How to use Google Drive with data stored on a NAS (network drive)?
Insync is a Google Drive client that allows you to use a networked drive for your Google Drive sync: https://www.insynchq.com/
So I stumbled upon this question while looking for something else, but having a NAS myself I figured I could assist in some way. I understand this question is old, however, maybe by providing a solid answer or alternative solution this may help others who come across this topic.
So the way I see it you can go in two different directions to obtain what you want. Basically:
- Find a 3rd Party Software to SYNC your Google Drive to the NAS;
- Use a 3rd party Software to REPLACE your Google Drive, and use only your NAS as a personal cloud;
Option 01 - 3rd Party to SYNC your NAS to your Google Drive
For this, you need to first: check with your NAS provider if they do not already have a solution to your situation. A simple example would be Synology and their "Cloud Sync" package, which allows to sync a lot of 3rd party clouds to the NAS directly.
In case you are using an Open Source based NAS, like FreeNAS, you could use the included Cloud Credentials to sync your cloud to the NAS. Here is a great tutorial on how to do this: YouTube Video.
Option 02 - 3rd Party to REPLACE your Google Drive with your NAS
Now along with the solution to sync your Google Drive to your NAS, most likely the NAS manufacturer will offer their own sync software solution for you to use to sync files between your NAS and computer directly. Another Synology example (yes, I have one) would be "Drive". It completely replaces OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox with the advantage that you are using your NAS as storage. So instead of monthly fees, just by bigger hard drives and you are set.
The great part about option 02 is that you are not limited to the application provided by the NAS manufacturer. You can easily use other just as fantastic applications that do that, such as:
- Syncthing: https://syncthing.net/
- Resilio: https://www.resilio.com/individuals/
- OwnCloud: https://owncloud.com/
There some advantages for using one application over the other, hence you have to analyze your requirements and see which would fit for you.
You can also install platforms such as NextCloud which provides a full set of tools for productivity and collaboration (syncing of files included).
In any case I hope this helps.