key under certain circumstances. The more important protection is your 3-2-1 backup strategy. If the NAS is seized, your offsite backup ensures your firm can continue operating and accessing client files. Legal professional privilege may apply to data on the NAS, and any seizure should be immediately challenged if privileged material is at risk. This is a situation where having your data properly organised by matter and clearly labelled helps your legal team identify and claim privilege over specific documents quickly.

Should I buy a Synology or QNAP NAS for my law firm?

Both are excellent for legal practices. Synology's DSM interface is generally considered more intuitive and easier to manage without dedicated IT support. Making it a better fit for sole practitioners and small firms that self-manage their technology. QNAP offers more hardware flexibility (more RAM, more ports, 2.5GbE as standard on many models) and tends to provide better value at the mid-range. The QNAP TS-464 includes 8GB RAM and dual 2.5GbE, whereas the Synology DS925+ ships with 4GB ECC RAM and dual 2.5GbE ports. If your firm has an IT provider, ask which platform they prefer. Their familiarity will save you time and money on support. For a detailed comparison, see our Synology vs QNAP breakdown.

How much does a complete NAS setup cost for an Australian law firm?

For a solo practitioner: a Synology DS225+ ($549) with 2 x 4TB NAS-grade drives (approximately $600) totals around $1,150. For a small firm (2-5 lawyers): a Synology DS925+ ($995) or QNAP TS-464 ($999) with 4 x 8TB NAS-grade drives (approximately $1,600-$2,000) totals around $2,600-$3,000. Add a UPS ($150-$300) and potentially an external USB drive for local backup ($150-$250). Annual running costs are minimal. Electricity cost varies with the NAS model, drive count, workload, hibernation behaviour and electricity tariff. The NAS operating systems and core local backup applications do not generally require recurring licences, although cloud storage and some optional services do. Compare this to cloud storage subscriptions that can easily exceed $100-$300 per month for equivalent capacity.

Can I use a NAS to share large discovery documents with opposing counsel?

Yes. Both Synology and QNAP allow you to create password-protected file sharing links with expiry dates. This is useful for sharing large discovery sets that exceed email attachment limits. Upload the discovery documents to a dedicated shared folder on your NAS, generate a sharing link with a strong password and a 7-day expiry, and send the link and password separately to the opposing party. This keeps the documents under your control (you can revoke access at any time), avoids third-party file sharing services that may store copies of your documents, and provides an access log showing when the documents were downloaded. For very large discovery sets, ensure your NBN upload speed is sufficient. A typical 20Mbps upload will transfer about 9GB per hour.

Running a small business and want to understand how a NAS fits into your broader compliance and data management strategy?

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