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NAS Compares
Computex Taipei 2024 | News, Updates, and Innovations
4 juin 2024 à 00:29

Computex Taipei 2024 | News, Updates, and Innovations

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

4 juin 2024 à 00:29

EVERYTHING Revealed at Computex 2024

Welcome to the Computex Taipei 2024 Megathread on NASCompares! As one of the world’s largest and most influential tech trade shows, Computex Taipei is the hub for groundbreaking announcements in the data storage industry. Throughout the event, which runs from June 4-7, 2024, we’ll be providing up-to-the-minute coverage of all major reveals and innovations from top NAS brands like Synology and QNAP, as well as leading HDD and SSD manufacturers. Stay tuned to this page for comprehensive updates, detailed insights, and expert analysis on the latest advancements in data storage technology. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or a professional in the field, our megathread will keep you informed about everything you need to know from Computex Taipei 2024.

LAST UPDATED 5th June 2024 – 4PM BST / GMT+1

The QNAP TS-765eU Massive Flexible 1U Rackmount NAS

The QNAP TS-765eU is a compact yet powerful 1U short depth rackmount NAS designed to meet the demanding needs of modern businesses. Equipped with an Intel Atom x7405C quad-core processor, this NAS delivers impressive performance with a clock speed of up to 3.46GHz. This powerful processor ensures smooth operation for various applications, from data storage and management to virtualization tasks. The TS-765eU also supports up to 16GB of DDR5 SODIMM memory with in-band ECC, providing reliable error detection and correction during data transmission, which enhances system stability and data integrity.

One of the standout features of the TS-765eU is its flexible storage options. It comes with four 3.5″ SATA bays and three E1.S/M.2 PCIe slots, allowing users to customize their storage setup according to their needs. The included M.2 adapter supports M.2 2280 PCIe SSDs, offering high-speed storage solutions for applications requiring fast data access. This adaptability makes the TS-765eU suitable for various storage configurations, from large-capacity drives for data archiving to high-speed SSDs for performance-intensive tasks.

Connectivity is another strong suit of the TS-765eU. It features built-in dual 2.5GbE RJ45 ports, providing high-speed network connectivity out of the box. For users requiring even faster network speeds, the NAS supports expansion to 10GBASE-T through its E1.S PCIe slots using the optional OXG-ES10G1T network adapter.

This flexibility ensures that the TS-765eU can adapt to different networking environments and future-proof the network infrastructure as demands grow. Overall, the TS-765eU combines powerful performance, flexible storage options, and scalable connectivity, making it a versatile solution for businesses looking to optimize their network-attached storage capabilities.

QNAP TS-432X and TS-632X NAS Devices

The QNAP TS-432X and TS-632X NAS devices are designed for small to medium-sized businesses requiring robust and high-speed storage solutions. Powered by a quad-core 2.0GHz AnnapurnaLabs AL-524 processor, these NAS devices ensure powerful performance for various tasks. The TS-432X features four drive bays, while the TS-632X offers six, providing ample storage capacity. Both models support expandable memory up to 16GB RAM, catering to the data backup, recovery, and virtualized storage needs of SMBs. The built-in 10GbE SFP+ and 2.5GbE RJ45 ports deliver exceptional network connectivity, making these devices ideal for environments demanding high-speed data transfers.

In addition to their impressive hardware specifications, the TS-432X and TS-632X are equipped with one PCIe Gen3 x4 slot, allowing for various expansion options, including network cards and M.2 cards. The pre-installed 4GB NON ECC memory can be upgraded via a DDR4 SODIMM slot, with ECC support available for enhanced reliability.

These features, combined with the versatile connectivity options and powerful processor, make the TS-432X and TS-632X excellent choices for SMBs looking to optimize their storage infrastructure and ensure efficient data management.

USB and m.2 AI Accelerator Cards for QTS Services

(Pictures Added Soon)

The QNAP QAI-M100 and QAI-U100 AI accelerators provide an affordable way to enhance image recognition capabilities on QNAP NAS devices. Featuring AI accelerator modules with 3 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second), these models offer USB 3.2 Gen 1 or M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 2 x1 interfaces, compatible with QTS 5.2.x and QuTS hero h5.2.x. These accelerators are designed to support lightweight QNAP AI applications, including QNAP AI Core for face and object recognition. The implementation of the QAI-M100 significantly boosts AI recognition performance, tripling the speed of tasks such as facial feature extraction on devices like the TS-464 with an Intel Celeron N5095 processor. This advancement ensures faster and more efficient processing of AI-related tasks, making it an essential upgrade for users looking to leverage AI technology on their NAS systems.

The Synology GS Series

Synology is no stranger to large-scale storage. Last year, we saw the long-developed rollout of the High Density series (premiering a 60 Bay 4U Rackmount solution) and further refreshes in the Synology RS and SA series. However, it would appear that Synology has even loftier goals, with the launch of the Synology GS series – designed to massively scale up towards XX nodes (demonstrated as GS6400 rackmount devices) that, when clustered together, can scale up to an insane 20 Petabyte groups.

We are still awaiting details on the storage capacity scaling (i.e., will they arrive in pre-designated storage configurations), but they will no doubt roll out supporting the Synology HAT5310/HAS5310 Enterprise drives up to 20TB. The GS series appears to be in a slightly modified chassis (numeric LED panel and vent fascia) but seemingly will be using similar hardware/architecture to existing EPYC-powered systems already in the Synology RS/SA portfolio. Additionally, as the scale of the GS Clusters is so large, Synology are rolling out a dedicated GS Cluster switch to coordinate the whole thing. Pricing and capacity details are still TBC!

The Synology DP Series and ActiveProtect

Synology really made some noise on this one, and frankly, I can see why. The Data Protection series is a new tier of their portfolio that exclusively focuses on backup management, fast deployment, and simplicity. Arriving in rackmount hardware form (at least at launch), these systems will NOT arrive with DSM (the operating system of the majority of Synology NAS systems) but instead a dedicated backup appliance called ActiveProtect.

It appears to consolidate the features and functions of several parts of the Synology ecosystem (in particular Active Backup) in order to create a 10-minute setup backup solution for businesses who need robust and easily configurable backup management for:

Local PC/Mac/Linux client machines
Synology and 3rd Party Linux Server backups
Cloud-Based Software as a Service (SaaS) data, such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
Hyper-V/VMware virtual machines

The architecture of the ActiveProtect system also features a number of impressive restoration services built in, ranging from deploying backups of your cloud source VMs to a local VM deployed on the NAS and WORM-protected backups, to simple file/folder restoration and deduplication.

That last one is extra important, as not only does a single DP system with ActiveProtect deduplicate backed-up data in its immediate network circle, but when you deploy multiple DP systems across multiple sites in your business’ physical geography (i.e., sites globally) and have a dedicated target backup for them all, it will further deduplicate the data being sent from all those other DP systems too.

New Affordable External Network Focused Gen4 Flash NAS – The TS-h1277AFX

(Pictures Added Soon)

The QNAP TS-H1277AFX Desktop NAS is a powerful and cost-effective solution designed for high-performance storage needs. This tower NAS features 12 SATA SSD bays, making it an all-flash system ideal for environments that demand fast and reliable data access. Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor, the TS-H1277AFX can support up to 192GB of DDR5 memory, ensuring it can handle intensive tasks and large workloads with ease. The AMD Ryzen processor offers up to 8 cores and 16 threads, with burst speeds up to 5.36GHz, providing exceptional processing power for various applications.

One of the standout features of the TS-H1277AFX is its efficient data reduction technology. The system employs inline data deduplication, which is block-based and operates before data is written to storage. This technology significantly optimizes storage usage by reducing the amount of data that needs to be stored, effectively decreasing storage capacity requirements. This makes the TS-H1277AFX not only powerful but also highly efficient in managing data, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to maximize their storage investments.

In addition to its impressive storage and processing capabilities, the TS-H1277AFX is equipped with robust connectivity options. It includes two 2.5GbE RJ45 ports and two 10GBASE-T ports, allowing for accelerated file access and sharing across networks. The NAS also features three PCIe Gen 4 slots, providing the flexibility to install additional network cards, graphics cards, or other PCIe expansion cards to enhance system functionality and application performance. With its combination of powerful hardware, efficient data management, and versatile connectivity, the TS-H1277AFX is well-suited for office environments that require high-speed, reliable storage solutions.

Synology C2 Surveillance Station and Cloud Cameras

Although Synology has quite a few different apps and services in DSM, one of the most polished and universally praised examples is Surveillance Station. All Synology NAS systems that run DSM also include the Surveillance Station applications and the ability to add multiple cameras. However, 2 years ago, when Synology rolled out C2 Surveillance (a cloud failover and dual recording platform to be used in conjunction with SS), it was only a question of time before they went the extra step and created a ‘direct to cloud’ version of their Surveillance Station platform – C2 Surveillance Station.

This is a cloud-based UI of Surveillance Station that allows users to deploy Synology C2 cameras that record directly to the C2 Cloud. Now, there is an argument that this is something that other camera brands have always offered (i.e., a camera and a cloud subscription for recordings), and many choose Synology for their surveillance/CCTV as they have an in-house surveillance system in a DSM NAS. However, that does not apply to everyone, and there are several different deployments that could see the benefits of a Synology surveillance system, but without deploying a Synology network storage appliance, such as:

Building sites, where the network and PoE structure of surveillance cameras are not present
Locations with a largely exclusive wireless network
Mobile setups that require camera security, but have a regularly changing physical location
Users who want the user-friendly surveillance UI of Surveillance Station, but are not interested in purchasing more than the physical cameras

Needless to say, after this initial reveal, there is still the question of pricing, i.e., will the cameras require a monthly storage subscription? Do the cameras support use for local Synology NAS Surveillance deployment as an option? We will have to wait and see closer to the physical launch.

New Fisheye Camera and 8MP Bullet Camera

(Article Still In Progress)

New Synology Flash NVMe and HDD Hybrid Rackmount (Still Early Development)

(Article Still In Progress)

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you.

Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7]

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a

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Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

MON June 3rd15:30 BST

ASUS has unveiled the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000, a cutting-edge tri-band Wi-Fi 7 gaming router, during a press launch preceding COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2024. Positioned as a more affordable alternative to the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 introduced earlier in April, the GT-BE19000 boasts impressive specifications despite omitting one of the 5GHz bands found in its higher-end counterpart. This model operates on one 6GHz band, one 5GHz band, and one 2.4GHz band, supporting advanced features like 4,096-QAM and a 320MHz bandwidth (exclusive to the 6GHz band). The router delivers a remarkable maximum wireless communication speed of up to 11,529Mbps, with 5,764Mbps on the 5GHz band and 1,376Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, ensuring a robust and seamless gaming experience.

The ROG Rapture GT-BE19000 also excels in wired connectivity, offering a versatile array of ports: one 10 Gigabit WAN/LAN, one 2.5 Gigabit WAN/LAN, one 10 Gigabit LAN, three 2.5 Gigabit LAN, and one Gigabit LAN. This extensive port selection facilitates the creation of a high-speed network environment, both wirelessly and through wired LAN connections. Additional key features include 256MB of flash memory, 2GB of DDR4 RAM, eight large external antennas, and support for ASUS’s AIMesh technology, enabling users to build a comprehensive mesh network. The router’s dimensions are 350.41mm in width, 220.9mm in depth, and 350.41mm in height. Although the release date and pricing are yet to be determined, ASUS plans to make the GT-BE19000 available in the domestic market, continuing to bolster its reputation for delivering high-performance networking solutions tailored for gamers.

The QNAP USB 4 JBOD Expansion Box and Rackmount

The QNAP JBOD USB4 Expansion Box, available in models TL-D810TC4 and TL-R1210TC4-RP, is designed to enhance storage capabilities for NAS systems. With its high-capacity 8 or 12-bay configurations, this enclosure supports hot-swappable SATA hard drives, making it an ideal solution for expanding storage without downtime. The inclusion of a USB 4 port (40Gbps) ensures high-speed data transfers, significantly outperforming traditional USB 3.2 Gen 2 interfaces. This speed advantage is crucial for businesses and users handling large files, reducing transfer times and improving overall workflow efficiency.

In addition to its robust storage capabilities, the QNAP JBOD USB4 Expansion Box features intelligent fan control to protect your hardware. The system automatically adjusts fan speeds based on temperature readings to extend the lifespan of your hard drives, with an option for manual control for customized settings. This enclosure also offers easy physical data migration, allowing users to effortlessly move the JBOD to different locations and connect it to a NAS system. The plug-and-play functionality ensures seamless and quick data migration, enhancing flexibility and convenience in managing expanding storage needs.

QNAP USB 4 to 10GbE and 25GbE Adapters

The QNAP QNA USB 4 Type C Network Adapter series is an advanced solution designed to provide high-speed network connectivity for both Mac and Windows computers. Leveraging the power of USB 4, these adapters enable users to achieve 10GbE or 25GbE network speeds, making them ideal for applications requiring fast data transfers and low latency. This series includes five distinct models: the ONA-LIC10G1T, which offers a single 10GBASE-T connection; the ONA-UC10G1SF, which provides a single 10GbE SFP+ connection; the ONA-UC10G2T, featuring dual 10GBASE-T connections; the ONA-UC10G2SF, offering dual 10GbE SFP+ connections; and the ONA-UC25G2SF, which supports dual 25GbE SFP28 connections. Each model is designed to cater to specific networking needs, ensuring versatility and high performance.

One of the most notable aspects of the QNA USB 4 Type C Network Adapter series is its status as the first USB4 to 10/25GbE adapter on the market. Traditionally, achieving these high-speed connections required the use of PCIe cards, which often limited flexibility and portability. By bringing these capabilities to a compact, USB4-enabled device, QNAP has significantly simplified the process of upgrading network speeds, allowing users to easily integrate these adapters into their existing setups without the need for internal hardware modifications.

The fanless design of these adapters reduces noise and enhances heat dissipation through exterior groove slots on the casing, ensuring efficient operation even under heavy load. The lightweight and portable nature of the adapters, coupled with the included USB 4 C to C cable, makes them easy to set up and use on the go. It is important to note that these adapters are not backward compatible with USB 3, so users must ensure their systems have USB 4 ports. The ONA-UC25G2SF model includes two USB 4 Type C ports, one for power delivery (requiring a minimum of 27W) and one for data transfer, although a power adapter is not included. These features demonstrate QNAP’s commitment to providing flexible, high-performance networking solutions that meet the demands of modern computing environments.

The Phison PCIe Gen 5 SSD – 56 GB per second demo!

Phison has been one of the biggest players in the world of solid-state drive controllers, so it isn’t a huge surprise that they are making a significant splash at the event. Gen 5 integration has been slow but steady over the last 12 months. In previous years, we have seen Phison demo the use of their drives in bulk via PCIe storage upgrade cards, and 2024 is no exception. On display at their stand is a 16x M.2 NVMe Gen 5 x16 storage expansion card, fully populated with 12 GB per second R/W M.2 NVMe drives – pretty wild.

If you attend the Computex event, I strongly recommend heading over to their stand, as they currently have the system running on constant rotation. The speeds do fluctuate slightly with each test, but at peak, they state the test can hit 56 GB (crucially, not gigabit) per second sequential read and 54 GB per second sequential write. This is fast approaching the full saturation of the PCIe Gen 5 x16 bandwidth.

Indeed, you could probably get away with fully saturating the system with Gen 4 SSDs and edge close to these numbers. But it is only with the Gen 5 SSDs that you can achieve such saturation and sustain it.

Likewise, when it comes to 4K random IOPS, although the demonstration numbers do fluctuate a little at the top end, Phison states that this setup was able to hit 20 million 4K reads and 19 million 4K write IOPS. It’s a significant achievement, and although Gen 5 SSDs continue to be at the more expensive end of the market, it is still a nice indication that Gen 5 drives in bulk can achieve larger sustained numbers in a way that single drives struggle with over long-term use. These are, of course, synthetic tests, and real-world performance numbers will no doubt be lower, but crucially even these realistic and non-synthetic numbers will be a great deal higher than those we’ve seen previously via PCIe cards, thanks to the Gen 5 push.

QNAP TS-432X and TS-632X NAS Devices

(Pictures Coming Soon)

The QNAP TS-432X and TS-632X NAS devices are designed for small to medium-sized businesses requiring robust and high-speed storage solutions. Powered by a quad-core 2.0GHz AnnapurnaLabs AL-524 processor, these NAS devices ensure powerful performance for various tasks. The TS-432X features four drive bays, while the TS-632X offers six, providing ample storage capacity. Both models support expandable memory up to 16GB RAM, catering to the data backup, recovery, and virtualized storage needs of SMBs. The built-in 10GbE SFP+ and 2.5GbE RJ45 ports deliver exceptional network connectivity, making these devices ideal for environments demanding high-speed data transfers.

In addition to their impressive hardware specifications, the TS-432X and TS-632X are equipped with one PCIe Gen3 x4 slot, allowing for various expansion options, including network cards and M.2 cards. The pre-installed 4GB Non-ECC memory can be upgraded via a DDR4 SODIMM slot, with ECC support available for enhanced reliability. These features, combined with the versatile connectivity options and powerful processor, make the TS-432X and TS-632X excellent choices for SMBs looking to optimize their storage infrastructure and ensure efficient data management.

DRAMless Gen 5 SSDs

Last year, when we attended Computex, we touched on the fact that Phison discussed their work towards a DRAMless SSD controller for Gen 5 SSDs. Although DRAM-free SSDs are not for everyone, due to the potential throttling that can be caused by a lack of onboard RAM during intense performance, there is still demand for this style of drive. This is both because they increase affordability and because they allow for more energy-efficient systems to take advantage of the high performance offered by Gen 5. I’m pleased to say that, although last year it seemed more theoretical with the art backroom prototype, the Phison E31T controller is now a reality, with several examples on display at their stands this year. Although Phison typically does not sell their SSDs directly (though they do produce some of their own labeled drives at the enterprise level), the rollout of a DRAMless Gen 5 SSD will no doubt gain attention as other vendors hop on board. I fully expect Seagate, Patriot, and more to launch their own DRAMless SSDs in the coming months. Phison’s SSD Controller E31T is a cutting-edge solution designed to meet the demands of next-generation storage devices.

Leveraging the PCIe Gen5x4 interface and built on the TSMC 7nm process, the E31T controller offers exceptional performance and efficiency. Its DRAM-less design is complemented by a 4-channel architecture with 16 CEs, supporting up to 8TB of capacity with 3D TLC/QLC NAND. The integration of an ARM Cortex R5 CPU ensures robust processing capabilities, while Phison’s 7th Gen LDPC and RAID ECC provide advanced error correction. Additionally, the E31T supports security features such as AES256 encryption, TCG Opal, and Pyrite, making it a comprehensive solution for high-performance and secure storage. In terms of performance, the E31T controller achieves remarkable sequential read and write speeds exceeding 10,000 MB/s, along with random read and write IOPS of 1,500K. This makes it particularly suitable for applications requiring high throughput and low latency, such as data centers, enterprise storage solutions, and high-end consumer SSDs. The controller’s ability to maintain high performance with existing 3600MT/s NAND, despite different configurations and power limitations, underscores its versatility and efficiency. As the market increasingly adopts PCIe Gen5 technology, the E31T stands poised to drive the next wave of storage innovation.

Redriver PS7162 – PCIe 6 ?

The Redriver PS7162 from Phison is designed to enhance the performance of PCIe 6.0 systems, making it a crucial component for future-proofing high-speed data transmission. Supporting an 8-channel (non-interleaved) configuration and featuring I2C mode, this redriver optimizes signal integrity and reduces pin count through 4-level I/O for EQ and GAIN settings. Its impressive 20dB max EQ boosting range and 70ps ultra-low latency ensure minimal signal degradation, crucial for maintaining high-speed data transfers. The PS7162’s package type is FCLGA, utilizing the SiGe BiCMOS process for improved performance and reliability. Additionally, the “PHiTUNE” Auto-EQ tuning tool provides automated adjustments, simplifying the optimization process for PCIe 6.0 systems.

• PCIe Gen 6.0
• 8-Channel (Non-interleaved)
• 4-Level I/O for EQ and GAIN
settings to reduce pin count
• Pin-to-pin vs. PCIe 5.0
• 20dB max EQ boosting range
• 70ps ultra-low latency
• Package type: FCLGA
• SiGe BiCMOS process
• “PHiTUNE “ Auto-EQ tuning tool
• Optimized Linearity for PCIe 6.

The Redriver PS7162’s design and capabilities make it an essential component for advancing PCIe 6.0 technology. Its optimized linearity and performance in a PCIe 6.0 (PAM4) system environment enable it to handle the increased data rates and complexities associated with this next-generation interface. By providing robust signal amplification and minimizing latency, the PS7162 ensures that systems can fully leverage the bandwidth and speed improvements of PCIe 6.0. This makes it ideal for high-performance computing environments, data centers, and any application requiring reliable and efficient data transmission at the highest speeds.

U21 USB 4 External SSD – Go Native

The U21 USB 4 External SSD by Phison stands out as a high-performance storage solution tailored for modern data needs. With its Native USB4 (40Gbps) interface, it promises ultra-fast data transfer rates, making it ideal for tasks requiring high-speed data access and storage. Built on the advanced TSMC 12nm process, this SSD features a DRAM-less design and a 4-channel architecture with 16 CEs, supporting up to 16TB of storage capacity. It leverages 3D TLC/QLC NAND technology, which ensures high density and reliability. The integration of Phison’s 7th Gen LDPC and RAID ECC provides robust error correction, while AES256 encryption ensures data security. The U21 is also backwards compatible with legacy USB standards, making it versatile for use with a wide range of devices.

