PR4100 - keep it on or off when not in use?

My Cloud OS 5 Personal & Network Attached Storage My Cloud Pro Series
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Hello folks!

New user here at the forum and also a relatively new user of the PR4100 (had it for three months).
My (newbie) question is - should this unit always be on or are you suppose to turn it off while not in use? I usually power every computer related stuff off when I’m done for the day…but I’m still unsure about the PR4100. So I’ve left in on. I mainly use if for storage for my graphic and music projects.

Anybody who can chime in on this?

Cheers from Sweden.

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I turn on and off routinely.

A device that is “off” and “unplugged” is;

  • Much less susceptible to hacking
  • Much less susceptible to power surges

(I do not value remote access when I am not at home)

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I guess it ultimately depends on your usage, but the general aim of a NAS is to be always on. If you are using WD red disks, or NAS-specific disks in general, they are designed to be continuously operating. In general, there is the belief (I do not have the data to back this up) that continuous turn on/off cycles can shorten the lifespan of the disks. The only certain thing is that it does not really help.

To be safe against hacking, it should be enough to have the NAS on a local network and not accessible via the internet (but that might impede your usage).

Also, to protect against power surges you can always have some level of surge protection in place. While I agree that unplugging is the best way to protect from power surges, it is also the best way to not be able to access your NAS.

Still, there is some power consumption if you leave it on and electricity is often billed.

:slight_smile:

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