How to Backup NAS Drive to Cloud like OneDrive Easily

How to backup NAS drive to cloud services? This article will provides you with the easiest way to backup files on NAS drive to OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. Please read on.

By @Lily Last Updated November 26, 2024

Necessity to backup NAS drive

NAS, the abbreviation of Network Attached Storage, is a file-level computer data storage server connected to a computer network which provides data access to a heterogeneous group of clients. People store and share data on NAS, and then all the users on the same network environment can access NAS to read the data, which is very convenient.

As many people will get into the NAS to use the data, you had better backup the NAS drive in case of data loss caused by so many unexpected situations.

๐ŸŒŸHardware Failure: NAS devices can fail due to wear, surges, or mechanical issues, risking data loss without a backup. ๐ŸŒŸRansomware and Malware: Network-connected NAS devices are vulnerable to attacks that can encrypt or corrupt files. ๐ŸŒŸAccidental Deletion or Corruption: Human error can lead to accidental file deletion or corruption, making data recovery difficult without a backup. ๐ŸŒŸDisaster Recovery: Natural disasters or power outages can damage your NAS, but an offsite or cloud backup ensures data protection.

With the development of cloud storage services, more and more users would like to backup online instead of buying a real storage device. Then, how to backup NAS files to cloud? This is what this article will talk about next. Keep reading to learn details.

Best tool for NAS cloud backup

To backup files on NAS drive to cloud, you can try the way of copy or upload. However, copy and upload have so many limitations: you must open the NAS device and the cloud website at the same time, and the copy or upload speed is depending on the file size and the internet speed, which can be very slow.

Fortunately, there is some third party software that you can use to backup NAS drive to cloud drive. AOMEI Backupper is one of the best NAS cloud backup tools.

AOMEI Backupper
Easy NAS Cloud Backup Software

  • It offers multiple backup types, including system backup, disk/partition backup and file backup.

  • It allows you to create automatic backups using the Schedule Backup feature.

  • It enables you to do incremental or differential backup to save only changed data.

  • It supports various NAS devices (Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS, etc) and cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, hubiC, etc).

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How to backup NAS to cloud in Windows 11/10/8/7

Here is an example of performing Synology backup to OneDrive. The steps are same if you are using other branded NAS devices or other cloud drives. Before you do, please download OneDrive desktop app and install it on your computer. Then move on to the following steps.

Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Backupper. To backup files on NAS drive to cloud, here you need to click Backup > File Backup.

Step 2. Then, you need to add the folders or files you stored on the NAS drive to AOMEI Backupper as the source party.

  • Click Add Folder or Add File. In the next page, you should click Share/NAS.

  • Then, click Add Share or NAS Devices to add the network attached storage device. Type in the Display Name of your Synology NAS, or its IP address (recommended) to add the NAS device. If you encrypted it, you need to type in its Username and Password.

  • Next, you can select the files/folders on the NAS drive you want to backup.

๐ŸŒŸ Tip: If you are backing up a folder, you can set file filter settings here. This feature allows you to automatically backup files with a certain file extension to save backup time and disk space.

Step 3. After selecting the source party, you need to choose the cloud drive (OneDrive) as the destination place.

  • Click the destination box, and then click Select a cloud drive from the drop-down menu.

  • AOMEI Backupper will list all cloud drives installed on your PC. Select OneDrive, and click OK. Also, you can backup NAS files to Google Drive or Dropbox. It's your decision.

Step 4. Set up more for your backup based on your need. For instance, you can add a comment in Options, set up an automatic backup in Schedule Backup, or use the Backup Scheme function. After all backup settings, click Start Backup to backup NAS to OneDrive.

Further reading about NAS backup

Backup destinations

Besides cloud storage, there are other types of backup destinations you can use for your NAS:

1. Backup NAS to external hard drive

Pros:

  • Affordable and easy to set up.
  • Portable, allowing you to store the backup offsite for added disaster recovery.
  • Fast backup speeds (especially with SSDs).

Cons:

  • Limited storage capacity compared to cloud options.
  • Not as resilient in case of physical damage or theft.

2. Backup NAS to another NAS

Pros:

  • Fast, especially if both NAS devices are on the same local network.
  • Simple to manage if you already have a second NAS or server.
  • Offers redundancy if the primary NAS fails.

Cons:

  • If both NAS devices are located at the same site, they could be affected by the same disaster (fire, flood, etc.).
  • More expensive than external drives, especially for large storage needs.

3. Offsite or remote backup (via FTP, SFTP, or Rsync)

Pros:

  • Offsite protection from local disasters.
  • Typically more secure due to encrypted transfers (especially with SFTP or Rsync).
  • Allows for versioned backups and retention policies.

Cons:

  • More complex setup, often requiring an IT professional to configure.
  • May have data transfer limitations or additional costs (depending on the provider).
  • Backup speed depends on the available internet bandwidth.

Best practices

  • 3-2-1 Backup Strategy: Always have three copies of your data, stored on two different types of media (e.g., NAS and external drive), with one copy offsite (e.g., cloud or remote server).
  • Automate Backups: Use scheduling features to ensure your backups are done regularly and on time.
  • Test Backups Regularly: Periodically check the integrity of your backups by restoring some files to ensure they work as expected.
  • Ensure Encryption: For sensitive data, use encryption to secure your backup files, especially for cloud or remote backups.

Summary

Using AOMEI Backupper to backup NAS drive to cloud is such a simple thing. You do not need to open many websites and re-upload all data from your NAS to cloud. What's more, if you are doing the backup at night, you can set up shut down PC on backup completion to leave the computer to finish the backup process itself.

Besides the backup feature, you can also sync files to cloud drives using AOMEI Backupper. The Professional edition only works on Windows PC systems. If you are a Windows Server user, AOMEI Backupper Server is suitable for you. You can download this software to discover more useful features.