Performance-wise, the U21 USB 4 External SSD boasts impressive sequential read and write speeds of up to 4,000 MB/s. This makes it an excellent choice for users needing rapid access to large files, such as video editors, gamers, and IT professionals. Despite its high performance, the SSD maintains a compact form factor (U32C), making it a portable yet powerful storage option. Whether for professional use or personal data management, the U21 USB 4 External SSD offers a blend of speed, security, and storage capacity, setting a new standard for external SSDs in the market.

More News will be added throughout the week of June 3rd – June 8th 2024 – Subscribe below to get alerts whenever it is updated.

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you.

Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7]

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a

Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

Cachem
Computex 2024 : QNAP présente ses nouveautés autour de l’IA et la HA
4 juin 2024 à 07:00

Computex 2024 : QNAP présente ses nouveautés autour de l’IA et la HA

Cachem

Par : Fx

4 juin 2024 à 07:00

Alors que le Computex 2024 vient d’ouvrir ses portes, QNAP présente ses produits conçus pour répondre aux besoins complexes de l’IA, de la haute disponibilité, de l’édition vidéo… et la sauvegarde isolée (Airgap+). Sur son stand, le fabricant a dévoilé les produits suivants : TS-h1277AFX, TS-765eU, QSW-M3224-24T, TL-D810TC4, QNA-UC10G1T/QNA-UC10G1SF et QAI-M100/QAI-U100. IA à tous les étages Tous les jours, nous voyons/lisons des articles sur l’Intelligence Artificielle : ses avancées, sa rapidité, ses nouvelles capacités… et comment elle va révolutionner notre quotidien (ou pas). QNAP n’y échappe pas. Le fabricant a mis en avant ses NAS haute performance optimisés pour les […]
Lire la suite : Computex 2024 : QNAP présente ses nouveautés autour de l’IA et la HA

NAS Compares
The QNAP TS-464 NAS – 2 Years Later, Should You Still Buy It?
29 mai 2024 à 18:00

The QNAP TS-464 NAS – 2 Years Later, Should You Still Buy It?

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

29 mai 2024 à 18:00

QNAP TS-464 NAS – A Comprehensive Review Two Years Post-Launch

Even after two years since its introduction, the QNAP TS-464 NAS continues to hold its ground as one of the most lauded offerings in QNAP’s extensive lineup. Esteemed for its adept balance of hardware efficiency and cost-effectiveness, this model has etched its name among the top contenders in the NAS market. As we delve into this device once more in 2024, our aim is to provide a examination of its performance, features, and potential considerations for prospective buyers – Does it still stack up well in 2024, with new brands and products entering the market?

Note – Full Review of the QNAP TS-464 NAS on YouTube HERE , and the long form written Review HERE

Physical Design and Hardware Efficiency: A Fusion of Compactness and Performance

The TS-464 makes a lasting impression with its compact and efficient design, catering to environments where space is at a premium. Powered by either an Intel N5105 or N5095 processor, renowned for their remarkable blend of low power consumption and robust performance, this NAS stands as a testament to efficiency and power.

With options ranging from 4 to 8 GB of DDR4 memory and support for up to four hard drive bays, users are afforded ample storage capacity without sacrificing on footprint.

Noteworthy is its energy-efficient operation, boasting a CPU with a thermal design power (TDP) between 10 to 15 watts, ensuring minimal disruption to home or office settings.

Expansion Capabilities: Embracing Versatility

The TS-464 shines in its expandability, offering multiple M.2 NVMe SSD slots and a PCIe slot for additional enhancements. Empowering users to integrate 10 GbE network cards, NVMe storage solutions, or even Wi-Fi cards, this NAS epitomizes adaptability to evolving needs.

Furthermore, the inclusion of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports facilitates high-speed connectivity to external storage devices and peripherals, enhancing its versatility and usability across diverse applications.

Performance as a Plex Media Server: A Reliable Entertainment Hub

Among its many strengths, the TS-464 excels as a Plex media server, leveraging efficient hardware transcoding capabilities. Capable of seamlessly handling multiple simultaneous 4K video streams, this NAS offers unparalleled value for media enthusiasts. Despite the availability of more powerful alternatives, the TS-464’s exceptional cost-to-performance ratio remains a compelling choice for users seeking a dependable home media server solution.

Broad Compatibility: A Testament to Freedom of Choice

The TS-464 stands out for its broad compatibility with an extensive range of storage media from various manufacturers. This inclusivity empowers users to select from a diverse array of hard drives and SSDs, including enterprise-grade options, without being confined to proprietary solutions.

At a time when some NAS manufacturers prioritize proprietary compatibility, the TS-464’s expansive support for third-party storage drives underscores its commitment to user freedom and flexibility.

Fixed Memory and Software Challenges: Areas for Growth and Enhancement

Recent developments, such as the transition to fixed memory configurations in newer TS-464 models, pose potential limitations for users seeking memory upgrades. While this shift aligns with industry trends towards cost and power efficiency, it may present challenges for users accustomed to the flexibility of upgradable memory configurations. Additionally, criticisms surrounding the QNAP QTS operating system persist, with users citing inconsistencies and complexities in the user interface. Despite ongoing efforts to refine the user experience, software-related challenges continue to warrant attention and improvement.

Security and Future Prospects: Navigating Challenges and Building Trust

Security remains a focal point for QNAP, with efforts to address vulnerabilities and bolster overall security measures. While strides have been made in software updates and security advisories, challenges persist in rebuilding trust and confidence among users. As newer, more efficient CPU options emerge, questions linger regarding potential hardware upgrades in future iterations of the TS-464. However, concrete plans from QNAP regarding hardware refresh cycles remain elusive, leaving room for speculation and anticipation among users.

Category	Specification
CPU	Intel® Celeron® N5095 4-core/4-thread processor, burst up to 2.9 GHz
CPU Architecture	64-bit x86
Graphic Processors	Intel® UHD Graphics
Floating Point Unit	–
Encryption Engine	AES-NI
Hardware-accelerated Transcoding	–
System Memory	8 GB RAM
Maximum Memory	8 GB
Flash Memory	4GB (Dual boot OS protection)
Drive Bay	4 x 3.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s
Drive Compatibility	3.5-inch SATA hard disk drives, 2.5-inch SATA solid state drives
Hot-swappable	Yes
M.2 Slot	2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x1
SSD Cache Acceleration Support	–
2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port (2.5G/1G/100M)	2 (2.5G/1G/100M/10M)
5 Gigabit Ethernet Port (5G/2.5G/1G/100M)	Optional via PCIe expansion card
10 Gigabit Ethernet Port	Optional via PCIe expansion card
Wake on LAN (WOL)	–
Jumbo Frame	–
PCIe Slot	1
USB 2.0 port	2
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Port	2 x Type-A
IR Sensor	Optional QNAP RM-IR004 remote control
HDMI Output	1, HDMI 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
Form Factor	Tower
LED Indicators	Power/Status, LAN, USB, HDD1-4
Buttons	Power, USB copy, Reset
Dimensions (HxWxD)	165 × 170 × 226.5 mm
Weight (Net)	2.26 kg
Weight (Gross)	3.59 kg
Operating Temperature	0 – 40 °C (32°F – 104°F)
Storage Temperature	-20 – 70°C (-4°F – 158°F)
Relative Humidity	5-95% RH non-condensing, wet bulb: 27˚C (80.6˚F)
Power Supply Unit	90W adapter, 100-240V
Power Consumption: HDD Sleep Mode	21.618 W
Power Consumption: Operating Mode, Typical	40.536 W
Fan	1 x 120mm, 12VDC
System Warning	Buzzer
Kensington Security Slot	–
Standard Warranty	3 years
Max. Number of Concurrent Connections (CIFS) – with Max. Memory	1500

Still A Solid Contender with Room for Scalability

The QNAP TS-464 NAS continues to impress with its adept blend of performance, expandability, and affordability, solidifying its position as a compelling choice in the NAS market. Despite its enduring popularity, areas for refinement and improvement, such as fixed memory configurations and software inconsistencies, underscore opportunities for growth and enhancement. As QNAP navigates security challenges and explores advancements in hardware technology, the TS-464 stands as a testament to the brand’s commitment to delivering innovative and reliable NAS solutions. Whether deployed for media streaming, data storage, or network applications, the TS-464 remains a timeless contender in the ever-evolving landscape of network-attached storage, poised to evolve alongside the evolving needs of its users.

Verdict – Should You Still Buy the QNAP TS-464 in 2024?

The QNAP TS-464 NAS persists as a steadfast contender in the ever-evolving NAS market, showcasing a commendable balance of features and performance even two years post its initial release. Its enduring popularity stems from a blend of compact design and hardware efficiency, underpinned by the Intel N5105 or N5095 processor, renowned for its low power consumption and robust performance. This amalgamation of hardware prowess and cost-effectiveness renders the TS-464 a suitable choice for a spectrum of environments, be it home or small businesses, where space and power efficiency are paramount considerations. Moreover, the device’s expansion capabilities serve as a cornerstone of its appeal, offering users the flexibility to adapt to evolving storage needs seamlessly. With multiple M.2 NVMe slots and PCIe slots at its disposal, the TS-464 embodies versatility, empowering users to augment their storage infrastructure with additional network cards, NVMe storage, or even Wi-Fi cards. These expansion options not only future-proof the NAS but also ensure that it remains adaptable to emerging storage technologies and networking standards.

However, amidst its strengths, potential buyers must navigate certain limitations that could impact their decision-making process. Chief among these is the transition towards fixed memory configurations in newer models, which may restrict the flexibility of memory upgrades—a factor that enthusiasts and power users should consider carefully. Furthermore, while the QTS operating system boasts a plethora of features and functionalities, users may encounter some inconsistencies and complexities in navigating the interface. This discrepancy, although not a deal-breaker, underscores the importance of user experience and interface design in enhancing the overall usability of the NAS. Despite these nuances, the QNAP TS-464 NAS remains a reliable storage solution, catering to diverse user requirements with its performance, expandability, and compatibility features. As such, its enduring relevance in the NAS landscape underscores its status as a noteworthy contender for those seeking a robust and versatile storage solution for their home or business needs.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 9/10

8.8

PROS

Very compact chassis design, despite large storage potential

A BIG jump in hardware and scale from the TS-453Be and TS-453D, but with a largely identical RRP at launch

Easily one of the most hardware packed SMB/Mid-range 4-Bay on the market

Up to 16GB of Memory is fantastic

m.2 NVMe SSD Bays AND a PCIe Upgrade Slot (no need to choose one upgrade path)

8x Included Camera Licenses

Includes Anti-virus, Firewall Tool, VPN client tools, Malware Remover, network manager and Security Councilor Tool

3 Different Container/VM tools that also feature image download centers

10Gb/s (1,000MB/s) USB Ports will be incredibly useful

Large range of expansion options in the TR/TL series in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 Bays

CONS

The PCIe Slot is PCIe 3×2 and the M.2 SSD Bays are PCIe 3×1 (likely limitations of all this H/W on a Celeron+chipset

QNAP Has had 3 ransomware hits in 2019-2021 (Qlocker, Qsnatch and Deadbolt). Lots of Security app/changes since, but people remember and QNAP needs to win back that trust in 2022/2023

Where to Buy a Product
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QNAP et le Centre de sécurité

Cachem

Par : Fx

28 mai 2024 à 07:00

Face aux menaces de plus en plus nombreuses, QNAP a choisi de proposer par défaut un Centre de sécurité (Security Center en anglais) avec QTS 5.2 et QuTS Hero 5.2. Ce dernier se veut un rempart contre les attaques en mettant en place une surveillance des activités sur les fichiers… mais ce n’est pas tout. Qu’est-ce que le Centre de sécurité/Security Center de QNAP ? « Vérifier, analyser, protéger votre NAS », voilà ce que propose le Centre de sécurité de QNAP. L’application serait indépendante du système, ce qui permettra de la mettre à jour sans passer par l’installation d’une nouvelle version […]
Lire la suite : QNAP et le Centre de sécurité

Official UniFi U-NAS NAS Drive Leaked

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

21 mai 2024 à 17:10

Is Ubiquiti Launching a UniFi NAS in 2024?

*clicks fingers* And JUST like that, it looks like we might FINALLY be seeing a UniFi NAS system! I have been in and around the world of storage for well close to 2 decades and in that time I say seen a lot of things. One consistent name in network technology that has been a mainstay of the prosumer and business landscape that want pure ‘Easy to Setup and Forget’ tech that you can trust has been Ubiquiti and their UniFi series of devices. Yet, with such an extensive range of network hardware and software solutions, the brand has never pushed forward with their own 1st party NAS server… until now it appears! UniFi has always supported the likes of Synology and QNAP NAS systems in their network architecture, but many of those deep in the UniFi landscape have requested something proprietary, something uniform and ultimately something streamlined in a way that is largely the USP of UniFi. Numerously pieces of information (ranging from compatibility listings, to product docs and references on companion media) have bubbled to the surface in the last month or so that seem to indicate that not only that a UniFi NAS is ‘a thing’, but also that the brand is jumping in with both feet – launching 10GbE equipped, quad-core, desktop and rackmount solutions which are truly native to the UniFi ecosystem. So, let’s discuss everything we have learnt, whether this is all legit, how it compares with the current NAS status quo and ultimately – would a UniFi NAS be a good idea?

What is UniFi and Who Are Ubiquiti (just in case you want to be up to speed)?

As massively unlikely as it is that anyone reading this is unaware of what UniFi is, just to play it safe, here goes! UniFi is a range of network equipment and related solutions developed by Ubiquiti, which targets large businesses, but has nonetheless become popular with prosumers and home users, as they offer enterprise-grade products with no licensing fees. The UniFi range includes high-performance Wi-Fi access points, switches, firewalls, and routers which are formulated to offer a strong and flexible networking solution. These devices come with features such as network routing, firewall capabilities and network VPN to allow for efficient network operations. Furthermore, UniFi provides Network Video Recorder (NVR) and high definition cameras for UniFi Protect video surveillance systems to offer all-round security and surveillance management. The UniFi Dream Machine Pro and Max are both standalone, massively fully-featured solutions offering the capability of traditional routing, as well as diverse security and networking management tools in the UniFi application ecosystem inside one machine, useful for homes or businesses.

The UniFi software platform is considered as the core element of this system since it allows managing and configuring all UniFi devices through a single interface – it’s kinda their whole appeal! This software can be run locally hosted or via a cloud-based computing service provided by Ubiquiti which makes it easier to expand. UniFi also offers products in the range of switch aggregators and data center solutions that can handle heavy demands of high-density deployment. Able to deliver considerable connectivity with minimal hassle and offering an enhanced range of features, UniFi appliances and devices are popular in a variety of applications, from home use to complex company networks. They provide a single and technical interface for managing all network devices, hence conducting operations on the networks of different types of devices is easily done. So, given the popularity of NAS systems in the last few years (as cloud providers increase base prices and large scale data download pricing for businesses) you can see what introducing a native UniFi NAS product into an existing UniFi ecosystem would be appealing. NAS systems CAN be intimidating for the less data/networking technically and therefore a modular and seamless deployment of a central data system has enormous promise! But is the UniFi U-NAS series real?

What Evidence is there of a UniFi NAS in development?

There is a surprisingly larger amount of data circulating online about a possible UniFi NAS system, referring to devices/SKUs that include the ‘U-NAS Pro’ and ‘U-NAS Professional’. One of the clearest and most obvious indications comes from an official UI.COM outlet, with a 10GbE 5 Port switch that, in it’s diagrams of deployment, show a new tower system connected via 10GbE (as well as a workstation). I will touch on this later with a leaked datasheet that appeared on reddit, but there are plenty of indications that this is a UniFi NAS.

Source (Official eShop) HERE

But you do not even need to dig that hard after these product deployment images, as you literally click the deployment tab and a similar product layout appears on a new image that clearly labels this white tower system as a NAS server. Even if you wanted to play devils advocate and speculate that this is a 3rd party server, the system carries the familiar U logo on the top. Plus, Ubiquiti/UniFi/UI.com VERY rarely show 3rd party hardware on their product pages (for understandable reasons).

Source (Official eShop) HERE

Then, then via the same outlet, we find that an add on is available on the UI pages that listed an 8TB and 16TB UI labelled HDD that is listed as ‘ideal for storage-intensive UniFi systems’. Under this drive are numerous part numbers that relate to the brand’s Dream Machine Pro and Dream Machine Pro MAX systems. So, maybe these are just drives for cross-purpose and dedicated surveillance systems, right? Well, maybe, but the workload ranging heavily indicates enterprise storage use (i.e an ENT or PRO class server drive) which really does seem overkill for some of those systems that are highlighted that are 1-2 SATA/SAS slot systems. I KNOW how tenuous this sounds, but…

Source (Official UniFi Outlet) HERE

The fact that the ‘Enterprise Class’ media seems separate from that of the surveillance media is quite telling too. Could easily be nothing, but surveillance storage media is typically much more focused/geared towards ‘heavy write’ activity – as surveillance is often 95% write and very irregular read (when you need to check those past feeds!), whereas a NAS, especially a Prosumer/Business/Enterprise focused system will be at it’s best with drives that deliver peak on BOTH! Or shift gears entirely and switch to SSD. These enterprise drives definitely link with Surveillance systems that scale up considerably from UniFi, but having this division in their media is slightly overkill for just surveillance deployment alone.

Source (Official UniFi Outlet) HERE

Still not enough for you? Well, luckily an enterprising soul on reddit snuck what looks like a product datasheet for a new rackmount system that appears similar to some of the UNVR-PRO systems, but is clearly defined as a NAS server solution in the UniFi Drive series. If this is fake, it’s an impressive bit of work! Definding everything from the internal hardware specifications and system hardware feature set, right the way down to system PSU and projective power requirements!

Source (Reddit) HERE

Base on this document, the UniFi NAS would come in an rackmount steel chassis with optional brackets and would feature a Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A57 processor running at 1. 7 GHz, 4 GB DDR4 system memory and 32 GB eMMC on-board flash storage. With a power budget of 135W for drives and a maximum power consumption of 160W, it is powered by a 200W internal AC/DC power supply. Connectivity options include a 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 port and a 1/10GbE SFP+ port and Bluetooth v4. 1 for RF interface. It also has a 1. 3” touchscreen LCM display for system status and firmware updates via Ethernet in-band interface.

Also, the 87mm height confirms that this system is a 2U rackmount, as well as not being full depth either (a little over half depth infact). Here are the rest of the specifications that were on the doc found on reddit:

Category	Specification
Dimensions	442 x 325 x 87 mm (17.4 x 12.8 x 3.4″)
Weight	Without rackmount brackets: 9.2 kg (20.28 lbs)
	With rackmount brackets: 9.45 kg (20.83 lbs)
Enclosure material	SGCC steel
Mount material	SGCC steel
Hardware
Processor	Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A57 at 1.7 GHz
System memory	4 GB DDR4
On-board Flash storage	32 GB eMMC
Max. power consumption	160W
Max. power budget for drives	135W
Power method	(1) Universal AC input 100-240V AC, 3A Max, 50/60 Hz
	(1) UPS-Battery DC input 11.5V DC, 13.91A
Power supply	AC/DC, internal 200W
Network interface	(1) 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 port
	(1) 1/10GbE SFP+ port
RF Interface	(1) Bluetooth v4.1
LCM display	(1) 1.3″ touchscreen
	Bootup animation: bootup in progress
	Firmware upgrade icon: firmware upgrading
	Steady white: factory defaults, awaiting adoption
	Steady blue: device is adopted
Management interface	Ethernet in-band
ESD/EMP protection	Air: 12kV
	Contact: 6kV
Operating temperature	-5 to 40°C (23 to 104°F)
Operating humidity	5 to 95% non-condensing
Certifications	FCC, CE, IC
LEDs
Ethernet	Green: 1Gbps
	Amber: 10/100 Mbps
SFP+	White: 10Gbps
	Green: 1Gbps
HDD	Amber: disk error
	White: disk detected
Battery	Blue: ready

Some details, such as the LCM Control panel are quite unique in the NAS server market (with many other brands out there largely retiring LCD panels, despite end users still wanting it). Others are a little more common but still very desirable, such as the confirmation of 10GbE (fiber / SFP+). That said, the CPU choice, if true, is going to divide opinion slightly. ARM processors are designed to be incredibly power efficient – something that is understandably desireable in a 24×7 NAS server of course. That said, even a 64bit ARM processor is going to be a little lean on the hardware capabilities.

This would indicate that, if real, the U-NAS system is going to be very fixed in it’s feature set, as ARM processors in NAS are much MUCH better at rigidly sticking to a handful of services and tasks (fixed defaults, allowing the software development to be a great deal more targetted and resulting in greater system efficiency). That would not make the system ‘weak’ – one look at how the likes of Synology can run DSM 7.2 on the ARM Realtek RTD1619b 64but ARM would show you just how much you can do with a dedication to efficiency in hardware, but it would be interesting to see how Ubiquiti/UI/UniFi approach the software and feature of this system. Will it be a wholly dedicated GUI or an extensive of the existing software platform that users UniFi users already have at their fingertips? Another photo also went on to appear on a reddit thread indicating a product stamp/label, but there wasn’t a huge amount of backing for this one.

Source (Reddit) HERE

Then there was a scree that was highlighting in an official UI video that was picked up by YouTube Channel ‘MacTelecom’ that raised queries about a product that was featured in a promo video. It would be easy to just assume that it is just a surveillance system, but…

Source #1 (Mactelecom) HERE and Source #2 (Official UniFi Channel) HERE

Obviously, the most compelling thing here is the product datasheet and the direct references to a 10GbE ‘NAS Server’ on the official product pages for the USW-Flex-XG, but we have to also take all this with a pinch of salt. plenty of times we have observed products alluded to online or even revealed at official event’s by brands that do not cross the technological finishing line! Still, it’s still tremendously hard to argue with that Ubiquiti/UI and by extensive the UniFi series, are dabbling with NAS systems. What about Synology and QNAP NAS systems? Arent they already an option?

