A distributed storage space for individual users and their selected peers is provided. The personal cloud system allows an individual user to establish and maintain a shared data storage area on a network attached storage device connected to the individual user's private network and accessible to one or more network devices via a public network and the private network. The personal cloud system registers the shared data storage area with a central server and sends an invitation to one or more network peers to join the shared data storage area. The personal cloud system then monitors incoming data packets at the network attached storage device to identify requests from invited network peers to access the shared data storage area. Access is provided in accordance with predetermined access controls upon validation of the request.