network drive
A network drive is a storage device on a local access network (LAN) within a business or home. Within a business, the network drive is usually located on a server or a network-attached storage (NAS) device. In a home, the network drive may be located on a dedicated server, a NAS device, an external hard drive or one of the networked computers. If the drive is on one of the networked computers, however, other users will not be able to access the drive when that computer is turned off.
A network drive on a home LAN makes it easier to share files and store files without using up computer resources. If the drive has enough capacity, it can also be used to back up all the computers on the network.