Can You Use a Synology or QNAP NAS with UniFi?

Yes. Adding a NAS to an existing UniFi network is not new, and even now you can connect an external NAS (a QNAP or a Synology, for instance) to a network that is operated using the UniFi devices and increase its storage and data-organization-related capabilities multiple times. This integration means that the NAS will now act as part of the UniFi system as in that it can contain multiple services within a single NAS device. For example, the NAS can be used to store recorded video from the UniFi Protect system, using RTSP streams to guarantee that any footage that is recorded is either in the NAS or is used to send video data to the NAS as well. Furthermore, the NAS can be leveraged for backup for network devices; this is basically used to store the critical configurations and data that can be lost in the devices in question. It is also possible to configure SMB or NFS on the NAS storage in order to offer dedicated shared network storage for the network users to simplify the file sharing procedure.

In addition, this configuration should be supported by UniFi networking capabilities in order to make the workflow even more productive. The NAS is also capable of interfacing with security gateways as well as UniFi Switches and Access Points to offer a highly functional network solution. This integration also enhances the process of management and back up of data besides supporting other utilities such as the Time Machine for Mac users and enhance the use of the community network. Thus, using the offered functions of the QNAP/Synology NAS in the UniFi network allows to organize a powerful system with a potent scalability and capable of fulfilling a wide spectrum of tasks in both business and home environments. So why would a user care about a UniFi Official NAS device?

Why Would a Ubiquiti Launched UniFi NAS Be a BIG DEAL?

If Ubiquiti were to launch their own first-party NAS device, users would likely be happy and excited for several reasons:

1. Seamless Integration: If they launched a NAS, it would no doubt be created to ease the workload for the company regarding supporting all its network devices and storage devices within the existing UniFi system. It would make it easier for those who are already using UniFi devices to plan their set-up and maintenance, centralizing that data, as well as potentially facilitating further backups from there (3-2-1 etc)

2. Unified Management Interface: Let’s face it, UniFi is all about central management and a potential UniFi NAS product would continue to be managed through the UniFi software platform and the central management features will be carried over to managing the storage resource pool. This shortens both the time and the effort used in managing the network and this is widely considered to be very efficient.

3. Enhanced Features: Another appeal of a possible 1st party UniFi NAS would mean that it would open the door to Ubiquiti establishing features that are tailored to its network hardware. Such as optimization for UniFi Protect’s video surveillance storage, optimizing backups, and build photo sharing capabilities within the Ubiquiti network. Matching this functionality specifically for the product could offer a better user’s experience when compared to third party NAS solutions.

4. Consistent Updates and Support: For those that have already integrated a Synology/QNAP NAS into their ecosystem, they are well aware that this means allowing for the system to access updates whilst 24×7. A potential UniFi NAS would require this also, BUT would benefit from that seamless 1st party management and services, like any other Unifi product in the environment, This would be beneficial to users because the NAS could get supported firmware updates as regular AND also open the door to technical support from Ubiquiti to make sure that it is safe, operating, and up-to-date. This could make deployment easier and faster in the case that any issue arises to do with the issue deterring from having a flexible integration in the UniFi ecosystem.

5. Aesthetics and Form Factor: Though Ubiquiti is 20 years old, the UniFi series is much newer by comparison, but stands out with it’s is very popular for its modern design. It might sound fantastically shallow, but if UI launched a NAS device, they would definitely want to maintain this house/brand style and would target the look and feel of the rest of the equipment from the UniFi ecosystem – there would definitely be an audience for this!

6. Vendor Trust and Loyalty: A number of users are brand loyal: data security in 2024 is MASSIVE! People like using services by a particular brand that they trust and prefer to stay with this brand. Many consumers who are pleased with the functionality offered by Ubiquiti in the areas of networking would be much more likely to comfortably integrate a NAS device constructed and certified by that brand compared with a 3rd party, thus easing their lives of an additional device and learning a new GUI and UX. Not everyone of course, some will look at the product history of established NAS vendors and that will be enough – but that ‘if it ain’t broke, don;t fix it’ attitude is definitely out there!

The popularity and interest that would come from the idea that storage will be ‘in house’ in a reliable and simplified form that fully integrates and supports the expanded features provided by Ubiquiti and it’s UniFi series would be popular, there’s no debate there. However we have to also acknowledge that Ubiquiti and UniFi (if real!) would be a relatively new player in this field, with a narrower and very specific history in network data management, that is perhaps a little more specific than the more open storage utilization of network-attached storage. If a NAS is coming from UniFi – we have to wonder what new take that might bring to the table beyond the uniformity of UniFi devices and that ecosystem (arguably their USP!).

If it IS Real, When would the UniFi U-NAS Series Be Released?

That’s the BIG question really, as demands for a UniFi ‘in house’ NAS have been long-running for years. That said, the evidence discussed is pretty conclusive to say the least. Additionally, we are not discussing small mis-shared text or off-hand remarks at a tradeshow – we are seeing product images, direct references to two NAS products on official pages and even system add-ons that are listed on the brand’s eRetail outlets. Then there is the fact that the bulk of these references and documents are all within the last month, which seemingly indicates the revving up of a launch on the horizon. This all adds up to a product that is far along in development and one that is nearing release – Q3/Q4 2024 at the latest. However, without official confirmation, this still needs to be treated as speculation! Watch this space.

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Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you.

Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7]

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a

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Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

NAS Compares
Synology DS423+ Vs QNAP TS-464 NAS Comparison
20 mai 2024 à 18:00

Synology DS423+ Vs QNAP TS-464 NAS Comparison

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

20 mai 2024 à 18:00

QNAP TS-464 or the Synology DS423+ NAS Drive – Which Should You Buy?

Choosing Between the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 NAS is more than just about how you are spending your money at checkout! Making a move away from 3rd public cloud storage can be a big, BIG decision for some users. The ‘freemium’ and low cost monthly subscription to the likes of Google Drive and DropBox seems like a drop in the ocean, right up until you realise that over the years you have spent hundreds of pounds and you face the fact that you are going to need to consider moving that data onto something more long term and ‘in house’. For many users, this is their first encounter with two of the bigger brands in the world of NAS, Synology and QNAP and although at a glance they seem to provide the same kind of solution, even a brief second glance reveals that these two brands have very, very different ideas of where you should be spending your money. Synology is the sleek, apple-esc presented solution that promises a smooth and uncomplex experience, with an arguably more rigid and fixed architecture. Whereas QNAP is the more customizable and flexible in its hardware and software, but has a slightly higher learning curve and requires more time to configure perfectly. Both brands provide an excellent range of NAS solutions with each of the solutions in today’s comparison being quite similar in price, but what you are getting for your money, the range of software included, the scope of hardware that is available and how they translate to upgradable and scalability is incredibly different! So, today we are going to compare the Synology DS423+ NAS released in March 2023 (HEAVILY comparable to the 2020 gen DS920+) against the spring 2022 released QNAP TS-464 NAS.

Synology DS423+ vs QNAP TS-464 NAS – Design

The design of the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS423+ are both very uniform to the brands, utilizing existing designs in their respective Home/Prosumer/SMB ranges. Both are 4-Bay desktop solutions that are designed to be deployed easily and pretty much anywhere. They are largely the same in physical volume, with the Synology DS423+ arriving the tiniest pinch larger, but both systems provide a similar level of storage on their four SATA and 2x NVMe M.2 SSD bays. The Synology has the more traditional shape of the lockable storage media bays being immediately visible, but finish this with an incredibly modernistic shape and matt surface design. The front of the system features a single USB backup port, as well as 5 LEDs for system/drive activity and those two M.2 SSD bays are located on the base of the system. The QNAP TS-464 NAS uses a more glossy and slightly coloured design by comparison (featuring a copper side panel), with the 4 drive bays of the system being covered by a slidable and lockable semi-translucent panel. The QNAP also featured the same LED/USB present, but there are more LEDs on the QNAP and the USB here is both a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port (10Gb/s) and is accompanied by a one-touch copy button. This is one of the early examples of how things in the NAS market have moved forward in hardware but Synology has instead doubled down on their focus of it’s DSM software platform above all else. The QNAP TS-464 is certainly the more expensive NAS of the two, with the DS423+, despite being newer and having a different position in the brand’s portfolio (see the DS923+ to learn more), but the hardware you are getting for that price tag is notably different and will become a clear divide between these two. Because of the compact design, both systems need to factor in intelligent cooling, as they will likely be in operation 24×7. This is another clear area where the brands have gone in different directions here.

QNAP TS-464 NAS 168mm × 170mm × 226 mm	Synology DS423+ NAS 166 mm x 199 mm x 223 mm

The ventilation on the Synology DS423+ is certainly more visible but in a much more ‘branded’ and slick way. The QNAP TS-464 features no front-facing ventilation, instead using two small areas of ventilation on the sides of the chassis and the base of the TS-464 featuring further ventilation under each of the storage bays. The Synology on the other hand has much more passive airflow, with each of the individual storage bays being surrounded by a slit of ventilation and the side panel of the DS423+ having the Synology logo featured as further ventilation. Higher-end Synology desktop models feature metal mesh panels inside these logos to capture dust, but this is less of a concern in the more compact and discreet DS423+. Overall, I would certainly say that the Synology DS423+ have more visible efforts to maintain system temperature than the QNAP TS-464 (which is a real surprise when you see how the hardware these two systems are sporting compares) but both maintain a good operation temperature.

QNAP TS-464 NAS	Synology DS423+ NAS

When you look at the rear of the TS-464 and DS423+ NAS, you see another big difference in how each system maintains their respective internal temperatures, with the QNAP featuring a single 120mm fan that covers the bulk of the internal hardware airflow path and the Synology featuring two 92mm fans that cover around 70% of the rear of the chassis. Of the two, I would say the QNAP TS-464 is the noisier in operation of the two (when populated with 4x 4TB WD Red HDDs) by the tiniest of margins, but it isn’t really till you entertain the idea of enterprise HDDs or drives larger than 10TB that you need to worry about ambient sound around these two systems. Both the DS423+ and TS-464 can have the rotations per minute (RPM) of their fans changed manually or left on automatic as the system changes the internal cooling to ensure maximum efficiency.

QNAP TS-464 NAS	Synology DS423+ NAS

Overall, the design of the Synology DS423+ is still the better-looking system of the two and although I personally really like the copper and glossy look of the QNAP TS-464 NAS, I know that the bulk of users will want to ‘set up and forget’ their NAS, so these aesthetic design choices are less important to them. Equally, although the QNAP fan has the potential to cool its respective system much more, I think the Synology features a better balance of active airflow and passive ventilation overall. The QNAP still wins pretty big on its inclusion of a USB 3.2 Gen 2 One Touch Copy button enabled port for faster and more manual backup options (as well as still allow automated and connection-triggered backups as the Synology), but overall on points, this round belongs to the Synology DS423+ NAS.

QNAP TS-464 versus Synology DS423+ NAS – Internal Hardware

This is an area where you really see how both brands focus their priorities on the solutions they offer, as well as how the components common to NAS have evolved in the 2 years between their respective releases. The Synology DS423+ arrives with a familiar architecture to it’s predecessor (the DS420+) and is a fairly tried and tested formula by the brand. Synology was the first company to introduce NVMe SSD storage bays into desktop NAS systems around 5 years ago (something that QNAP has only really been catching up on in the last 2 YEARS). Likewise, Synology has made a few very brand-specific decisions in their system architecture that this rather more proprietary brand is often keen to implement. For example, the default DDR4 memory inside (2666Mhz SODIMM) is actually soldered to the main internal board (4x 256MB Modules), with an additional empty memory slot to allow an additional 4GB Synology-branded memory module. As the DS423+ has a CPU that has a maximum 8GB of memory, this is an oddly artificial limitation that results in the DS420+ only allowing 6GB of max memory, an odd move that is perhaps done out of system PCI/Bandwidth, rather than any kind of manufacturer restriction. The QNAP features a newer gen CPU (as you would expect after the later release) and this CPU allows up to 16GB of memory (4GB in the default model) across two upgradable slots. Likewise, returning to those M.2 NVMe slots, both system feature 2 bays that can be used for SSD storage upgrades, although both the DS423+ and TS-464 support SSD caching (when a pool of SSDs is used to speed up data write/read in conjunction with the larger HDD RAID array), Synology ONLY RECENTLY allowed NVMe Storage Pools on their platform, whereas QNAP has allowed NVMes as standalone storage pools, for app booting, running the OS from and even their own special internal tiering system known as QTier. This is the first of several key differences between the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS423+ NAS that show the divide in hardware between these units.

Model	QNAP TS-464	Synology DS423+
Price	£559 $650 €675	£508 $549 €569
Storage Media Support	4x SATA, 2x m.2 NVMe 3×1 for Cache/Pools/QTier	4x SATA, 2x NVMe SSD Cache/Pool Bays
CPU Model	Intel N5105/N5095	Intel J4125
CPU Frequency & Cores	Quad-Core 2.0-2.9Ghz	Quad-Core 2.0-2.7Ghz
CPU Benchmark Score	CPU benchmark 4161	CPU benchmark 3006
Memory Default/Max	4-16GB SODIMM DDR4	2-6GB SODIMM DDR4 (4GB onboard)
PSU Power & Design	90W External PSU	100W External PSU
Physical Fans	1x 120m FAN	2x 92m FAN

Of course, the clearest difference that most PC builder-minded people are going to notice is the CPU. NAS systems are designed to be operational for days, weeks, months and even years at a time. Therefore, in order to maintain optimal performance, as well as lower power consumption and lessen the damage that long-term operation can inflict on a processor, the CPUs used in NAS are a great deal more modest. In the case of the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 NAS, they feature Intel Celeron processors, each featuring an embedded graphics component (allowing graphical operations, multimedia handling and visual data to be handled by a specialized area of the processor), quad-core architecture and a base level clock speed of 2.0Ghz that can be burst (turbo/increased when needed). However, the newer generation N5105/N5095 CPU in the QNAP is able to reach a higher overall clock speed and also is more efficient (i.e uses a little less hardware resources to get a task done than it would take on the J4125 typically, so, therefore, can do more tasks overall when the full CPU power is utilized). Indeed, CPUBenchmark rated the newer CPU 30%+ higher in it’s scoring than the J4125 (again, as you would expect for a CPU released more than a year later by Intel), so this processor means that more can be done on the QNAP (in like for like tasks) and also this CPU allows a greater range of hardware to be built into the system. CPUs are one of the largest quantifying factors of how a NAS is built and this is because they can only handle a certain amount of connected hardware (storage bays, ports, expansion slots, etc) when connected to a larger controller/motherboard. This is commonly referred to as the # of PCI lanes and the chipset used in the build of the system. Because this newer Intel N5105 / N5095 CPU has more lanes to use at once than the J4125, it allows the newer NAS drive to have more hardware.

QNAP TS-464 NAS – Intel N5105/N5095 CPU

Synology DS423+ NAS – Intel J4125 CPU

These additional CPU resources, as well as the increased maximum memory and flexibility of how the M.2 NVMe SSD slots can be used ultimately mean that in terms of internal hardware, the newer released QNAP TS-464 wins over the Synology DS423+ NAS. It is worth remembering that the M.2 NVMe SSD slots on the QNAP TS-464 are PCIe Gen 3 x1 (down to the Celeron CPU still not having anywhere near the scope in it’s flexibility that the likes of an Intel Core, Ryzen or Xeon might have) and will bottleneck at 1,000MB/s, but this is still better than nothing and there is still the lingering question of the Gen 2 slots on the DS423+ being 2×2 or 2×4 – which will potentially limit the M.2 NVMes on the DS423+ further still. So the QNAP still seems to have a better balance of NVMe SSD support in its architecture overall.

Synology DS423+ or QNAP TS-464 NAS – Ports & Connections

Now ports and connections on the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 NAS is an area that is INCREDIBLY diverse in it’s approach by either brand. Once again, the reasons clearly to do with the CPU choice and position on their respective brand portfolios, but also the brand’s own decisions in build architecture/priorities still massively continue to be a contributing factor here. The Synology DS423+ NAS certainly comes across as the weaker of the two here in its connectivity and although a lot of the QNAP’s advancements in connectivity could be described as ‘future upgrades and simply facilitating extras or addons’, it still manages to provide a greater deal of connectivity to the day 1 user than the Synology system here. The port(s) that almost certainly will be the one that jumps out immediately on each system is the network connections. The DS423+ NAS arrives with 2x 1GbE ports which, although allowing link aggregation to create 2GbE with a smart switch, was still a little underwhelming in 2023 when released and looking increasingly out of step with modern network tech in 2024 (as we had already started seeing 2.5GbE arriving at the same price as 1GbE with a number of client hardware devices in 2020). The newer QNAP TS-464 features 2x 2.5GbE (so 5GbE via link aggregation and a supported switch) which now that some ISPs and budget switch manufacturers are providing affordable 2.5GbE solutions, will be incredibly useful. Then the is the additional PCIe upgrade slot on the QNAP NAS that allows upgrades towards 10GbE, dual-port 10GbE cards and even combo cards to add 10G and further M.2 NVMe bays via a single card. Again, there ARE upgrades and not something in the baseline model, but you can not argue with the future-proofing available here. Additionally, the DS923+ NAS released in December 2022 had the option to upgrade to 10GbE – something hugely absent here in the eyes of many on this 4xSATA and 2xNVMe DS423+ NAS. There is simply no avoiding that the 2023 released DS423+ looks a little dated in 2024, in large part to those 1GbE ports are something of a limiting factor.

Model	QNAP TS-464	Synology DS423+
Network Ports	2x 2.5GbE	2x 1GbE
USB 3.2 Ports	2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb)	2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb)
USB 2.0 Ports	2x USB 2.0	0
HDMI Ports	1x HDMI 2.0 4K 60FPS	n/a
PCIe Upgrade Slots	PCIe Gen 3×2 Slot (2Gb/s)	n/a

After the network and PCIe differences that favour the TS-464, the distance between the 2023 and 2022 NAS hardware architecture here is further extended. The Synology DS423+ features a further USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) port, but LACKS the option to upgrade it’s storage down the line with an expansion (such as with the eSATA port on the DS920+ and DS923+ NAS supporting the DX517 official expansion). QNAP counters this on the TS-464 with the inclusion of another USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) port, as well as some (obviously less useful) USB 2.0 ports. These USB 2.0 Ports are primarily designed to be used in conjunction with the optional visual output (HDMI 2.0 4k 60FPS) on the QNAP as a KVM (Keyboard, video and mouse) setup with the included parallel HD Station application and its tool. The HDMI and direct interface of the QNAP is still pretty niche as a service on this system, but it has a number of useful multimedia, surveillance and VM utilities that can be quite impressive. Expansions on the TS-464 are more diverse than the 5-Bay DX517 on the DS423+ (which again, is NOT supported anyway), with QNAP offering 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12-Bay expansion chassis (arriving in JBOD or hardware RAID enabled) that connect over USB or an inclusive PCIe card. Overall, it comes as no surprise that in terms of hardware, the QNAP TS-464 still takes the first place, as the Synology DS423+ (like most of the brand’s solutions) is prioritizes the DSM platform and it’s tools/services over the hardware. Let’s discuss the software on each of these brands.

QNAP TS-464 or the Synology DS423+ NAS – Software

When you are choosing to buy a Synology or QNAP NAS, it is always worth bearing in mind that you are not just buying a bunch of hardware, but you are actually getting a fully-featured software solution. Both the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 arrive with each brand’s premium NAS software and services platform, DSM and QTS respectively. Both of these platforms include a traditional operating system level of accessibility and control, that can be accessed via pretty much any web browser or desktop OS, as well as numerous tailored mobile client applications. The Synology DSM platform is a lot more comparable in design and control with Mac OSX and is by far the more user-friendly option of the two. The QNAP QTS platform is a lot more comparable to Android in its initial GUI and then more like Windows in it’s navigation, arriving as the option with a greater deal of configuration and control, but with a steeper learning curve. Another big difference between QTS and DSM is how they present their services, with QNAP providing a larger degree of support of 3rd party applications (both in the app center and in the configuration of their own range of 1st party applications. Synology DSM on the other hand proves a larger and more impressive range of fist party tools that are designed to replace/improve upon the 3rd party tools you might be using, with many of it’s applications being comparable to top tier 3rd party paid tools in the market (the Synology collaboration suite, the Surveillance Station application and pretty much everything in Synology Drive, just as a start). The QNAP platform also, in it’s efforts to be as widely compatible and configurable as possible, occasionally stems into over-complexity and risks the user tripping over itself as it tries to manage the larger scale of configuration Whereas, although the Synology DSM platform may seem a pinch more closed and fixed, it manages to prevent the users from accidentally ruining their own storage system. Here is a full breakdown of the key applications that are included with the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS423+, broken down into categories:

	QNAP TS-464	Synology DS423+
Browser Support	Supports all Browsers	Supports all Browsers
	Browser File Management	Browser File Management
	Photo/Music/Video Tools	Photo/Music/Video Tools
	Multimedia Console	Synology Drive
	AI Photo Recognition	AI Photo Recognition
	Edge m.2 Coral TPU Support
Storage Services
	SED Drive Support	SED Drive Support
	QTier	Synology Hybrid RAID
	Hybrid Mount	Hybrid Share
	ISCSI Target/LUN	ISCSI Target/LUN
	vJBOD
	Snapshots	Snapshots
	SSD Cache (Read/Write/Both)	SSD Cache (Read/Write/Both)
	Cloud Sync / QSync	Cloud Sync
	Ex-FAT is Free	Fast RAID Rebuild
	RAID Resync control	RAID Resync control
	Secure Erase	Acrtive Backup Suite
	Lots of Expansions (TR/TL)	Hyper Backup
	HBS 3	Synology CMS
	Qfiling and Qsirch
Business Applications
	QVR Pro – 8 Camera Licenses (+USB Camera Support)	Surveillance Station – 2 Camera Licenses
	Virtualization Station	Virtual Machine Manager
	Ubuntu Linux Station 18/20	Docker Support
	Container Station	Active Backup 365 & Workspace
	Hypervisor Protector	Synology Office, Chat, Calendar
	QMailAgent	Synology Mail / MailPlus
	HD Station	Synology C2 and Services
	BoXafe

	Security Councillor	Security Councillor
	Malware Remover	Synology VPN Plus
	McAfee Anti-Virus Scanning	Log and Notification Center
	QVPN	Auto Blocking on SSH, Telnet etc
	Log and Notification Center	256 bit Encryption
	Auto Blocking on SSH, Telnet etc	2 Step Authentication
	256 bit Encryption	Firewall App
	2 Step Authentication	Access Protection and Allow/Deny list
	Firewall App	Synology Secure SignIn
	Access Protection and Allow/Deny list	Synology C2 Password

As you can see, both NAS brands provide similar levels of software, services and features, but they are presented in very different ways. Once again, I cannot emphasise enough how much more the QNAP platform is configurable but ALSO how it can often give you too much configuration and risk overwhelming less experienced users. The Synology DSM platform, for all its comparative rigidicy, is still overall the better software experience and you definitely see that Software over hardware priority from the brand clearly here. I have made long, LONG reviews on each of the NAS brand’s and their software platforms, which you can watch below for much, much more information on their respective strengths and weaknesses.

