One possible downside of a NAS device is that if you pop the drives from it in an emergency, you have to find the same hardware elsewhere to read the drives. The same is true for most RAID cards.

On the upside, running an Ethernet to a detached building and securing and possibly hiding it can give you cheap and relative easy protection against fire (and possibly, theft). Although you still want to encrypt in case the device is stolen.

The most typical way to back up with family members/friends, is to get a "business" Internet service with a fixed IP address. This allows a "fixed" location to connect to and terms of service compatible with doing this kind of thing. This typically increases the cost of the Internet access. Around here, I think business Internet typically starts at around $100/mo.

This enables an automated solution, however it will also require some technical capabilities to set up a service that can take advantage of it.

The most common solution with reasonable security would be to get a router that had a firewall with VPN to place at the friend's house. The VPN allows you to make a secure remote network connection so that you appear *inside* of that firewall provided on that device. This can basically extend access from your local network to the network at your friend's house.

Then, you can simply drop a NAS on their network and remotely access it from yours.

Don't forget, you still need a software solution (backup program) to send your files to that NAS.

Note you only need the business Internet w/fixed IP + VPN capable firewall + NAS at the site you want to use to provide a backup "service". Of course, the optimal thing would to set it up on both ends so you can provide a reciprocal value to everyone involved.

-john