Protect documents on a NAS without using Windows domain credentials

Question

My first time on SuperUser, looks great!

I have a question regarding file sharing in a Windows network. For a project, I am looking into a way of sharing a drive / volume between a few people that are also connected through a Windows domain. All users on the domain have access to certain public network shares, however there is a requirement now for a shared drive / volume (I was thinking of a NAS) with the following constraints:

• Users can only access the drive if they have valid credentials (username / password). However, these credentials should not be linked to the Windows domain on which the computers are connected.
• The volume should be easily accessible from Windows Explorer (so we can not solely rely on SSH / SFTP for example)

I was thinking of using a NAS, but I have little experience with this type of storage (especially combined with authentication) and was looking for your input / feedback. Is a NAS a good option for this? Alternatively, I could setup a Windows workstation with local shares, and have the group of users access the shares on the drive directly using local credentials. However I am looking for other alternatives (e.g. a NAS) so we can avoid high energy and workstation costs if the only purpose is sharing files.

Any input greatly appreciated!



Answer 1

Many NAS devices have built in security. You can set up usernames/passwords on the NAS and give whatever access you need. You will need to look at the documentation to be sure, but I believe most, if not all, ReadyNAS devices can do this.