QNAP QTS 5.0 Review	Synology DSM 7 Review

Ultimately, it will come as no surprise that Synology come out on top in terms of software compared with the QNAP. That is not to say that the QNAP QTS platform is not good, it really, really is and some of the applications that are included for home and business users are often genuinely impressive, unique and provide facilities to the end-user that are wholly unavailable on any other NAS platform (eg Multimedia Console as a single portal media manager, the 2-3 Click VM storages and repository that are available in Virtualization Station, Linux Station and Container Staton or the QuMagie AI-powered tool that is able to cover a greater range of subjects and categories that any other NAS photo tool out there). However, the QNAP QTS platform is not quite as polished, as user-friendly and as responsive as the Synology DSM platform overall. If you want a better idea how these two NAS software platforms compare directly (i.e face to face), then you can check out my DSM vs QTS video below:

Alternatively, if you are NOT interested in using the software included with your NAS, there is always the option to install TrueNAS – Something that is surprisingly easy on the QNAP NAS (see video below):

QNAP TS-464 or the Synology DS423+ NAS – Conclusion

Ultimately, choosing between the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 largely comes down to a question of hardware vs software. The QNAP TS-464 is by a long distance the more advanced in hardware in practically every way (thanks of course to the brand’s focus in this direction) which leads to that system having a tremendously large scope in terms of what you can do with it, how far the storage can be expanded and how upgradable the system can be. The QNAP is the better future-proof hardware choice and despite the Synology NAS platform having a stronger software platform, it still has a vast array of software and services available in QTS nonetheless. For those that are hardware-focused or want a NAS to support their existing 3rd party client tools and apps, the QNAP TS-464 is by and larger the better choice. The Synology DS423+ NAS on the other hand, despite its 2-3 year older hardware (already premiered in the 2020 released DS920+) and arguably safer/sensible stance on hardware in general, is still a great NAS that will likely becoming more popular and palatable in the 4-Bay NAS market as the pricing becomes a bit more flexible (as many will still weigh the DS423+ with the older DS920+ that still has stock floating around and opt for the latter). Add to that the core strength and first-party focus of DSM leading to this hardware+software solution providing you with a huge array of polished and premium feeling tools at your disposal. As long as you are happy to do things ‘Synology’s way’ and are looking for an easy to use system that will not tax the end-users brain, you will find Synology the better software choice overall.

QNAP TS-464 NAS – Spring/Summer 2022

Synology DS423+ NAS – Spring 2023

Reasons to Buy it?

Better Hardware inside and out

More Expansion/Upgrade Options

Able to run more simultaneous apps/clients at once

Faster USB Ports (10Gb/s)

Larger bandwidth PCIe upgrade slot (PCIe 3×2 vs 2×2/2×4)

Higher CPU Frequency, Efficiency & Proficiency

M.2 SSD Useable Tiered Storage Option

Reasons to Buy it?

Much more user-friendly

Synology Hybrid RAID for flexibility

Overall Better 1st Party Software

Better Surveillance Access/Streaming

Lower Price Point as it in the SOHO part of Syn’s Portfolio

Quieter Operation

First Party Accessories (HDD, SSD, Memory, etc) Available

Buy on Amazon

Where to Buy

Buy on Amazon

Where to Buy

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Cachem
QNAP QuTS hero h5.2 est disponible en Beta
6 mai 2024 à 07:00

QNAP QuTS hero h5.2 est disponible en Beta

Cachem

Par : Fx

6 mai 2024 à 07:00

Après QTS, c’est au tour de QuTS hero d’avoir le droit à sa mise à jour… en Beta pour le moment. Cette nouvelle version améliore grandement les fonctionnalités proposées aux NAS, sans pour autant tout révolutionner. Il faudra être patient, encore un peu, pour voir arriver la version 6. QNAP QuTS hero h5.2 Dans un monde (du stockage) en constante évolution, QNAP continue de mettre à jour régulièrement ses NAS. QuTS hero est une sorte de QTS avec un système de fichier ZFS. Ce serait très réducteur de s’arrêter là, car de nombreuses fonctionnalités découlent de ce choix. QNAP a […]
Lire la suite : QNAP QuTS hero h5.2 est disponible en Beta

NAS Compares
Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Best For Your Budget?
1 mai 2024 à 18:00

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Best For Your Budget?

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

1 mai 2024 à 18:00

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Which is Better?

Isn’t it great when any facet of the tech industry gives birth to competition! In the early days of any new form of technology, the relative scarcity and newness of anything result in very few options for buyers to get the best value or competitive experience for their money. However, it doesn’t take long before competition emerges, innovation flourishes, and ultimately any different form of new tech becomes a more fleshed-out choice for the buyer. The same has certainly happened in the world of network-attached storage (NAS), and although there are several different brands available in NAS, the two biggest names are quite comfortable: Synology and QNAP. For buyers looking at a compact, fully-featured NAS solution, two of the very best options in 2024 are the Synology DS224+ and the QNAP TS-262. Both of these solutions are targeted at home users who want to be able to do a little bit of everything and although they do have a decent amount of small business potential, they have slightly different attitudes towards what you can get for your money. Although it could be very easy to describe this comparison as hardware versus software, the reality is a little bit more nuanced. But before we go ahead and compare these two current-generation NAS solutions, we need to also highlight what both of these systems have in common. Regardless of whether you choose the DS224+ or TS-262 NAS drive, you are guaranteed the following:

Both units feature an Intel Celeron processor for a good price vs hardware balance
Both can Stream and Transcode on the fly (so, live) 1080p HD or 4K media, with superior performance natively and mid-range performance in Plex, as well as both arriving with integrated graphics, so more aggressive graphical manipulation (encode/decode/conversion) is done much more efficiently
Both the Synology DS224+ and TS-262 NAS support AI-supported photo and ‘thing’ recognition supported to a very high degree from the free branded software included
For Business users who currently enjoy the use of Google Workspace or Microsoft/Office 365, both of these NAS provide excellent means to backup your mass cloud accounts (as well as natively sync, dupe and configure rules on the fly)
Both the TS-262 NAS and DS224+ NAS support snapshots, for more incremental and version-protecting failsafe in efforts to protect you from Malware and Ransomware attacks, by allowing multi-versioning storage history to browse through and restore
Both units are DLNA certified so can be accessed, browsed and played from by popular DLNA devices, such as Amazon Firestick, Alexa, Google Home, Chromecast, DS224+ TV, Bose, Sonos, iPads, etc, as well as connectivity between these platforms with IFTTT
Both are multi-bay, RAID enabled devices NAS devices that support JBOD, RAID 0 and RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6 and RAID 10 (as well as Synology Hybrid RAID too for their Plus series range), though support of storage media on each device does differ significantly in places

Both devices run on their own proprietary operating system that can be accessed remotely or locally. These include regular updates to the firmware, security patches, applications and more. Ranging from multimedia, home and multi-tiered backup applications, to more business-end tools such as Surveillance software, Virtual Machine deployment and business-class backup and synchronization tools.
Both the TS-262 and DS224+ use and can be accessed equally by a multitude of mobile applications such as DS File, DS Video, Moments, DS Photo, DSCam and DS Music that are created by and constantly improved by Synology. As well as QFile, QMusic, QuMagie and QManager from QNAP for iOS and Android.
Both NAS are completely compatible with Windows, Android and Mac systems, as well as acting as a bring between software platforms to share and distribute files for migration and file sync (Synology Drive and QNAP QSync)
Both units can be used as mail and/or business servers, providing excellent 3rd party CRM and first-party CMS systems. There is the Synology collaboration Suite of applications Chat, Drive, Mail, Calendar, Office and Active Backup Suite. Whereas on QNAP there is the QMail, Hybrid Backup Sync 3, Virtualization station and BoXafe tools
Both systems support the NVR use with QVR Pro and Surveillance Station applications, support numerous cameras and arrive with at least 2 camera licenses with your purchase (8 Camera Licenses with the QNAP, 2 with the Synology)

Both systems are fully featured examples of what each brand can offer on their own individual server platform. However, you want to know what is different about them and which one best deserves your data!

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Price and Value

Normally, in these comparisons, I would very quickly highlight that when comparing Synology and QNAP, the latter would be the more affordable choice. It has kind of been that way for a while, but things changed towards the end of 2022 when Synology revamped and reorganized their portfolio. In brief, Synology changed a number of the positions of their solutions while simultaneously removing a few different tiers in a portfolio to change which solutions were covering home, small business, medium business, and large-scale deployments. This meant that some systems had their hardware and their price point realigned up or down to better suit the overall portfolio and choice for buyers, and the result is that the DS224+ surprisingly manages to be the lower price of these two very similar systems in some (not all) locations. The DS224+ arrives at around $350 (give or take currency exchange, tax, and shipping), whereas the TS-262 arrives much closer to the $400 mark and in some regions actually crosses this a little higher too. Part of this raised price on the QNAP TS-262 is because of a change in memory implementation (arriving as a fixed 4GB memory and later changing to 2 SODIMM slots and more flexibility). More affordable examples of the TS-262 are available online (couple below), but typically the price is going to be a pinch higher.

Neither of these prices includes storage media and, depending on the capacity of the drives you are considering in either of these two main NAS systems, that is going to take its toll on your budget. So if the price tag of the system you are buying carries a lot of weight in your decision, the Synology DS224+ is probably going to be a better cost choice for you. However, we do have to factor in that not only is the price difference between these two devices comparatively small in the grand scheme of things, but we also have to think about what we get for our money and ultimately ‘value’! In this context, a NAS can be judged on its value in two very distinct ways: the hardware that you are getting for your money and the inclusive software the system arrives with, and it is in this way that these two NAS systems are remarkably different in terms of their priorities.

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Hardware and Connections

Very few of my comparisons have displayed two NAS systems that, although at a casual glance are very similar, are so wildly different in the finer details and scalability than these two NAS devices. The Synology DS224+ system is easily the less hardware-rich of the two, heavily relying upon a hardware architecture that feels somewhat dated in comparison to the QNAP TS-262. In Synology’s defense, they have had a lot of time experimenting and testing their software with this particular CPU (the Intel J4125 quad-core Intel Celeron) and clearly know how to make the most out of it within their software in terms of efficiency and capability. Nevertheless, for PC builders, those who understand how hardware innovates over time, and those who are looking for the best value for money in their kit, this Synology CPU choice is pretty underwhelming. Thanks to that portfolio change I mentioned earlier by Synology, the hardware you find in this home user multimedia NAS is actually near enough identical to the 2020 generation prosumer and fully-featured TIA. That would be pretty good if it wasn’t for the fact that the CPU was released in 2019 and that despite this system’s similarity to the 2020 prosumer tier, some scalability options and upgrade options are not available here. The QNAP, by comparison, manages to scale up over the Synology in so many different ways, with a couple of slightly peculiar backsteps along the way. First, let’s look at the arrangement of that hardware side by side:

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP S-262 NAS Hardware Comparison
Synology NAS
Amazon Price:	$305 (09/08/23 – Check Amazon)	$332 (09/08/23 – Check Amazon)
Processor model	Intel Celeron N5105	Intel Celeron J4125 (2019 Gen)
processor architecture	64-bit	64-bit
processor clock	2-core 2.0 (base frequency) / 2.9 (burst frequency) GHz	4-core 2.0 (base frequency) / 2.7 (burst frequency) GHz
Integrated Graphics	Yes (450-800Mhz)	Yes (250-750Mhz)
Hardware encryption engine (AES-NI)	Yes	Yes
system memory	4GB DDR4 non-ECC	2 GB DDR4 non-ECC
Pre-installed memory modules	Yes, Fixed	Yes, Initial 2GB Fixed
Total number of memory slots	0	1
Maximum memory capacity	4GB	6 GB (2 GB + 4 GB)
The maximum number of disk slots for an expansion unit	2x USB 3.2 (Supports 2/4/8 Bay Expansions)	N/A
M.2 drive bay	Yes, x1 (Gen 3×1)	N/A
Compatible Disk Type	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD 2280 M.2 NVMe	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD
Disk hot-plug support*	Yes	Yes

The big hurdle for a lot of users is clearly going to be that CPU choice. Side by side, the quad-core CPU inside the Synology is going to mean more cores for the system to take advantage of over the dual-core inside the QNAP. Potentially, both CPUs feature integrated graphics, which also means that for processes such as transcoding, handling of graphical data, and simple offline conversions, they are going to use fewer system resources to get the job done. But when we take a closer look, we can see that there is a lot more to it. For a start, the N4505 jewel court CPU inside the QNAP is a much newer generation processor and features a slightly higher clock speed too. Despite half the available core numbers, that is going to result in the CPU being noticeably more efficient thanks to modern innovation by Intel in newer refreshes of their processors. The integrated graphics on the N405 CPU are of a higher birth speed, and although the QNAP CPU will lose out on the sheer breadth of processing capabilities being dual-core rather than quad-core, in a home user environment, and unless you are going to push the system hard, you aren’t really going to feel it.

Then there is the memory inside the two NAS systems and a very distinct difference in how either brand deploys their systems. The Synology system arrives with less default memory at 2GB versus 4GB on the QNAP. However, the Synology features an upgradable Sodimm memory slot that allows you to add a further 4GB of memory. The QNAP, on the other hand, features 4GB by default, but that 4GB is soldered internally for reasons of efficiency and cost (in light of continued memory shortages over the last 2 years and rising NAND flash costs), which results in the TS-262 NAS not allowing memory upgrades further. Therefore, you are getting more RAM on the QNAP on day one, but better long-term scalability by around 50% on the Synology. The fact that both systems feature soldered memory by default is super annoying, particularly when you know both of the CPUs can support more memory officially according to Intel, of 8 GB and 16 GB respectively.

From this point, however, in terms of hardware, QNAP absolutely steals the show moving forward! In terms of ports, connectivity, and upgrade options, Synology has clearly taken a very rigid stance on the DS224+ system, and this results in an incredibly low glass ceiling in comparison to the TS-262 NAS and the sheer wealth of ways to upgrade its hardware throughout the system’s lifetime. The most obvious example is in network connectivity and one that more modern network equipment is going to benefit most! The Synology DS224+ arrives with two Ethernet ports, both gigabit in architecture. Synology has come under fairly regular criticism for sticking quite rigidly with 1Gb network ports on the bulk of their systems, only providing improved gigabit connections or 10G on their XS or enterprise-grade systems by default. Although these two Ethernet ports support bonding options such as link aggregation, port trunking, and the more modern and easy-to-set-up SMB multi-channel via Windows, there are going to be a lot of users that are disappointed with gigabit network port when even domestic-class hard drives these days can comfortably provide 160 to 200 megabytes per second performance, and increasingly affordable SATA SSDs double or triple that number. Therefore, an external connection that immediately throttles performance down to 109 megabytes per second per port is going to be disappointing. This is further exacerbated by the fact that there is no means to upgrade the network connectivity on the Synology NAS beyond 1G, with no PCIe upgrade slot or any compatibility or support officially for 2.5G or 5G adapters which are becoming increasingly affordable.

The QNAP TS-262, on the other hand, is a completely different story! Arriving with a single Ethernet port, you may think things have started poorly, but this Ethernet port is 2.5 GB Ethernet (2.5 times that of the Synology) and whether you are running a one gig architecture and/or thinking of upgrading your network equipment, this is going to allow you to have higher performance via the single port than both of the ports on the Synology combined. However, this is further improved when you discover that the QNAP now also supports network adapters as I alluded to earlier, meaning that you can add a $20 2.5G USB upgrade and even a $50 5G upgrade to the system to further upgrade network connectivity and fully capitalize on the increased performance afforded to you via your media inside the system in RAID 0 or RAID 1. In fact, these USB ports get even better when you find out that, unlike the 5GB. USB 3 Gen 1 ports in the Synology, the QNAP features 10G USB 3 Gen 2 ports. These USB ports support vastly more peripheral and accessory devices on the TS-262 than they do on the DS224+, ranging from network upgrades, wireless upgrades, office peripherals, and assignment towards virtual machines for either more utilization. But more importantly, these USB ports support storage expansions from QNAP that allow you to add a further two, four, eight, and sixteen bay expansions (in conjunction with the PCIe slot), which means that you are not limited in the system’s lifetime to just those two bays of storage. Synology, on the other hand, has no expansion support for the DS224+. They do have a couple of expansion devices for desktop use in their portfolio, but they are connected via eSATA and have not added this connection to their DS224+ NAS.

Continuing down the rabbit hole of expansion and scalability, there is the fact that the QNAP NAS has a PCIe upgrade slot. It cannot be understated just how important and useful a lot of users are going to find this upgrade slot; even entry-level home users are going to feel the benefits here. Unsurprisingly, there is no PCIe upgrade slot on the Synology DS224+, but why is it such a big deal that these NAS devices would feature one? Well, much like the previous point I made about default network connectivity on the DS224+ and TS-262, having a PCIe upgrade slot means that you can add even greater network connectivity such as 10 GbE via a one or two-port card! There is also support for SSD storage upgrade cards that allow you to add two more M.2 NVMe SSDs and turn this 2-bay NAS into a 4-bay NAS! Or you can go ahead and get combo cards that have both built into a single card that occupies one slot and gives you a massive storage upgrade and a massive external bandwidth upgrade! There is even support for Wi-Fi 6 upgrade cards, USB port upgrade cards, and a long-ranging list of third-party PCIe cards that can be installed inside this system to improve performance inside and outside! Because of the CPU choice here and efforts to keep things affordable on systems on the scale of the DS224+ and TS-262, the PCIe architecture of this upgrade slot is gen 3 x 2, which does limit the internal bandwidth to 2000 megabytes per second, but nevertheless, having the option of this upgrade on the TS-262 alongside those network USB upgrade choices, when the DS224+ provides neither, is definitely something worthy of note.

However, the upgrades on the QNAP TS-262 do not stop there with this system. Also arriving by default with two times M.2 NVMe SSD base as well. That’s right; you don’t even need to wait to upgrade with a PCIe card, and you can go ahead and utilize M.2 SSDs for caching or as raw storage pools straight away on day one, thanks to the system featuring these by default. Remember earlier when I mentioned that the Synology DS224+ is using hardware architecture in this home-tier solution that three years ago was in the prosumer tier, about certain hardware limiting choices have been made? One of those was the two M.2 NVMe SSD base that previous generations of this device had featured and are notably absent on the Synology DS224+. It’s a real shame that Synology opted to not feature these in this architecture, despite clearly having enough resources here to support it. This is quite a clear choice by the brand to place the system in a very specific area of their portfolio so it does not overlap the next tier, the Synology DS723+.

Finally, there is the fact that the QNAP TS-262, like a number of other different NAS solutions in their portfolio that feature integrated graphics, also arrives with visual output, in this case, an HDMI 2.0 4K 60 frames per second port. This visual output, combined with two dedicated USB 2.0 ports that can be used for low priority peripherals alongside this if you choose, allows you to run a completely parallel (not mirrored!) Software GUI that is dedicated to the HDMI out, called HD station. Well, it should be highlighted that QNAP does not update this service and its applications anywhere near as frequently as it does the other apps in the brand’s portfolio. There is still a good range of services that can be used here that allow you to run a standalone surveillance system with KVM, a direct multimedia center that has direct control via an infrared remote control/Wi-Fi remote via mobile/USB keyboard and mouse, the ability to run a standalone PC via this HDMI, while the system also continues to run the QNAP NAS OS and apps over the network as usual, and a whole bunch of other things. Synology has always been pretty clear about their integration of HDMI out on their systems, largely ignoring it for any system other than a handful of their surveillance systems. This is by no means a killer feature for most users, and I know that the percentage of QNAP NAS owners that actually utilize the HDMI is surprisingly small. But nevertheless, this is just another example of the sheer scope of hardware that has been packed into the QNAP TS-262.

Overall, it should come as absolutely no surprise that in terms of hardware, the QNAP TS-262 absolutely smashes it! Even if the base-level hardware of the Synology had been a more modern generation CPU choice (and we have to at least give them the benefit of the doubt that the system does provide more scalability in terms of memory and is a quad-core CPU too!), the overall standard and modern architecture of the QNAP TS-262 is just impossible to ignore, and you are getting frankly insane value for money in terms of hardware on the TS-262, then you do on the slightly older feeling DS224+ by comparison. However, we can’t just focus on the hardware, as having the best hardware in the world won’t mean anything if you can’t utilize it properly. So let’s start talking about the software that is included with both of these NAS systems to see if this is where Synology can shine.

