【Success Story Vol. 44】
Motoki Terano, Associate Professor at Okayama University of Science

■ Learning Experience

After graduating from the Graduate School of Engineering at Nagoya Institute of Technology, Motonori Terano became a researcher in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Nagoya University where he worked for two years. He served as an assistant professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology for four years and then transferred to Okayama University of Science in 2017 and specializes in research on plastic processing in the field of production and processing science.

■ Main Research

Montonori Terano specializes in plastic processing in the field of production and processing science. There's a subfield within production and processing science where he researches techniques for processing metals by shaping them. One of his primary areas of focus is metal stamping, which is essential in the manufacturing of various everyday products such as automotive parts, aluminum window frames, steel frames, desks, and chairs. Metal stamping plays a critical role in shaping these items.

■ Enhancing Connections

As a teacher, Montonori Terano guides students while as a researcher, Montonori Terano participates in collaborative research with businesses. In Okayama Prefecture, Japan, there are many small and medium-sized enterprises involved in component processing. Many technology developments are tasks that businesses can't accomplish independently, so the university engages in joint research efforts. Universities have departments dedicated to promoting industry-academia cooperation, and businesses often consult with them. Through the joint development of new technologies, they were able to manufacture products that were previously unavailable for order.

■ The opportunity to introduce ASUSTOR NAS to Okayama University of Science

Collaborating with fourth-year students conducting their graduation research, it can indeed be challenging if student data is lost or not properly managed. Fortunately, having a mentor from my alma mater, Nagoya Institute of Technology, who taught me the importance of record-keeping and data management, has been invaluable. So, not long after taking his current position, Montonori Terano installed a NAS to ensure proper data management.

■ How His NAS Changed His Workflow

First and foremost, using a NAS allows you to securely store your data. Storing data on a NAS ensures that it is preserved indefinitely, readily accessible when needed, and can be regularly backed up. In recent research and development, analyzing data using high-precision simulation software is essential. However, if you back up massive amounts of data from lengthy analyses on a NAS, the files become more reliable and secure, helping to prevent unauthorized tampering of data.
In addition, for someone like Montonori Terano, who frequently uses a laptop for classes but often doesn’t have sufficient storage capacity, storing files on a NAS and accessing them as needed is very convenient for him. It provides a practical solution for managing and accessing data on the go.

Furthermore, a NAS allows for the easy exchange of large amounts of data within a short period. In student graduation research, there are many instances where data needs to be sent and received. In recent years, as camera performance continues to improve, the size of each image data is also increasing. This makes data exchange by email impractical, and using USB drives for data transfer poses concerns about virus infection and data leakage. On the other hand, with a NAS, you don't have to wait in line for hard drive downloads, and the time required for data exchange is significantly reduced, providing greater peace of mind in terms of data transfer and security.

■ How He Plans to use His NAS

Montonori Terano recently added another machine and started co-managing it with a research laboratory that focuses on a similar topic. After configuring access permissions, he is now able to easily separate the data of teachers and students within the NAS. He believes this can be used for managing students' grades and personal information. There's a wealth of information that absolutely cannot be leaked to the outside world, so using a NAS is a great idea to ensure data security and privacy.

For students, there might be a lack of awareness regarding how to handle files properly, so Montonori Terano saw it as his role as a mentor to manage this aspect. Montonori Terano encourages them to perform frequent backups daily, guides them on how to store their files, and ensure that Montonori Terano can check the files. Regarding graduation theses, Montonori Terano asks students to submit them to the NAS where he reviews them and returns them to his students through the NAS. With various types of data stored on the NAS, Montonori Terano can easily present valuable materials, which can inspire students' motivation to learn and enhance their organizational skills.

On a personal note, Montonori Terano can input previously collected data into the NAS, which makes it easier to reference and organize past data during the research process. It's also convenient for campus meetings, as he can readily retrieve past information, such as presentation materials, and share that information with others. This accessibility to historical data can significantly streamline collaboration and information sharing.

Additionally, although the NAS is currently operating within the university, it has remote management capabilities, which will be quite convenient for accessing files while traveling. In the future, Montonori Terano plans to learn more about NAS settings and potential risks to enhance the management of unknown risks. Montonori Terano believes that NAS has a promising future, benefiting both researchers and students with its versatile applications.

■ Which NAS He Purchased

OS ASUSTOR Data Master (ADM)
Model Lockerstor 4
CPU Intel Celeron J4125
RAM 4GB SO-DIMM DDR4
Storage 4TB x4 (WD Red Plus )
RAID RAID 5 
Networking 2x 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet
USB 1x Front USB3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
2x Rear USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
Storage Types HDD: 72 TB (18 TB HDD x4)
SSD: 16 TB (8 TB SSDx2) – Supports NVMe SSDs
Volume types: Single, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10
Storage Support 4x hard drive bays 3½” and 2½” drives supported
Power 90W - 100-240 V
Dimensions 170 (H) x 230 W) x 185½ (L) cm
Dimensions Three years