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Software and Services

Spoiler alert, Synology is going to win this! If you have been spending even a moderate amount of time looking at either of these brands, you’ll know that where QNAP seemingly hit the accelerator in the hardware department, Synology absolutely dominates in terms of the software! QNAP arrives with QTS 5.1, the latest iteration of their software, and although it does lack some of the smoothness and intuitive nature of the Synology platform (DSM 7.2), it is still a very well-put-together and heavily-featured platform. Here is how they compare:

	QNAP QTS 5.1	Synology DSM 7.2
Browser Support	Supports all Browsers	Supports all Browsers
	Browser File Management	Browser File Management
	Photo/Music/Video Tools	Photo/Music/Video Tools
	Multimedia Console	Synology Drive
	AI Photo Recognition	AI Photo Recognition
	Edge m.2 Coral TPU Support
Storage Services
	SED Drive Support	SED Drive Support
	QTier	Synology Hybrid RAID
	Hybrid Mount	Hybrid Share
	ISCSI Target/LUN	ISCSI Target/LUN
	vJBOD	Volume Encryption
	Snapshots	Snapshots
	SSD Cache (Read/Write/Both)	SSD Cache (Read/Write/Both)
	Cloud Sync / QSync	Cloud Sync
	Drive Failure Predcition & Migration	Fast RAID Rebuild
	RAID Resync control	RAID Resync control
	Secure Erase	Acrtive Backup Suite
	Lots of Expansions (TR/TL)	Hyper Backup
	HBS 3	Synology CMS
	Qfiling and Qsirch	Write Once Read Many
Business Applications
	QVR Pro – 8 Camera Licenses (+USB Camera Support)	Surveillance Station – 2 Camera Licenses
	Virtualization Station	Virtual Machine Manager
	Ubuntu Linux Station 18/20	Docker Support
	Container Station	Active Backup 365 & Workspace
	Hypervisor Protector	Synology Office, Chat, Calendar
	QMailAgent	Synology Mail / MailPlus
	HD Station	Synology C2 and Services
	BoXafe

	Security Councillor	Security Councillor
	Malware Remover	Synology VPN Plus
	McAfee Anti-Virus Scanning	Log and Notification Center
	QVPN	Auto Blocking on SSH, Telnet etc
	Log and Notification Center	256 bit Encryption
	Auto Blocking on SSH, Telnet etc	2 Step Authentication
	256 bit Encryption	Firewall App
	2 Step Authentication	Access Protection and Allow/Deny list
	Firewall App	Synology Secure SignIn
	Access Protection and Allow/Deny list	Synology C2 Password

The TS-262 also supports QNAP’s QTier service, a unique alternative to utilizing faster SSDs as storage pools or for caching. With Q Tier, you can combine your available slower hard drive storage media and faster SSD media into a single storage pool. Upon doing so, over time the system will learn what are the most frequently accessed files, ranging from small metadata and OS files all the way up to larger block data, which is then moved (not copied, as found with caching in smaller files) to the faster storage area. Then over time, as you and your other users use the TS-262, those more frequently accessed files will be retrieved from the faster SSD and create a much more responsive and faster user experience. Combine that with the improvements in the base level, network bandwidth on day one, or via upgrade, and the benefits of QTier in a mixed media storage device are very useful indeed.

We also have to acknowledge that one of these two brands suffered something of a PR disaster back in 2021/2022 when QNAP was one of the brands that was targeted by the Deadbolt ransomware group (alongside Asustor and Terramaster), resulting in more than 3,000 successfully hit devices who suffered targeted data encryption in small or whole system storage extents. The impact of this, combined with QNAP’s handling of the attack and their response to semi-force updates on systems remotely, resulted in a lot of lost face by many in this brand, and they will be carrying the stigma of this event for quite a few years yet. In comparison, Synology, though targeted by the group, were not successfully attacked, and at the time of writing, it appears that no Synology NAS user was ever hit by Deadbolt ransomware. In fact, aside from the Synolocker attack on Synology NAS systems over a decade ago, there has not been any widespread reported successful attack on their platform that comes even slightly close to the Deadbolt attack on QNAP.

To put this into a little bit of perspective, all network-attached storage devices received regular security updates for years, long beyond the hardware warranty of any singular NAS hardware. This is because software development can only ever really be one step ahead of the hackers. A brand releases software, hackers begin to try to find vulnerabilities, and when successful, the software brand releases a firmware update, and the cycle begins again. The majority of software these days is actually built on just a handful of different software architectures such as Linux, which in turn go through the same cycle of update>attack>update as any other software. However, when THEY roll out an update, the software that is built on them needs to customize that firmware update on their platforms, which takes time! Both of these brands, alongside every other reputable software brand that has even a hint of internet/remote access, has their security advisory pages that you can find online, which will detail the number of vulnerabilities that have been highlighted and the progress of their resolution. So, no brand will ever be considered 100% bulletproof from security vulnerabilities, as any piece of software might have a vulnerability that has just simply not been found yet, but there is simply no denying that between these two brands when it comes to security and how they have managed this subject, Synology seemingly has the edge.

If you are still on the fence about whether you should buy the Synology DS224+ or QNAP TS-262, and you intend to spend a decent amount of time with their respective software, then I would strongly recommend that you head to one of the two demo pages below. Both of these allow you to test out and experience the respective NAS software from each of these brands and will give you a good understanding of how each one works, how intuitive or user-friendly they are, and whether either software will provide you the level of reliability, stability, or customization that you are going to need before you purchase either the DS224+ or TS-262 NAS.

Synology Diskstation Manager 7.2 Online Demo – HERE

QNAP QTS 5.1 Online Demo – HERE

Ultimately, much like previously when QNAP was holding court and comfortably winning the hardware comparison of these two NAS devices, in the case of software, Synology absolutely smashes it. It’s not a complete flawless victory, as the QNAP QTS platform does provide a wide range of first-party services, much more customizable and adaptable services, and a wide range of third-party support compared with Synology DSM. But in terms of UX design, smoothness of GUI, long-term security management, and first-party ecosystem services, the Synology DSM platform on the DS224+ comfortably places it ahead. This is as you would expect from a brand that, when purchasing one of their solutions, places the emphasis on the software more than anything else. You can really feel the investment there! If you are in need of further comparison, you can check out my reviews on both DSM and QTS below in the software reviews over on YouTube:

QNAP QTS 5.1 Before You Buy (YouTube)	Synology DSM 7.2 Before You Buy (YouTube)

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Verdict and Conclusion

It would be so, so easy to simply label this a case of hardware versus software, and indeed there is a ring of truth to that when you look at just how much is packed in with both the DS224+ and TS-262 in terms of priorities from either brand. However, the reality is a little bit more nuanced, as it really will come down to both what the user needs and their level of experience. Though the software on the DS224+ towers over the hardware when you purchase the device, it also needs to be stated that good software can make the most of weaker hardware, and having a system that requires a lower skill level in order to make the most out of it, for some, is going to be worth its waiting gold! You need to think of the Synology NAS systems as something of a complete ecosystem rather than just a data storage solution, providing more applications to replace those third-party alternatives that may exist in your network and create a truly synchronized storage networking communication environment! However, all of that arrives with limitations, with a lower glass ceiling and often with a feeling that the system is being held back intentionally in efforts to maintain that balance in the case of the DS224+. The TS-262, by comparison, gives you more hardware, more bandwidth, greater opportunities to upgrade and scale out your storage, and does so with a software platform that takes off the training wheels. This can lead to inconsistencies, this can lead to a higher learning curve, and ultimately leads to an experience where you may have to spend more time getting the system to wrap around your existing workflow rather than the other way around. This is where the TS-262 excels, as it tries to give you the control to do things your way, but may also hit the odd hurdle when it’s trying to do and be too many things to too many people. If you are looking for a streamlined experience that will hold your hand the whole way, go for the Synology DS224+! If you are looking to take the reins of your hardware, get a system to work the way YOU want it to, and have more opportunities to scale up your network storage in many directions, go for the QNAP TS-262. Both systems excel in what they’re trying to do at this price point, and as long as you know what you want from this system in advance, they will fulfill those needs appropriately!

NAS

Amazon Price:

QNAP TS-262 NAS

Synology DS224+ NAS

$335 (21/04/24 – Check Amazon)

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The Best 10GbE NAS Drives – 2024

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

29 avril 2024 à 18:00

A Guide to the Best 10GbE NAS Drives

Data continues to grow exponentially, with everyday devices generating substantial amounts of data. High-resolution photos, 4K Ultra HD HDR movies, and internet connections surpassing gigabit speeds have become the norm. This surge in data creation and transfer has highlighted the limitations of the traditional 1GbE (RJ45) LAN/WAN ports, often causing network bottlenecks. In the past year, client hardware like phones, laptops, TVs, and tablets have adapted to this challenge, increasingly incorporating advanced WiFi protocols such as WiFi 6 (802.11ax). Similarly, in the realm of Network Attached Storage (NAS), addressing bandwidth limitations has been a focus for several years, with one of the key solutions being the adoption of 10GbE technology. 10GbE, offering ten times the bandwidth of the conventional 1GbE, enables network transmissions to exceed 1,000MB/s. Although 10G technology has been around for a while, it’s only in the last few years, particularly in 2023 and 2024, that it has become significantly more affordable. This price reduction has made it feasible for both home and business users to upgrade. The cost of 10G adapter cards has dropped to under £100, and network switches are now priced only slightly higher than their 1G counterparts. Furthermore, in some instances, the physical compatibility of 1G and 10G is identical (Copper RJ45), simplifying upgrades and allowing for considerable hardware reuse.

10GbE has become much more accessible than previously anticipated. To assist in your decision-making process, below is a video detailing numerous reasons to upgrade to or opt out of 10GbE, which could be helpful in your search for the best 10GbE NAS to buy in 2024.

Best NAS of the Year

(Honourable Mention) Terramaster T9-450 $999-1099 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
(Best Software) Synology DS1823xs+ $1799 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
(Best Hardware) QNAP TS-855X $1300-1500 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
(Best Value 10G + NVMe) Asustor Flashstor 12 Pro $799 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Key Features of Top 10GbE NAS Drives in 2024

When exploring the various 10GbE NAS drives available, it’s crucial to recognize that they are not all created equal. Despite the temptation of lower-priced models from emerging brands, these often lack durability and comprehensive features. Here are the essential features that the best 10GbE NAS drives, regardless of brand, should include:

1. **Integrated Hardware and Software**: Includes a web browser interface, mobile and desktop apps for backup, media streaming, surveillance, and file management.
2. **Multi-OS Compatibility**: Accessible via Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux.
3. **Warranty**: Typically 2-3 years, extendable to 5 years.
4. **Network and Remote Access**: Local network access and secure remote access with brand-supported services at no extra cost.
5. **Support for Latest Hard Drives**: Compatibility with the latest 20TB NAS hard drives.
6. **RAID Support**: Multiple drive configurations for data protection and performance.
7. **Regular Updates**: Frequent updates for security, features, and services.
8. **Cloud and Enterprise Service Integration**: Syncing capabilities with cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, and enterprise services such as AWS and Azure.
9. **Shared Drive Hosting**: Ability to host a synchronized drive on your device, visible in the native file manager.
10. **Direct Network Connectivity**: Access via ethernet for 100MB/s or higher connectivity.
11. **Backup and Sync Tools**: Client-side tools for regular backups of files and system data.

Ensure any 10GbE NAS you consider, beyond the top recommendations, includes these features. These aspects are often compromised in cheaper models, resulting in less proficient NAS servers. Let’s now look at the best 10GbE NAS drives to buy right now.

Honourable Mention, Good Value 10GbE – Terramaster T9-450 NAS

0-198TB, 9-Bays, 2x PCIe Gen 3 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel C3558R Atom Quad Core CPU, 8-32GB Memory, 2x 10GbE SFP, 1x 2.5GbE Port, PCIe Slot (TBC), 2yr Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $999-1099

Hardware Review – LINK

YouTube Video Review – Watch

What I said in my review May ’23:

Terramaster has really changed the playing field with the T9-450 NAS. I was already a big fan of their latest generation of 6-Bay, 9-Bay and 12-Bay desktop chassis – providing a pretty substantial amount of storage in a tower design that borrows ventilation methodology traditionally found in rackmounts, but the T9-450 takes this logic and doubles down on it hard. The dual 10GbE on the system means that, despite it’s comparatively modest price point (when comparing against similar scale solutions from Synology and QNAP) you genuinely have a solution with the potential to allow you to enjoy every single MB/s or GB/s of your RAID externally. This is further bolstered with additional 2.5GbE ports, m.2 NVMe bays, uncomplicated support of HDDs/SSDs and just generally a very sensible system that shows how much Terramaster has matured as a brand. The TOS software is still not quite up there with Synology’s DSM or QNAP’s QTS in terms of ease of use and AAA+ features, but it is definitely a great entry point OS that has tighted it’s security since the brand was targetted by a ransomware group (along with other brands, they were affected by Deadbolt attacks) – it certainly lacks some of the background optimization of it’s competitors, but then this is reflected in the budget of the system too.

The internal PCIe slot that has been largely ignored is a bit of a missed opportunity and I am not a big fan of how they have addressed memory compatibility, but overall it is very, very tough to criticise the T9-450 NAS when you factor in the value of the package here. Factor in that you can very easily swap out the OS for many others, and it largely silences alot of the negatives here too. Overall, the T9-450 could potentially be the best NAS that Terramster has ever released and if they continue to address later releases with the same level of hardware value, this could definitely give the bigger names in the industry something of a headache down the road. I highly recommend this system for its value and performance potential!

SOFTWARE - 7/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 9/10

VALUE - 10/10

8.8

PROS

Surprisingly compact for 9 Bays of Storage

Good Middle ground between a Rackmount and Desktop System

Dual 10GbE - LOVELY STUFF!

Also has support of SMB MultiChannel and an extra 2x 2.5GbE

Decent throughput Capable CPU

Great RAID Options

Snapshot Replication

BTRFS/EXT4 Support as preferred

A large amount of maximum memory supported (16-32GB - TBC)

M.2 SSD Bay inside for caching/storage

TOS 5.1 is genuinely good, if not quite as polished/evolved as it\\\'s competitors

VERY easy to install TrueNAS, UnRAID, Proxmox, OpenMediaVault, etc (and also easy to reverse)

CONS

Secret PCIe Slot - Unused?!

Supports ECC Mmeory, but not included (might annoy some)

NOT QUIET!

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best All Round 10GbE NAS for HW and SW – Synology DS1823xs+ NAS

0-176TB, 8-Bays, 2x NVMe Cache Bays, Quad-Core Ryzen V1780B 3.4Ghz CPU, 8-32GB DDR4 ECC Memory, 1x 10GbE, 2x 1Gbe Port, 1x PCIe 3×8 Upgrade Slot, 5yr Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1799

Hardware Review – LINK

YouTube Video Review – Watch Long Review – Watch Short Review

What I said in my review March ’23:

If you are looking for a solid and confident move away from expensive long-term cloud subscription services, away from your defunct Drobo system or simply looking for a Synology NAS that has good hardware inside, outside and with DSM all over it – the DS1823xs+ NAS is a very solid choice indeed! With a huge degree of expandability and upgradability open to the end user to scale with later in the system’s life, extensive long-term committed software support and that 5yrs hardware warranty out the box – this is a system that is clearly designed for the long-haul and as soon as you factor in the complete hardware+software nature of this purchase with DSM included, it’s a very tasty box! There are a few odd choices here or there (e.g M.2 NVMe Pools not presented in the way some might like and HDD/SSD compatibility that clearly favours the enterprise tier), this is still easily the most powerful and capable 8-Bay system that Synology has ever produced. Whether you are a small, medium or large business user, this system has a large amount of potential for your data and has the horsepower for multiple VMs, large-scale surveillance, widespread backups, broad multi-user access and all of these running at the same time in a remarkably compact package.

That said, the DS1823xs+ NAS has a little bit of an identity crisis when you scale it up with the rest of the larger tiers of the Synology portfolio and, although I genuinely like it, seems to be a system that exists BETWEEN the Synology PLUS and XS series (see my points about the RS2423+) and when you look at it in that context, it sees the tiniest bit more expensive than it should be. If you are looking at the DS1823xs+ NAS and fully intend to scale up the storage, external bandwidth or memory in the next two years, I would recommend skipping this and opting for the DS3622xs+ instead. However, the base model of the DS1823xs+ has alot of ‘umpf’ under the bonnet and short of those hurdles for some on compatibility, the DS1823xs+ seemingly lives up to alot of it’s expectations!

SOFTWARE - 10/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.6

PROS

Supports ALL of the Synology App Suite

Huge Amount of Expandability

High Capacity / Low Impact

10/10 Chassis Design

M.2 NVMe SSD Storage Pools

Balanced/Powerful CPU

5yr H/W Warranty & Long S/W Support

Tier Storage Ready

ECC Memory and 8GB Day 1

Hugely User-Friendly GUI

10GbE x86 8-Bay Expandable Synology......FINALLY!

CONS

HDD/SSD Compatibility is going to Annoy some

M.2 NVMe SSD Lane Limits

Lack of SHR

DS3622xs+ is £1000+ more, but significantly upscaled on almost everything

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Synology DS1823xs+ 8 Bay NAS Desktop: High-Performance Storage Solution Amazon

UK 27.57 OFF (WAS 1788) [LINK]
Synology DiskStation DS1823xs+ 8-Bay + 2 x NVMe, 3.5 Diskless, 2xGbE + 1x10GbE, Amazon usa

USA 16.57 OFF (WAS 2282) [LINK]

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Best Storage 10GbE NAS – QNAP Triple Tier TS-855X Server

0-130TB SATA HDDs, 0-16TB SATA SSDs, 0-16TB 3×4 M.2 NVMes, 6+2+2-Bays, C5125 8-Core Atom CPU, 8-128GB Memory, 1x 10GbE and 2x 2.5GbE Ports, 2x PCIe 3×8 Slots, 3yr Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1300-1500

Hardware Review – LINK

YouTube Video Review – Watch

What I said in my review June ’23:

I have to say, I am INSANELY impressed by how much bang for buck is being included in the TS-855X and although it is not the most powerful device in the market (arguably intentionally, as it favours the more affordable Atom over a xeon), it is a sensible workhorse of a NAS. On the positive side, the QNAP TS-855X NAS comes with numerous strong selling points. The device offers large storage potential, especially with the ZFS file system, making it a powerhouse for data management. The choice of CPU is also sensible, providing a balance between performance and cost-effectiveness. The inclusion of the QTier tool is particularly appealing, adding a layer of efficiency to the storage management. Another big plus is the user-friendly GUI for ZFS in QuTS, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise. The three-tier storage options and support of ECC memory with a maximum of 128GB further enhance the device’s versatility and potential. Moreover, the TS-855X provides a wealth of expansion options and comes with 8 camera licenses with QVR Pro/QTS. The well-ventilated design contributes to thermal efficiency, ensuring optimal performance, while its support for the latest 22TB and soon-to-be-released 24TB drives future-proofs your investment.

However, the TS-855X is not without its drawbacks. While the two SATA SSD bays provide extra storage options, they would have been better if they were U.2 slots, which offer faster speeds. Although the device supports ECC memory, the initial 8GB memory in the base model is non-ECC, which might not be optimal for all ZFS services. The memory capacity might also be somewhat low for users with intensive data needs. Furthermore, the software can sometimes be inconsistent under heavy use, and it has a steeper learning curve compared to competitors like Synology. Finally, the pricing structure for the TS-855X is a mixed bag. While some users may find the cost reasonable given its features, others might feel it’s a bit steep for what it offers. Therefore, while the QNAP TS-855X NAS offers a plethora of attractive features and strong performance, it’s worth keeping in mind that a spend of a few hundred more dollars opens the door to Intel Core-powered NAS in the TVS-hx74 series or more powerful Xeon triple-tiered systems such as the TVS-h1288X. If you want power, but on a budget, it’s a great choice!

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.2

PROS

Large Storage Potential (Especially in ZFS)

Sensible Choice of CPU

QTier Tool is VERY Appealing

ZFS in QuTS but with a User Friendly GUI

Three Tier Storage Opts

Support of ECC Memory & 128GB Max

Tonnes of Expansion Options

8 Camera Licenses with QVR Pro/QTS

Well Ventilated Design

Supports Latest 22TB and 24TB (soon)

CONS

2x SATA SSD Bays Would Hva ebeen Better if U.2

Initial 8GB Memory is low for all ZFS services + is not ECC in default/Base Model

Software can be a little inconsistent under excessive use

Features a steeper learning curve than Synology

Early Pricing is a Mixed Bag

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QNAP TS-855X-8G-US 8 Bay High-Performance 8-core 10GbE NAS for deploying Hybrid- Amazon usa

USA 248.38 OFF (WAS 1647) [LINK]

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Best Value 10GbE NVMe NAS – The Asustor Flashstor 12 Pro NVMe Flash Server

0-96TB, 12x M.2 NVMe 3×1 Bays, Supports 2x USB Expansions, N5105/N5095 4-Core CPU, 4-16GB DDR4 (non-ECC) Memory, 1x 10Gbe Port, 3yr Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $799

Hardware Review – LINK

YouTube Video Review HERE)

What I said in my review June ’23:

I cannot stress enough how impressed I am that the Flashstor 6 and Flashstor 12 Pro are priced at $499 and $860, respectively, given the level of hardware on offer here. These are by no means enterprise-grade NAS server solutions, nor should they be thought of as such. However, given the cost of typical fully featured 4x HDD solutions from their competitors and the brand themselves, which often start at $550 and above, it is quite remarkable that the six M.2 SSD system with comparable internal hardware comes in at $499. As long as a user keeps their expectations in line with what this cost versus its capabilities, it’s really tough to argue with the price point that these two devices have arrived at on the market. The Asustor FS6712X Flashstor 12 Pro NAS presents a unique offering in the NAS market, leveraging NVMe technology to provide high-capacity, ultra-high-performance storage. The device’s design, with its rhombus-shaped enclosure and twelve M.2 NVMe slots, sets it apart from traditional NAS devices and offers a sleek and modern aesthetic.

The tool-less drive installation mechanism makes it easy to set up and expand the storage capacity. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind. The limited number of PCIe lanes provided by the Intel Celeron N5105 processor may restrict the performance of high-speed NVMe drives. The single 10GbE LAN port also presents a potential network bottleneck, limiting the device’s overall network performance. Users seeking maximum performance and network throughput may find alternative solutions better suited to their needs. Despite these limitations, the FS6712X shines as a storage solution for users who prioritize high-capacity storage, quiet operation, and low power consumption. The device’s ability to directly output 4K video, along with its range of Asustor-approved apps, makes it an excellent choice for media distribution and presentation. In terms of pricing, the FS6712X comes with a price tag of $850+. While this may appear high at first glance, it is comparable to 8 bay drive NAS SATA devices and many of those do not even include NVMe slots or 10GbE. Users looking for a more cost-effective option can consider the Flashstor 6, which offers half the number of slots and 2x 2.5GbE enabled ports for $499.

As the cost of flash modules continues to drop, and larger capacity drives become available all the way up to 8TB (even without QLC), the FS6712X provides an attractive solution for those seeking high-capacity and high-performance NAS storage. While some underlying performance relativity by the end user needs to be factored in and hardware limitations exist thanks to the use of that Celeron to remain budget-friendly, the FS6712X is a tremendously smart move by Asustor. A well-designed NAS that presents a much more confident solution demonstrating the benefits of NVMe-focused NAS devices to an audience that would have assumed such things are way, WAY outside the realms of affordability!

SOFTWARE - 7/10

HARDWARE - 9/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 10/10

VALUE - 10/10

8.6

PROS

6x NVMe SSD Flash NAS for under $500 - COME ON!

Low Power Use

Full 1st Party NAS OS Included

USB 3.2 Gen 2 10G Connectivity and wide USB Support/Compatibility

Very Slick and compact design

SP/DIF and HDMI 2.0b Outputs will hugely please the multimedia user community

Likewise, Plex Performance is very good for 4K and 1080p conversions

CONS

6x NVMe Performance will never be realised because of the Intel Celeron CPU inside and 3x1 Limits

2.5GbE x2 is good.. but its still hugely limiting for those NVMes

Lack of ECC memory (cost prohibitive of course) will put some serious users off

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

ASUSTOR FLASHSTOR 6 (FS6706T) Network Storage Amazon usa

USA 7.09 OFF (WAS 475) [LINK]
ASUSTOR FLASHSTOR 12 Pro (FS6712X) Network Storage Amazon usa

USA 12.68 OFF (WAS 848) [LINK]

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Need More Help Choosing the right NAS?

Choosing the right data storage solution for your needs can be very intimidating and it’s never too late to ask for help. With options ranging from NAS to DAS, Thunderbolt to SAS and connecting everything up so you can access all your lovely data at the touch of a button can be a lot simpler than you think. If you want some tips, guidance or help with everything from compatibility to suitability of a solution for you, why not drop me a message below and I will get back to you as soon as possible with what you should go for, its suitability and the best place to get it. This service is designed without profit in mind and in order to help you with your data storage needs, so I will try to answer your questions as soon as possible. Just enter in a few details of your setup, storage requirements and (in the case of buying a new solution) your budget – then me and Eddie the Web guy can help you with your question. This is a completely free service, is NOT provided with profit in mind and is manned by two humans (no bots, no automated replies, etc). Assistance might take an extra day or two (the service gets a lot of visitors) but we do try to answer every message. If you want to support this service, you can find out how to donate HERE. Otherwise, you can still just message us for free advice anyway!

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QNAP QTS 5.2 est disponible en Beta

Cachem

Par : Fx

30 avril 2024 à 07:00

Le fabricant de NAS vient de mettre en ligne la version Beta de son logiciel interne QTS 5.2. Loin d’être une révolution, il faudra attendre QTS 6, cette nouvelle version reste cependant très intéressante. Regardons de plus près son contenu… QNAP QTS 5.2 Beta Un peu plus d’un an après la Beta de QTS 5.1, QNAP nous revient avec une nouvelle version QTS 5.2 Beta. Cette nouvelle version du logicielle interne devrait arriver pour tous en juillet, si tout va bien. Selon QNAP : « QTS 5.2.0 apporte de nombreuses nouvelles fonctionnalités importantes pour renforcer la sécurité, améliorer les performances et […]
Lire la suite : QNAP QTS 5.2 est disponible en Beta

NAS Compares
Seagate 24TB Ironwolf Pro NAS Hard Drive Review
22 avril 2024 à 18:00

Seagate 24TB Ironwolf Pro NAS Hard Drive Review

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

22 avril 2024 à 18:00

The Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB HDD Review

Seagate and their Ironwolf series of hard drives have fast become a mainstay of the NAS landscape in a relatively short time, considering their NAS HDD and eventual rebranding to Ironwolf in 2015/2016. In that time they have closed considerable ground on their biggest rival in this field, the WD Red series, and now although the brand first released Ironwolf Pro 20, 22 and now 24TB NAS Hard Drives in the last 18 months, they are now in the process of revising a number of these drives and introducing a new higher durability STX0000NT001 / STX0000NT001 series to join that existing the STX000NE001. These newer class of Prosumer/large-scale storage array NAS hard drives arrive with almost twice the workload rating, more than double the MTBF rating and still maintain the same high reported performance levels. All this said, why the sudden change? Perhaps facilitated by hardware shortages or due to the growing concerns of some users over larger capacities having the same workload rating of smaller capacities, leading to diminishing durability returns? Whatever the reason (more on that later), there is no denying that 24TB of storage in a single 3.5″ HDD casing is something to behold and today we are going to review this new massive drive from Seagate, benchmark it, test it with leading NAS brand Synology, discuss the differences with the existing Ironwolf Pro range and (hopefully) help you decide if it deserves your data? Let’s begin.

Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB Hard Drive Review – Quick Conclusion

There is no denying that Seagate certainly delivers on the prompted storage and performance that they have stated for the Ironwolf Pro 24TB NAS hard drive. This alongside fully tested and confirmed compatibility with Synology (though not by Synology themselves) devices means that you have a drive here that can turn any 4-Bay NAS into a staggering 96TB server in RAID 0 and 72TB RAID5 Storage data monster – let alone once you start thinking about rackmounts and hyperscale. The pricing of this 24TB is understandably high, but as always, when you start crunching down the ‘Price Per TB’, it ends up landing comfortably in the same region as other Pro class drives of a smaller capacity. As mentioned previously, I particularly appreciate that the workload discussion surrounding ‘Pro’ Class drives at 300TB/yr vs rapid HDD capacity growth is being addressed here with a 550TB/yr version to rival that of ‘Ent’ class drives – whatever the reason/motivation. With capacities getting higher and more ‘eggs being placed in baskets’, the durability of each individual drive in an array grows in importance, so the shift of these PRO class drives towards an ENTERPRISE class workload should be positively noted. The value of the Ironwolf Health Management tool is going to be something of debate and the inclusion of 3yrs data recovery services is a nice extra that (with any luck) few will need to use – but better to have them and not need them, than visa versa. As HDDs continue to increase in scale and Seagate (among other brands) continues to outline their plans to hit 50TB (so, halfway there with this one!) by the end of the decade, the Seagate Ironwolf Pro ST2400NT002 is another good example of an HDD that finds a sweet spot between price, durability and value. Just be aware that this is a drive designed for large-scale use and that means high operational noise and higher than typical power use than non-Pro and smaller cap drives!

BUILD - 10/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 7/10

VALUE - 7/10

8.6

PROS

Very Good Price Point vs WD Red/Red Pro

Data Recovery Services Included (3yrs)

550TB/yr Workload & 2.5M MTBF

285MB/s Transfer Speeds

Ironwolf Health Management Inc.

Seagate Secure Onboard

Consistent Performance

CONS

Noisy!!!

Definitely Cannot have Just One

Pricing and Model ID Confusion

Higher Standby/Idle Power Use

Tipping point vs SDDs

Where to Buy a Product
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Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB Hard Drive Review – Design

The design of the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB HDD remains largely unchanged in appearance compared with the most recent high-capacity releases at 24TB and 22TB. The 3.5″ casing is helium sealed and the new NT class of drives arrive with a change in the labelling to differentiate them from the NE Ironwolf Pro series. Perhaps this differentiation is the separate them for use in 24+ Bay servers (given the oddly open-ended ‘unlimited bay’ support on the spec sheets vs the ‘upto 24-Bays of the Ironwolf Pro till now). Typically NAS/SAN system that feature 24x and higher storage bays would have been urged to opt for the EXOS series (available in both SAS and SATA). Perhaps this is a means to open up and bracket the Hyper-Scale and Data Center tier up, as more and more medium-large business setup single/paired Rackmounts outside of the large-sclae cabinet settings of the past? It’s hard to say, as otherwise, what problem is a newer and more durable Ironwolf Pro drive solving?

One argument might be the growing question of workload ratings on HDDs vs Growing Capacities and how they are starting to result in reduced margins of durability. The general rule of thumb when it has come to Hard drives for 24×7 server deployment is:

Standard Class Server Drives (so, upto 8 Bays of storage, small-medium Business deployment) is 180TB workload a year over the 3yr warranty
Large Scale Server Drives (above 8 Bays and upto 24 Bays for Higher-end business and large-scale deployment) at 300TB workload per year over the 5yr Warranty
Enterprise/Hyperscale Server Drives (i.e Data Center, with theoretically limitless Bay numbers, factoring expansions and growth) at 550TB workload per year over the 5yr Warranty

Now the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB is branded as a ‘Pro’ class drive (the middle one, above), however it arrives with a 550TB Workload rating, putting it well into the Enterprise bracket and treading on the toes of Seagates EXOS series – though lacking the SAS and Encryption options of EXOS options. However, the general rules of 180/300/550TB respective workloads on each tier begin to fall down a little when you factor that a 1TB drive that has a 300TB workload at 210MB/s performance and a 24TB that is also at 300TB workload annually, but 285MB/s max transfer will not only hit that workload limit quicker – but there is also the question of how this translates over time vs the available storage space and writes over time! Therefore the newer gen Seagate Ironwolf Pro ST2000NT001 Hard Drive arriving with 550TB/yr (alongside NT versions of many of the other lower capacities) does elevate this point somewhat for those users in between the Large Scale and Hyperscale/data center.

The 24TB in the ST2400NT001=2 is spread over 10 platters of 2.4TB each, made possible via the drive being helium sealed. This reduces potential internal drag and friction between platters, maintains the balance and allows much thinner platters to be used. Spinning at 7200RPM, the platters feature dual-plane balancing (known as AgileArray) also time-limited error recovery (TLER), which ensures the drive reading head isn’t delayed in intermittent read errors and can restart quickly to increase access when needed.

The 10 platters spinning at 7200RPM are also accompanied by 256MB of caching on board, which really surprised me, giving most of Seagate’s competitors have hit the 512MB cache level at this capacity tier. Having half the chance of its rivals does not seem to diminish both the performance or the sustained performance either.

As mentioned, the Seagate Ironwolf Pro HDD series only arrives in SATA. Although I can understand that Segaate does not want to overlap TOO much with their EXOS range that they already have done, there are an increasing number of SAS NAS solutions arriving on the market (with both Synology and QNAP both increasing their range of solutions in this direction noticeably for their 2022/2023 generations). Yes, users could just go for a suitable SAS EXOS option, but then they lose out on the Rescue Data Recovery services and Ironwolf Health management on the drive.

Overall, any improvements or changes in the build/construction of the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB ST2400NT002 HDD over the rest of the range and/or the previous NE version are all internal. We have to take Seagate at their word on the effective doubling of the durability rating, but given their pedigree in the EXOS enterprise series, I have little doubt in this. Although the Ironwolf Pro 24TB is not the only NAS drive in the market right now that is breaking the 24 Terabyte level, it does arrive with a couple of things that many others don’t that we should cover – the included Data Recovery services and the Ironwolf Health Management tool for NAS for a start. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, the Seagate IW Pro 24TB is CMR (conventional Magnetic recording) and not SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording – that latter of which is what the bulk of other NAS brands offer drives at this scale in. However, larger scale storage users will always opt for CMR drives and Seagate (unlike WD) have done a fantastic job of ensuring all their NAS drive series are CMR.

Is Seagate Ironwolf Health Management and Rescue Recovery Services Worth Caring About?

For those that are not aware, the Seagate Rescue+ package is a data recovery service that is included with your Ironwolf and Ironwolf Pro drives that, alongside your 3/5-year warranty, includes an additional 3 years of data recovery services. What that means is that if your drive fails through no fault of your own within reason (so, no, not smashing it with a hammer), you can send the drive off to the Seagate recovery labs and they will try to get that data back. From accidental deletion, all the way through to mechanical and forensic level recovery, this is an impressive inclusion! You should still factor other safety nets in your architecture (backups, UPS, RAID, etc) but given the cost of data recovery services (costing anything from hundreds to thousands of pounds), this is a very, VERY useful inclusion when you need it. This plus an already normally lower price point than Pro series drives in the WD Red series means that the Seagate Ironwolf hard drives still manage to be the better value choice for alot of users, especially when including the Rescue recovery included. They are also the only 3rd party NAS hard drive brand that has a tool to monitor drive health available on practically ALL the NAS software GUIs in the market, in Seagate Ironwolf Health Management. Here is part one of a two-part video series on the NASComapres YouTube channel were we showed the Seagate Rescue Recovery service (arguably, in a very extreme fashion!):

You can find out more on the Rescue service and its Pros/Cons in the video below. Otherwise there is another video detailing a guide on what to expect from data recovery costs/fees etc in a video from 2021:

Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB Hard Drive Review – Testing

Testing the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB is going to be performed across multiple methods, but still rather unconventional. This drive is designed for deployment in large # Bay servers, but although I have several NAS in the studio that could accommodate this frequency of drives, I do not have sufficient Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB units. Therefore the testing I have conducted are all examples of single-drive performance. These will include several PC testing sessions using popular and recommended storage testing applications and two NAS tests involving Synology and QNAP.

Windows 10 Pro Desktop System
Intel i5 11400 Rocket Lake – 6-Core 2.6/4.4Ghz
16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory
Intel B560M mATX Motherboard
OS Storage, Seagate Firecuda 120 SSD
Test Hard Drive connected to a Sabrent USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gb/s external dock
Synology test was conducted on a DS923+ NAS using the system’s own benchmarking tool

These last tests are important as not only is the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB HDD designed for NAS use, but also at the time of writing neither brand lists this hard drive as compatible. There is more to this though that I will touch on later.

The first test involved using CrystalDisk. I performed tests on 1GB, 4GB and 16GB test files, as well as mixed 70/30% R/W. The results were consistent and largely lived up to Seagate’s claims here.

The next test used ATTO disk benchmark and this one used a 256MB, 1GB and 4GB test file in the same windows PC test environment. However, I also included the IOPS. The random 4K operations of a hard drive will typically be hugely dwarfed by those of SSDs, but enterprise HDDs and pro series drives still tend to rate noticeably higher than domestic HDD and standard-class NAS HDDs on this score.

In order to conduct a windows performance test, I copied 20GB of mixed files over to the drive as a separate disk. The result was consistent performance and the transfer, averaging at 205MB/s on the windows transfer overall and peaking at 260MB/s. Although this is lower than the transfer rates stated by Seagate and in the synthetic tests above, this is perfectly understandable when dealing with this high volume of small/differing date, compared with the largely Sequential Data tests stated elsewhere.

20GB Windows Transfer

Synology NAS Testing with the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB Hard Drive

Now, before I move on to the NAS testing. It is worth highlighting a couple of important factors with regard to the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB and the support available from each NAS brand I am focusing on for the testing. Now, Synology is the ONLY NAS brand in the market that also has its own first-party HDDs available to users too. These are Originally Toshiba Enterprise-grade produced hard disks that have had a Synology-specific firmware applied to them. Now, why is this relevant? Well, because some larger-scale Synology products in 2021 onwards do not list other 3rd Party HDDs as compatible. Even then, if you look up some of the older 2020 released NAS drives currently in the market (such as the DS920+ for example), they DO list HDDs from the likes of Seagate Ironwolf (and their EXOS and Skyhawk series) BUT they do not list drives larger than 18TB at the time of writing. This is an odd stance by the brand, when larger-scale 24TB and 22TB hard drives are available in the market and designed for NAS.

If you install an HDD or SSD inside a Synology system with the latest version of their software platform DSM, but the HDD in question is not on the compatibility list, you are greeted by a message that will detail that the drive is not recommended in the storage manager.

You can still use the HDD for Storage Pools, Volumes, Hot-spares, etc, but it is an oddly jarring message for some. Of course, this is the current compatibility of this HDD at the time of writing and may well change in the future as further HDD capacities arrive and additional compatibility testing takes place.

Nevertheless, you can still push through this warning and proceed to test the performance of the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB HDD from within the Synology Storage Manager. Here are the results.

Noise Testing the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB NAS Hard Drive

This is something that is often overlooked when users are getting excited about bigger and bigger HDDs entering the market and the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB is no exception to this – NOISE! Because of the sheer scale of hardware that is getting packed into these larger capacity 3.5″ HDD casing and the more industrious hardware inside that needs to perform 24×7 durably, operational noise is unavoidable. Once you exceed around 8-10TB (HDD brand dependant), the increased platters and heavier duty actuator/arm mechanism needs to be a grat deal more reactive (due to the larger space that is needed to be covered ad-hoc. The Seagate ST2400NT002 24TB is a pretty spot-on example of this and although you are getting some great performance, it is achieved with a large amount of mechanical work under the bonnet. Now, if you are running a larger-scale data center/rackmount style setup, this is not going to be much of a barrier. As those kinds of server will have multiple fans and use horizontal pressure fan cooling – so they will be much louder than the drives! However, in more modest 4-8 Bay desktop NAS systems, its a different story, as these use smaller/quieter fans and alongside being more conductive of vibration, the noise of these drives in operation will be a great deal more obvious.

Here is an example of four Seagate Ironwolf Pro HDDs in a Synology DS923 4-Bay NAS, running an intense 4K IOPS benchmark on the drives (likely the LOUDEST THING you will ever hear, so this is not truly representative of idle/standby/low use):

If you want a better idea of typical operational noise and noise when booting the drive with the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TBs, watch the middle portion of the YouTube review HERE. Regardless, if you are sensitive to noise, will be in close proximity to the NAS device (direct 10GbE editing?) and will be running a smaller scale NAS system – then these new 24TB HDDs might not be quite your cup of tea!

Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB Hard Drive Review – Conclusion

There is no denying that Seagate certainly delivers on the prompted storage and performance that they have stated for the Ironwolf Pro 24TB NAS hard drive. This alongside fully tested and confirmed compatibility with Synology (though not by Synology themselves) devices means that you have a drive here that can turn any 4-Bay NAS into a staggering 96TB server in RAID 0 and 72TB RAID5 Storage data monster – let alone once you start thinking about rackmounts and hyperscale. The pricing of this 24TB is understandably high, but as always, when you start crunching down the ‘Price Per TB’, it ends up landing comfortably in the same region as other Pro class drives of a smaller capacity. As mentioned previously, I particularly appreciate that the workload discussion surrounding ‘Pro’ Class drives at 300TB/yr vs rapid HDD capacity growth is being addressed here with a 550TB/yr version to rival that of ‘Ent’ class drives – whatever the reason/motivation. With capacities getting higher and more ‘eggs being placed in baskets’, the durability of each individual drive in an array grows in importance, so the shift of these PRO class drives towards an ENTERPRISE class workload should be positively noted. The value of the Ironwolf Health Management tool is going to be something of debate and the inclusion of 3yrs data recovery services is a nice extra that (with any luck) few will need to use – but better to have them and not need them, than visa versa. As HDDs continue to increase in scale and Seagate (among other brands) continues to outline their plans to hit 50TB (so, halfway there with this one!) by the end of the decade, the Seagate Ironwolf Pro ST2400NT002 is another good example of an HDD that finds a sweet spot between price, durability and value. Just be aware that this is a drive designed for large-scale use and that means high operational noise and higher than typical power use than non-Pro and smaller cap drives!

PROs of the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB	CONs of the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TB
Very Good Price Point vs WD Red/Red Pro Industry Leading NAS HDD Capacity Data Recovery Services Included (3yrs) 550TB/yr Workload & 2.5M MTBF 285MB/s Transfer Speeds Impressively CMR, when most other drives at this Cap are SMR right now Ironwolf Health Management Inc. Seagate Secure Onboard Consistent Performance	Noisy!!! Definitely Cannot have Just One Higher Standby/Idle Power Use Tipping point vs SDDs

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NAS Compares
Are NAS Drives Safe?
15 avril 2024 à 18:00

Are NAS Drives Safe?

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

15 avril 2024 à 18:00

Are NAS Drives Safe Enough to Use in 2024?

Are you a NAS owner? Perhaps you are considering buying a NAS based on a recommendation from a friend, work colleague, IT professional or even myself (Robbie) on YouTube. The appeal of owning your own server, cutting the connection with your subscription cloud providers such as Dropbox or Google drive, having all your data backed up in-house and that feeling of pure control/ownership is hard to underestimate. However, over the last 4-5 years or more, it has been hard to ignore that the brand has suffered a series of security issues surrounding the subject of ransomware – a process whereby your data is encrypted with a unique, near uncrackable cypher and a document (typically a .txt) is left for you with instructions for you to make a payment in bitcoin to a predesignated account in order for instructions and the key to recovery your data. Ransomware in of itself is not new and originally dates back to 1996 under the name cryptoviral extortion (you didn’t come here for a history lesson, but the wiki covers a lot of those early developments into the concept) and is frighteningly easy to conduct IF an intruder has access to your system and/or the means to inject the command to encrypt the data inside of any system. Words like virus, hack and malware have been thrown around the internet for the last 20-30 years, however, Malware feels significantly more organized and comparatively recent, as well as being something that has been enacted on all storage platforms, such as Google Drive (thanks to sync tools), Apple was directly hit in 2021 and over 300 BIG name companies that you WILL of heard of in the last 18 months that included:

Acer, FujiFilm, Northern UK Rail, Exabyte Web Hosting, Foxtons, The Salvation Army, Shutterfly Photography, Bose Sound, The NRA, Kronos CRM systems, Gigabyte Motherboards, Volvo, SPAR, Olympus Cameras, GUESS Fashion, ADATA, CD Projekt, Travelex, SK Hynix, Capcom, Crytek, Kmart

Those are just a brief scan of confirmed news reports and only a small fraction of the companies, brands and institutions that have been successfully targetted. Tech companies, media companies, charities and countless retail outlets. Why am I going through all this? Well, 1, these companies should have exceptionally sophisticated storage and remote access protocols in place, 2, cannot use the excuse of being companies with practically no formal association with high-level storage and 3, are companies with a responsibility to protect significantly custom databases that eventually fell foul (partially or fully) to vulnerabilities. Personally, I DO think, when NAS brands have blame on their side (eg Asustor/Terramaster with Deadbolt, QNAP with QLocker, Synology with SynoLocker, etc) that they need to acknowledge publically, make significant errors in these attack proactive management AND have handled a number of the follow-up actions to these incidents very poorly (both in terms of communication and execution) – They need to put their hands up and say “We F’d Up” and take responsibility, up to a point! However, I do also think that the end-user base is also not completely innocent and alongside ascertaining whether any particular NAS brand is safe to use in 2024, we should also think about how we store data, the limits of our own due diligence and our expectations from server devices.

Important note – If you are currently unaware of the severity of ransomware attacks, malware attacks and authentication bypass vulnerabilities, you need to subscribe to this page HERE on NASCompares. Also, if yo are in any doubt about NAS security and owning a system, REMEMBER, the very LEAST you can do is:

Set your system software updates to automatic (either FULL or just security updates)
Disable the ‘admin’ account (it should be disabled by default, but make sure!)
Disable SSH / Terminal services if you are not using them (again, these should be ‘off’ by default, but check)
Create exclusre login credentials to services/clients (eg Plex should/can have a user:plex + password, and then restrict that account to only the folders and services that it needs, then restrict or ‘ready only’ the rest
Have at least one backup in place. Remember that a backup is a complete copy of all your data in a different system/location!!!
Change random ports in the system for accessing the NAS (you tend to find NAS systems use 8000, 8001, 8080, 5000, etc. Change them to something random)
Enable 2 Step Authentication / 2FA / OTP
Do not F&*k around with your router or open ports unless you know what you are doing!

Additionally, if you have been affected by ransomware on your storage solution (QNAP, Synology, UnRAID or whatever brand), this post is not intended to play ‘blame games’ or detract from the impact (personally or professionally) that it has caused. I have experienced ransomware attacks, malware attacks through my browser, virus attacks on my OS and seen my fair share of attacks fail and (annoying) succeed. Please do not take this article in the spirit of ‘get stuffed, It’s your fault!”, but as a means of dissecting the current state of play with NAS devices and the realistic expectations/responsibilities of all involved.

PSA – GET YOUR BACKUPS IN ORDER!

Before you even go one paragraph further, I have a simple question for you – do you have a backup in place? If yes, then carry on to the next part. If not, and I cannot stress this enough, GET ONE NOW. The time you are spending reading this you could be susceptible to data loss in about 10 different ways without even factoring in ransomware (Power failure leading to hard drive corruption, Malware from a slightly iffy google search this morning, cloud storage provider going bust, OS failure on your device, etc). In this day and age owning a sufficient data backup is as sensible as buying a raincoat or looking both ways when you cross the street – you don’t do it because you like rain or like looking at cars, you do it because they are peace of mind, they are a safety net, they are for caution in case of the worst. It is a bit tenuous, but owning one or multiple backups always make me think of this quote from Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King:

“There are really only two types of men in the world when it comes to bad trouble,” Andy said, cupping a match between his hands and lighting a cigarette. “Suppose there was a house full of rare paintings and sculptures and fine old antiques, Red? And suppose the guy who owned the house heard that there was a monster of a hurricane headed right at it. One of those two kinds of men just hopes for the best. The hurricane will change course, he says to himself. No right-thinking hurricane would ever dare wipe out all these Rembrandts, my two Degas horses, my Jackson Pollocks and my Paul Klees. Furthermore, God wouldn’t allow it. And if worst comes to worst, they’re insured. That’s one sort of man. The other sort just assumes that hurricane is going to tear right through the middle of his house. If the weather bureau says the hurricane just changed course, this guy assumes it’ll change back in order to put his house on ground zero again. This second type of guy knows there’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the worst.”

Get a Backup in place

More Ransomware Attacks on QNAP than Any other NAS Brand?

WannaCry, QLocker, eChoraix, Deadbolt, how, many, times…

Probably the most compelling argument against the safety of NAS for many buyers is the simple fact that NAS brands increasingly seem to been in the news more for reasons of ransomware attacks. Indeed, even a quick browse of the last 24 months on the site ‘Bleeping Computer’ for stories on QNAP shows you that there have been multiple vulnerabilities found in their software/access that have allowed encryption commands to be injected into the QNAP NAS system to execute the ransomware attacks. How can this one brand be such a soft target? What are they doing wrong? Well as it stands, reading through news posts before/after previous ransomware attacks, as well as the dissection of events on the official forums in the midst of the an attack, the consistent threads are:

QNAP is rolling out software and services with weak default settings and acceptable minimums to allow inexperienced users to open up external access WITHOUT the users understanding the risks
QNAP has weaknesses in it’s software that the brand arguably takes a more reactive, than proactive stance on repairing
QNAP’s recommendations on actions to user post-ransomware attack both publically and in 1-to-1 dialogue with users has been felt unsatisfactory
Your QNAP NAS is better off currently used offline/network only

As general as all that might sound (without letting personal opinions colour it) those are largely the four core issues for many that have voiced their feelings on this in the forums. Moving away from the hefty subject of data loss slightly (we will be returning to that in a bit, but that is a question of Backups and routines to discuss), there is the fact that there have been vulnerabilities found in QNAP 1st party applications and services – but then again, so have there been in different NAS brand’s own services too. A click look at their respective Security Advisory pages will tell you this. This doesn’t exonerate QNAP in any way here, as part of the ‘social agreement’ between the end-user and QNAP is that as long as we ‘follow due diligence in protecting the data inside the NAS as directed AND maintain our own network/router setup, the QNAP NAS should protect our data inside the NAS to the best of it’s ability. This is where it all becomes problematic. As QNAP have never successfully balanced the line between giving the user freedom, control and customization WHILST still preventing the user from doing anything self-harming without a full idea of the consequences. It’s a line that their biggest competitor Synology seems to toe better and this comparison only serves to re-enforce the feeling (and numbers) that QNAP are attacked more.

The Nature and Practice of Firmware Updates on ALL NAS Brand Devices – Prevention & Cures

“Remind me Tomorrow” click

Though sometimes NOT the means with which a vulnerability in the NAS software/services is achieved, it is still a factor in some instances that updating to a later firmware would actually have closed a vulnerability. However, this is a remarkably broad statement and the truth is a great deal more nuanced. First, we have to understand that ALL software that has a remote access component via the internet will likely be investigated by cybercriminals for weaknesses. Not just NAS ones – ALL of them, from Microsoft office and Android mobile OS, to your LG TV and Amazon FireTV. Hell, I bet there are people who have investigated the ‘buy now’ option of WINRAR in effort to see if an opening exists to use it as a ransomware entry vector. What I am saying is that as soon as a commercially popular software with internet access exists, people are going to try and take it apart to find out its weaknesses for exploitation. If/When these weaknesses are found and actioned (or submitted to the brand for bounty programs – whereupon brands ask people to try and break their software, so they can make it better/safer/improved), the brand then issues a firmware update to the affected software/services to its user base, then around the merry-go-round we go again! This is not a process that happens daily – but it definitely happens weekly or monthly (depending on the frequency of the brand to instigate the changes that are raised to them). This is why is it so common for companies that are affected by ransomware in their software/services to immediately highlight the need for firmware updates. At that point, the attack vector and vulnerability is reverse engineered, patched and closed. Many of these vulnerabilities are small. Very, VERY small sometimes. Indeed, it is for this reason that all the reputable NAS brands have security advisory pages that list current weaknesses, vulnerabilities and issues on their platform that are being investigated (Synology HERE, Asustor HERE and yes, QNAP HERE) and in all my time in the world of network-attached storage, I do not think I have ever seen one of these pages have ‘100% resolved’, but when something is resolved the resolution is invariably rolled into an update. So what we can take from this is that although firmware updates do not completely remove the possibility of new vulnerabilities being found in the future, they do seemingly close the bulk of existing vulnerabilities that have been found by/volunteered to the brand.

So why do we not install the firmware updates automatically? This isn’t limited to NAS of course! From the Mac notification that have been nagging you at the top right of your screen, to the windows update at the bottom right and all those applications on your phone that are asking you to please install the latest updates to your software – we choose to ignore them til ‘later’! Worse still, there is the old ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality that will often result in many users only installing smaller updates, but flat out avoiding the BIG updates as they can ‘change where everything is’ or ‘I heard it breaks a bunch of stuff’. Businesses in particular with shared files in their thousands are always reluctant to run any process that can suspend that access temporarily or change how something works. So, there we have a fine melting pop of ingredients that has led (in some instances, but not all – as we will go further go into) to many users being hit by ransomware attacks via vulnerabilities that, although patches were available, were not actioned. How do we resolve this? Forced update that leaves the user’s own hesitance out of the equation? Limitations of the system’s remote connectivity unless the latest firmware update is installed (console gamers will be very familiar with that method of course)? Or a 50/50 split where minor updates are optional, but larger ones are mandatory? It’s a tough tight rope to walk. So, let’s see how QNAP walked/walks this tight rope and how they could have possibly done it ALOT better.

System Updates and Updates – Should a NAS Brand FORCE Firmware Updates to Users?

Forced? Optional? Access Penalties?

As mentioned, tighter control of firmware implementation would allow the brand to ensure that a NAS that has internet accessibility is updated to a high/current firmware revision. Alternatively, the brand could limit the systems external connectivity and disable all settings if the firmware on the system is not up to date – simply running a check with the NAS brand connected domain when trying to access these services and settings and declining if the latest update is not installed. Xbox and Playstation users are more than aware of this as a fixed rule to ensure that installed software is officially licenced and checked in advance. However, those are closed systems and many buyers have selected NAS over cloud services precisely because of the flexibility and customization it offers. However, when NAS brands have previously FORCED firmware updates remotely for services, it has NOT been received well:

Forced updates are something of a taboo subject too, with the recent rather heavy-handed move by QNAP back in 2020 in light of the Deadbolt ransomware attack to remote push the latest firmware update to all QNAP NAS systems that were internet-connected without any notice to the end-users (overriding any settings that disabled or prevented this). Now, clearly, QNAP did this as an extreme and something to prevent the vulnerability of the system software and/or configuration from being exploited further (that have still not been fully confirmed in its attack vectors, with some users who have ridiculously high-security settings still getting hit). In non-ransomware instances, I think QNAP issuing a message to their user base with a “In 5 day’s there will be an essential system update on XX day XX month at XX:XX time” message, with even a brief explanation of why would have been infinitely more preferable and would have been met with a much more positive stance (as well as it also making many users update sooner). However, clearly, the decision for a forced update was more of a last resort/hastily decided choice and that forms part of another reason that many users find the QNAP platform to sometimes bring services and software to market that could do with a little more time in the oven. Whatever way you look at it, QNAP was going to be damned, whatever they did. But did they put themselves in this position? What about the expectations of the end-user and due diligence? What SHOULD be the expected skillset of a NAS buyer to start with?

The Extent of the End User Responsibility, Skillsets and Expectations? What Are YOUR Responsibilities as a NAS Owner?

How much should a user be expected to know about networking?

The simplicity of NAS systems can often be oversold. It’s annoying and I am as guilty as most of this, but given the wide range of users who install a NAS system into their storage environments, the ease of setup and use is not shared with the ease of setup and understanding of network security in your home or office. On the one hand, NAS brands have supplied multiple services and processes in their system software that make remote access easy, encrypted transmissions easy, SSL certificate applying easy, 2-step authentication easy, UPNP and router pushing easy – you name it, they have tried to make it easy. But should they have? The ease of setting up a number of these services (as well as non-randomized settings in some places) can easily give users a false sense of security. So, for those users of a higher skillset, it would be acceptable that a NAS should only be remotely accessed with the highest layers of security applied, and it should not allow remote level access to be possible without some unique intervention and set-up by the end-user (not just a password and/or disabling an admin account), although to stop presets of this nature would lead to a noticeable spike in the difficulty of setup, perhaps that is what is needed. This is by no means a new issue we are discussing and even a brief google search online finds examples of attack vectors and methods as far back as 1999 on public/org sites.

However, in reality, it simply would not work like this, The user base of most established NAS brands are just too varied and though these tougher and more unique security implementations would secure things, the less technically skilled users would hit hurdle after hurdle, once again, one of the prices of some (not all) of that flexibility. Alot of users who have been hit by ransomware attacks have specifically headed to official forums because they do not have the remote setup experience that might be deemed an acceptable minimum to start opening ports via the NAS settings or directly on the router. This once again brings us back around to what should be the expected skill level of an average NAS Drive owner, how much of the control and security profile of the storage system belongs to the NAS manufacturer and how much should the buyer be expected to do independently? You can buy a car, you can fill it with petrol and the manufacturer can tell you its top speed, and miles to the gallon – but no car manufacturer would feel the need to add to all their adverts “must have a driving licence”, do they? It’s a rather stretched simile I know, but the fact remains that users cannot expect to connect their storage to the internet in 2024, open up pathways to it via the internet and not at least make allowances or provisions that an attack could happen. This leads us to the hardest and coldest fact of practically EVERY SINGLE NAS related recent ransomware attacks that, although only applies to a % of users, is still depressingly true.

How Backups and Data Storage are Still being Misunderstood – UNDERSTANDING WHAT A BACKUP IS, AND A NAS IS NOT!

A frighteningly large number of victims with no backup. Acceptable backup levels?

One of the hardest choices for anyone that has been successfully targetted by ransomware attackers (not exclusive to NAS either) is the choice to pay or not. When I am asked to make recommendations for a home or business user in the free advice section here on NASCompares or the comments on YouTube, I will always ask what the user storage quote is currently (now then double annually over 5yrs), their user base (volume and frequency) and their budget? That last one is always a kicker for some, as no one wants to show their cards! I’m not a salesman and I do not work for a eRetailer, I ask because there is a lot of ground between a £99 DS120j and a £5000 RS3621XS+. However, budget is INCREDIBLY important and should not only be measured by the number of 0’s in the account, but also by the cost of if the data is lost! Many users are so busy thinking of how much it will cost to provision for the future, that they are not factoring in the cost of replacing the past! This is the exact personal vulnerability that ransomware targets and sadly, a lot of users still do not understand 1) what a backup actually IS and 2) what a backup actually ISN’T.

If your data ONLY lives on the NAS, then the NAS is not a backup. You likely knew that. But socially and conventionally, we tend to forget it quite easily. We make space on phones by deleting stuff because ‘it is backed up on the NAS’. We sync our laptops and MacBooks with a remote folder to keep our files safe on the NAS, but still make changes or delete files on the hoof. We take the NAS as red as a backup and at that point, it isn’t! Likewise there are things that SOUND like backups… RAID… Snapshots… Hot Spares… they sound very reassuring, but are not backups, they are safety nets! And are all typically found ‘in system’. A REAL backup is something that is the same files, ELSEWHERE! There is no avoiding that a NAS (Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS, Whatever!) is NOT a backup solution in of itself, but can be used IN a Backup Strategy. All brands highlight at numerous points on their website that you should have a 1-2-3 Backup strategy, or a bare-metal and cloud backup, or a periodic USB backup, a NAS to NAS remote backup – or ALL of them! Sadly, there are a lot of users in the official NAS branded forums that have been hit by ransomware and did not have backups in place, with some knowledge that they needed a backup but their budget’s prohibited it. Whilst others say that a NAS brand publishes in its online literature that it’s a backup device, they bought it as a backup device, therefore the company missold it and that is the end of argument!

The sad truth is that the brand is not responsible for your backup routine or strategy, it supplies the means to store and access data and their responsibility (succeed or fail) is to ensure its hardware and/or software provides a default secure level of access, as well as the means to configure that access to the users control. There HAVE been vulnerabilities found and they have patched them, as is the usual process in these things (at least, they say they have at that is the best guarantee we can ever have from a brand in the circumstances), but they are NOT responsible for your backup routine. This now leads us to the subject of the NAS hardware, the NAS software and comparisons between brands.

Hardware vs Software Priorities – Is Synology Safer Than QNAP?

Hardware vs Software, QNAP vs Synology, Is the grass greener?

Way back in the mid twenty-teens, whenever I would discuss QNAP and Synology on the platform, I would always say that you go to Synology for the Software and QNAP for the Hardware. Synology’s DSM platform clearly makes up the bulk of the companies investment and attention, makes up a significant chunk of the price tag and is designed around keeping things as user-friendly as possible (within reason). This is why their devices at each generation refresh (DS918+>DS912+>DS923+ or DS218+>DS220+>DS224+) only make smaller increases on the previous generation – the software IS the focus. With QNAP we tend to see the hardware taking bigger leaps each generation. Better standard ethernet, better PCIe gens, Better CPUs much earlier and overall greater hardware at any given time. For PC builders and those that know a lot more about the contents of their laptop than the contents of their router, this is speaking THEIR language and makes the price tag translate better. Fast forward to now and although that logic still remains the same, these brands are more 60/40 in their architecture (where 60 = their preferred hardware or software bias). The issue starts when QNAP seem to rush their software out the door very quickly. Alongside a lot of more beta applications being available, they roll out a lot of new types of software that (and I am sorry to use that expression again, but) could have used more time in the oven. This approach to software development and release can be dicey and although it makes QNAP the more exciting platform (with its better hardware, more diverse software and continued AI or generally automated services), it also means that the platform has less of the layers of troubleshooting red-tape that Synology has (which inversely means the Synology product is going to be more expensive and less hardware rich, as that investment of time needs to be repaid to be justified). In recent years, QNAP has seemingly slowed down it’s hardware releases and rolled out more in software, introducing bounty programs for vulnerabilities, pen testing and is seemingly learning from their mistakes (we hope). Whilst Synology have further doubled down on software innovation, with solutions remaining longer in the market between refreshes) and continued on their path to continued dominance in NAS. Whether you look at the whole thing as a tortoise and the hare situation, or a case of ‘slow and steady wins the race’, there is no denying that Synology appears to take security more seriously than most other brands.

Look at the Apple TV box or Amazon FireTV / Firestick? Is it user-friendly? yes! Is it slick and intuitive? Yes! Is it flexible in the installation of 3rd party applications? NO (at least, not without workarounds)! Is it hardware-powerful? LORD NO! One glance on eBay will show you a thousand other media boxes at the same price with Android on board, 5-10x the hardware and customization coming out of the wazoo. Nevertheless, many users will not buy the apple/amazon media option because although they KNOW it will be slick and ‘hold your hand’ all the way, it will be a closed system, noticeably more expensive and even then “nothing is full proof, right?”. And a lot of the anger at QNAP for their increased ransomware targeting and handling of this needs to also be balanced against why a lot of users chose the QNAP NAS brand. The QNAP NAS platform does have good applications and services, some genuinely unique ones and ones that allow tremendous flexibility and customization – but users need to remain relative to what drew them to the platform and have sufficient backups AND safety nets in place. I would say this about QNAP, about Synology, hell… Google drive, DropBox, Backblaze… ALL of them have localized client tools that rely way too much on the success of versioning/roll-backs being possible on the cloud platform. None of them are 100% full proof and QNAP dropped the ball multiple times here, but none of these ways are unprecedented and should be provisioned for regardless of your NAS brand or cloud platform.

The Sad Truth about Servers, Security and Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability > Update > vulnerability > update > rinse > repeat

No platform, software or service is going to be 100% bulletproof. You can increase your personal layers of security (VPNs, Encryption, layers, restrictive white lists, etc) to hit 99.99% but whatever way you are looking at it, everything we use is software-based and therefore, fallible. Equally, users cannot pretend that it is still the early days of the internet anymore and still be annoyed when a statistical possibility that should have been factored against was not. Do I think NAS drives are safe? I’m sorry to say that the answer is never going to be a simple Yes/No. I think they provide what they say they provide and I think that NAS hardware is still the best in the market right now. But the majority of NAS brand software needs to be less rushed (I somewhat absolve Synology of this, as they seemingly take it 10/10 seriously!), the extra time/budget be spent on that software, or utilize a trusted 3rd party. The need to relinquish some of the customization of their platform in efforts to remove some of the configuration out of the hands of less tech-savvy users who end up overly reliant in defaults. Perhaps a much more rigorous setup policy that, on day 1, have an EXPERT door and a NOVICE door, with randomized defaults and extremely regimented update rules on the latter. Equally, the brand (though better than it was) needs to work on its communication with its end-user base, both in the event of critical issues and education on what the user base needs to have to increase security OUTSIDE of their product.

I still recommend the majority of turnkey NAS brands in the market in terms of their bse product and the range of security/system protection tools they include, but we need to be realistic and honest with ourselves about what we buy and our expectations. If I buy a NAS, I expect it to store the data I store in it and allow me access to it on my terms, but ‘my terms’ might be a lot more/less strict than the next person and with that comes due diligence in 2024. I hope that the last big ransomware attack, deadbolt from the start of 2022, is the last ‘big’ one we hear about moving forward, but I do not think it will be. More than just any one brand, one look at the vulnerabilities listed on security advisories of all the brands tell us that there is big money to be made by these intruders and the brands can only stay 1 step ahead. As always, me and Eddie here on NASCompares have been running a page that links to the bigger NAS security Advisory pages that gets regularly updated, so if you want to get notifications on these as they get added (pulled from the official pages themselves), then you can visit the page below and put your email in for updates when they happen. Have a great week and backup, backup, BACKUP.

Click Below to Read

Finally, If you are currently unaware of the Deadbolt ransomware attack that took place on QNAP NAS devices, you can find out more in the NASCompares article and video below:

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Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you.

Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7]

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a

Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

NAS Compares
Jonsbo N2 vs Jonsbo N3 vs Jonsbo N4 – Which NAS Case Is Best?
12 avril 2024 à 15:00

Jonsbo N2 vs Jonsbo N3 vs Jonsbo N4 – Which NAS Case Is Best?

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

12 avril 2024 à 15:00

Should You Buy the Jonsbo N4, N3 or N2 for your NAS DiY Build?

Building your NAS has inarguably become easier in recent years, thanks in large part to considerably more tailored and NAS-designed components arriving on the market that allow users to take a lot of the guesswork out of building a private cloud and network server from scratch. Although a lot of improvements and innovations have occurred in power-efficient SoC/Mobile CPUs and the miniaturization of technology, when it comes to actual NAS enclosures/cases – it’s actually a much less populated market than you might think. NAS cases are not really the same as traditional PC cases – designed with a greater focus on storage capabilities, hot swapping storage when needed, engineered for 24×7 use and designed to house the NAS-focused CPU+MoBo combos that have rolled out from brands such as ASrock, Topton, CWWK, Minisforum and more. Indeed, arguably one of the most popular brand’s in the market for NAS enclosures is Jonsbo, with its growing range of NAS-designed enclosures. Now that its fourth iteration has rolled out, the Jonsbo N4, I thought it time to find out what the main differences are between their three most popular NAS cases right now, the Jonsbo N2, N3 and N4. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses, ranging from scalability and day 1 storage, to motherboard compatibility and cooling systems. So, let’s compare the Jonsbo N4 vs N3 vs N2 and help you decide which one is best for you and your data!

USEFUL RESOURCES:

Here are links to the previous full reviews of the Jonsbo N2, N3 and N4 NAS Cases:

Jonsbo N2 vs N3 vs N4 YouTube Video – HERE
Jonsbo N2 5+1 Bay Review – VIDEO – ARTICLE
Jonsbo N3 8+2 Bay Review – VIDEO – ARTICLE
Jonsbo N4 6+2 Bay Review – VIDEO – ARTICLE

N2 Best for Low/Efficient NAS Deployment Lowest Price Point Smallest Physical Footprint Smallest Storage Capacity Only 1 PCIe Card Slot and Half Height	N3 Best for a Power NAS Build + Bigger CPU Cooling Largest Storage Capacity + Full Size PCIe Cards Best Prosumer Deployment BIG Size and oddly tall Noisiest System of the Three	N4 Better MoBo Compatibility (MITX and MATX) Best Size vs Storage Option + 4x PCIe Slots Most Conventially Aesthetically Appealing Most Expensive PCIe Cards Must Be Half Height

======= Where To Buy? =======
$76 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$99.42 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$76.99 (Check Aliexpress HERE)
$149 (Check Amazon HERE)	$170 (Check Amazon HERE)	*$199 (Check Amazon HERE)**

Jonsbo N2 vs N3 vs N4 – The TLDR

The Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 NAS Enclosures cater to an interesting range of storage and cooling needs for DiY NAS builders, which is most likely the reason that Jonsbo has become so popular with home lab’ers and server enthusiasts. First up, the N2, with its compact footprint, is designed around the ITX motherboard form factor, accommodating up to 5 3.5″ HDDs for storage. Its built-in 120mm fan ensures efficient cooling within a tightly packed space, while the design accommodates a maximum CPU cooler height of 65mm, emphasizing its focus on compact, yet powerful builds. The N3 expands on these capabilities, offering support for up to 8 3.5″ HDDs, thereby increasing the potential storage capacity significantly. Despite its larger size, it retains support for ITX motherboards only but allows for a taller CPU cooler (up to 130mm), addressing the needs of users requiring more robust cooling solutions and storage within a still compact NAS solution.

The N4 model diverges notably in terms of design and compatibility, embracing a more eclectic mix of materials with its steel and wood construction. This enclosure is compatible with both ITX and M-ATX motherboards, broadening its appeal to users with varying motherboard preferences. It supports up to 6 3.5″ HDDs, positioning it between the N2 and N3 in terms of storage capacity but makes a distinct statement with its unique material choice and aesthetic. The N4 also supports a slightly larger CPU cooler height than the N2, up to 70mm, but less than the N3, balancing between compact design and cooling efficiency. Its cooling strategy is centered around a single built-in 120mm fan, ensuring that despite its capacity for larger motherboards, thermal management remains a priority. Through these nuanced differences in storage capacity, motherboard support, CPU cooler height, and cooling strategies, the Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 enclosures offer tailored solutions for a range of user requirements, from compact, efficient setups to more expansive, versatile builds.

Jonsbo N3 vs N2 vs N4 – NAS Size and Physical Footprint

The Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 NAS cases exhibit a thoughtful progression in physical size to accommodate varying user needs and preferences. The N2, the most compact of the trio, measures 222.5mm in width and depth, standing 224mm tall. This square-like dimension underscores its design for efficiency and minimal spatial footprint, ideal for users seeking a space-saving solution without compromising on storage capacity, with room for up to five 3.5″ HDDs. In contrast, the N3 slightly expands on this design philosophy, with dimensions of 233mm by 262mm by 298mm (WxDxH), thereby offering a larger internal volume. This additional space is leveraged to support up to eight 3.5″ HDDs, catering to users with greater storage needs while still maintaining a relatively compact form factor suitable for small office or home environments.

Model	Dimensions (WxDxH) mm	Max. CPU Cooler Height (mm)	Cooling System	Ventilation
N2	222.5 x 222.5 x 224	65	120x15mm fan *1 (built-in)	Side panels, top, rear
N3	233 x 262 x 298	130	100x25mm 2 (optional), 80x25mm 2 (built-in)	Side, back, ventilated front panel
N4	286 x 300 x 228	70	120mm *1 (built-in)	Side panels, top, rear, wooden front panel

Moving further up in size, the N4 distinguishes itself with dimensions of 286mm by 300mm by 228mm (WxDxH), making it the widest and deepest, yet not the tallest among the three. This layout is indicative of its design to accommodate both ITX and M-ATX motherboards, providing flexibility for users who may require more expansive motherboard support. The increased width and depth also facilitate an enhanced cooling solution and additional drive bays, accommodating up to six 3.5″ HDDs. Despite its larger size relative to the N2 and N3, the N4’s design remains conscious of space efficiency, striking a balance between accommodating more powerful hardware and maintaining a form factor that is still manageable within a variety of settings. This gradation in size across the Jonsbo NAS case lineup reflects a deliberate approach to meet diverse user requirements, from the most space-conscious to those needing a broader scope of hardware support and cooling efficiency.

Jonsbo N2 vs N4 vs N2 – Storage Capacity

The storage capacity of the Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 NAS cases varies to cater to different user demands, reflecting a clear gradation in terms of available drive bays for HDDs and SSDs. The N2 offers the starting point with room for one 2.5″ SSD and five 3.5″ HDDs, presenting a balanced option for moderate storage needs within a compact frame. Stepping up, the N3 enhances this capability significantly, accommodating one 2.5″ SSD and eight 3.5″ HDDs, thus positioning itself as a more suitable option for users requiring higher data storage capacity in a still relatively compact NAS solution.

Model	2.5″ SSD Bays	3.5″ HDD Bays	Motherboard Compatibility	Max. CPU Cooler Height (mm)	PCI Expansion Slots
N2	1	5	ITX	65	1
N3	1	8	ITX	130	2
N4	2	6	ITX / M-ATX	70	4

The N4, while providing support for two 2.5″ SSDs and six 3.5″ HDDs, offers a middle ground in terms of storage capacity; it supports slightly more SSD storage than the N2 and N3 but has fewer bays for HDDs compared to the N3. This structured variation in storage capacity across the Jonsbo lineup ensures that users can select a case that best matches their specific storage requirements, from basic setups to more demanding data accumulation needs.

HOWEVER, keep in mind that only the first 4 bays of the Jonsbo N4 NAS Case support hotswapping, as the 2x 3.5″ (bay 5 and 6) and the 2x 2.5″ SATA SSD bays (bay 7 and 8) do NOT support any kind of backplane ou-the-box and require separate cabling for the individual SATA and SATA-POWER connectors. This was a very odd choice by the brand, and we cover this in more detail HERE in the written review of the N4 and HERE in the video review.

Jonsbo N3 vs N2 vs N4 – Motherboard, PCIe and Cooler Support

The Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 cases offer varied motherboard support to cater to different preferences and needs, with a particular focus on ITX form factors but with some variation in support that reflects their differing designs and intended use cases. The N2 and N3 are specifically designed for ITX motherboards, aligning with their emphasis on compact, efficient space usage while providing robust storage solutions within their size constraints. This singular focus on ITX boards in the N2 and N3 cases is ideal for users looking for NAS solutions that prioritize space-saving without sacrificing performance. The ITX form factor’s compact size allows these cases to maintain a smaller footprint, making them suitable for environments where space is at a premium.

Jonsbo N2 and N3 Motherboard Cavity

In contrast, the N4 expands its compatibility to include both ITX and M-ATX motherboards, offering greater flexibility and accommodating a broader range of user requirements. This dual compatibility allows for more significant expansion and upgrade possibilities, catering to users who may seek additional performance or connectivity options that M-ATX motherboards can provide.

The Jonsbo N4 Motherboard Cavity

The M-ATX support in the N4 not only broadens the potential use cases for the case but also makes it a more versatile choice for users who may want to repurpose or upgrade their system in the future without being constrained by the smaller ITX form factor.

Model	Motherboard Type	PCIe Expansion Slots	Max. Number of PCIe Cards	Max. PCIe Card Height	Max. PCIe Card Width	Max. CPU Cooler Height (mm)
N2	ITX	1	1 (Low profile)	Low profile	Single slot	65
N3	ITX	2	2	Standard	Up to 2 slots	130
N4	ITX / M-ATX	4	4	Standard	Up to 2 slots	70

The consideration of CPU cooler space and PCIe expansion slots further differentiates these cases. The N2 and N3 allow for CPU coolers up to 65mm and 130mm in height, respectively, reflecting their different design priorities and internal space allocations. The N4, while providing for CPU coolers up to 70mm in height, notably offers support for up to four PCIe expansion slots due to its M-ATX compatibility. This added expansion capability is a significant advantage for users looking to install additional graphics cards, network cards, or other PCIe devices, enhancing the system’s overall versatility and performance potential. The increased space and flexibility in the N4 make it an appealing option for users who prioritize expandability and upgradeability in their NAS or PC builds, offering a balance between compact design and the enhanced utility afforded by the M-ATX form factor.

Jonsbo N3 vs N2 vs N4 – Cooling and Ventilation

The cooling and ventilation strategies employed by the Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 cases are critical to their design, influencing not only their thermal management capabilities but also their aesthetic appeal and functionality. The N2 case features ventilation on the side panels, a considerable vent panel on the top, and additional venting on the rear, facilitating multidirectional airflow that supports effective heat dissipation from internal components. This arrangement is particularly advantageous for maintaining optimal operating temperatures within the compact confines of the case, ensuring that even when fully loaded with storage drives, airflow remains unimpeded. The inclusion of a large top vent is noteworthy, as it capitalizes on the natural rise of hot air, thereby enhancing the cooling efficiency without the need for excessive fan use, which can be beneficial for users seeking a quieter operation.

Jonsbo N2 NAS Case

The N3, on the other hand, extends the ventilation scheme to include vents on the sides, back, and notably, a ventilated front panel. This comprehensive approach to airflow management ensures that cool air can be drawn in from the front and expelled through the side and rear vents, creating a constant flow of air through the chassis. The ventilated front panel not only contributes to the cooling efficiency but also adds to the case’s visual identity, merging functional design with aesthetic considerations. The ability to intake air from the front is particularly beneficial for systems with multiple drives, as it helps to mitigate heat buildup around the storage bays, maintaining optimal performance of the drives and other internal components.

The N4 case adopts a similar ventilation strategy to the N2, with vents on the side panels, a large top vent, and rear ventilation, ensuring ample airflow through the case. However, it distinguishes itself with a wooden front panel that covers half of the front, adding a unique aesthetic touch while still allowing for air intake through the lower half of the front panel. This design choice strikes a balance between form and function, offering effective cooling by combining the benefits of the N2’s ventilation pattern with a stylistic differentiation. The wooden panel adds a touch of elegance and natural texture to the case, setting it apart visually from many other NAS and PC cases on the market, without compromising on the thermal management aspect.

Across all three models, the use of rubber pull handles on the drive bays instead of trays not only simplifies the installation and removal process but also reduces vibration transmission, contributing to quieter operation. This design choice reflects a thoughtful consideration of usability and noise reduction, further enhancing the user experience.

Jonsbo N3 vs N2 vs N4 – Conclusion and Verdict, Which Should You Choose?

The Jonsbo N2, N3, and N4 NAS cases offer a diverse range of options catering to various user needs, from compact, efficient storage solutions to more versatile systems that allow for significant expansion and customization. The N2 stands out for its compact design and efficient use of space, making it ideal for users seeking a minimal footprint without sacrificing storage capability. Its focused cooling strategy ensures that it remains suitable for environments where noise levels and space are critical considerations. The N3, with its expanded storage capacity and comprehensive ventilation system, caters to users requiring more extensive data storage without venturing into the realm of bulkier, less aesthetically pleasing solutions. Its design balances the need for increased storage with effective thermal management, making it a compelling option for power users in need of a compact yet capable NAS case. On the other hand, the N4 broadens the horizon with its support for both ITX and M-ATX motherboards, offering a bridge between compact NAS solutions and more expansive PC builds. Its unique aesthetic, highlighted by the wooden front panel, adds a touch of sophistication, distinguishing it from typical NAS and PC cases. The N4’s design flexibility, coupled with effective cooling and ventilation, positions it as a versatile choice for users who prioritize both form and function. Across the board, Jonsbo’s NAS cases reflect a commitment to quality, innovation, and user-focused design. Whether prioritizing compactness, storage capacity, or flexibility in motherboard support, users are provided with thoughtfully designed options that do not compromise on performance or aesthetic appeal, making the N2, N3, and N4 standout choices in their respective categories.

N2 Best for Low/Efficient NAS Deployment Lowest Price Point Smallest Physical Footprint Smallest Storage Capacity Only 1 PCIe Card Slot and Half Height	N3 Best for a Power NAS Build + Bigger CPU Cooling Largest Storage Capacity + Full Size PCIe Cards Best Prosumer Deployment BIG Size and oddly tall Noisiest System of the Three	N4 Better MoBo Compatibility (MITX and MATX) Best Size vs Storage Option + 4x PCIe Slots Most Conventially Aesthetically Appealing Most Expensive PCIe Cards Must Be Half Height

======= Where To Buy? =======
$76 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$99.42 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$76.99 (Check Aliexpress HERE)
$149 (Check Amazon HERE)	$170 (Check Amazon HERE)	*$199 (Check Amazon HERE)**

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you.

Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7]

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a

Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

NAS et vulnérabilité dans XZ Utils

Cachem

Par : Fx

2 avril 2024 à 21:23

Vous avez certainement entendu parler de la vulnérabilité découverte dans XZ Utils. Naturellement, vous vous questionnez : est-ce que mon NAS est concerné ? Synology et QNAP ont répondu et leurs NAS… XZ Utils et NAS Pendant que certains cherchaient les œufs en chocolat, d’autres apprenaient avec effroi l’existence d’une vulnérabilité (backdoor)dans XZ Utils. XZ Utils, c’est un ensemble de logiciels gratuits permettant de compresser des fichiers sans perdre de qualité, accessible en ligne de commandes. On y retrouve des programmes comme lzma et xz. XZ Utils est utilisé par de nombreux systèmes : Linux, FreeBSD et même Windows. Ce […]
Lire la suite : NAS et vulnérabilité dans XZ Utils

The Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Review

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

29 mars 2024 à 15:00

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Technically ‘Jonsbo N2 and a Half’?

I think it would be fair to say that in the world of DIY NAS building, few brands have achieved a similar level of notoriety and acclaim as Jonsbo. This Chinese brand, once non-descript and relatively unknown, promises efficient and cool server enclosures, eventually getting their products front and center in the most prestigious communities for those building their very own server from scratch. At the start of 2024, we saw the release of the Jonsbo N4, a new desktop NAS chassis that seemingly wants to coexist between the profiles of the rest of the devices in their portfolio. Arriving slightly less scalable than that of the N3, yet offering more physical space than that of the N2, the Jonsbo N4 is, however, the first NAS enclosure by the brand to support M-ATX motherboards—an exceptionally long-requested feature! So, is this new Jonsbo enclosure a better purchase for you and your aspiring DIY NAS build? Does it deserve your data?

Note – You can watch my review of the Jonsbo N4 NAS Case HERE on YouTube

UPDATE – The Jonsbo N4 NAS Case is Now Available to Buy on AliExpress HERE

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Quick Conclusion

I like the Jonsbo N4 NAS Case, but there is no denying that for so many reasons the N3 is a superior NAS enclosure. Earlier this year when the N4 was first announced, we made a comparison guide on the N2, N3 and N4 (HERE) and reached the conclusion that the N4 was arguably the most niche unit of the series so far, making us wonder if perhaps Jonsbo had got these numbers in the wrong order! Fast forward to now and when we have spent some time with the N4 case and that opinion has not changed at all! The N4 IS a good NAS case, but in efforts to support MATX motherboard use, strange choices have been made in what to do with the increased dimensions afforded to the system. The arrangement of the SATA storage bays is weirdly inconsistent, the decision to go for 6x 3.5″ and 2x 2.5″ (instead of just going ‘route 1’ and just opt for 8x 8.5″ SATA) is a stance choice in 2024 (as the focus on SSDs rapidly shifts away from 2.5″ to M.2 NVMe, onboard MoBos). The funnelling on cables on the system is very clear, the PCIe card frequency is high and the physical design and aesthetic appeal are better on the N4 than any other Jonsbo NAS case. But the reduced motherboard cavity space and it’s impact on optional rear fans, smaller CPU coolers and half-height PCIe cards is going to be a hurdle for more enterprising users! For under $100 (without delivery!), Jonsbo is still going to be the ‘go-to’ NAS case manufacturer in 2024 onwards, but the Jonsbo N4 is still a little more niche a proposal in terms of its physical appeal to a lot of users. A good DiY NAS Case, but make sure that you look into the N2 and N3 case first, as you might find more to love there!

Model: N4 (Black / White)

Dimensions: 286mm (W) x 300mm (D) x 228mm (H) / Material: 0.7mm Steel + Wood, Weight: 3.75kg

Storage: 6x 3.5″ HDD slots + 2x 2.5″ SSD slots

Motherboard: ITX / Micro-ATX

Ports: 1x Type-C USB, 1x USB 3.0 Type-A

PSU: SFX (up to 125mm in length) / Maximum CPU Cooler Height: ≤70mm

PCI Expansion: x4 , Maximum Graphics Card Length: ≤230mm

Cooling: 1x 120mm fan (built-in)

Check AliExpress HERE – Check Amazon HERE

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Packaging and Shipping Presentation

Arriving in a Jonsbo-branded case, much like other solutions by the brand, the N4 is currently only available on AliExpress. With a sub $100 price tag, it’s the delivery costs of around $40 to $50 that might surprise you. Eventually, this case will no doubt become more widely available across traditional e-commerce outlets, but at launch, this system seems to arrive at a comparative price point to the rest of the Jonsbo NAS enclosure family.

The page pretty much gives you all the information you’re going to need for an exclusively e-shop purchase. And, for something that most would largely assume would arrive in plain brown box packaging, the N4 retail package is actually surprisingly nice and provides a decent amount of detail.

The contents of the Jonsbo N4 retail package are pretty standard. The enclosure is encased in hard black foam, and the accessories are all included in a branded white accessory box. The unit I ordered online was unscathed, despite the shipping container having a few dents.

Emptying out the retail container and shipping box provides us with pretty much everything I expected. There is the unit itself, but also a fold-out A4 installation guide. There are numerous screws and cable ties for use during the installation. And finally, there is the assortment of drive handles and rubber grommets. I will discuss these more later on, but that is pretty much everything you get with this system.

The system is not officially available for purchase pre-populated with a power supply, nor does it arrive with any SATA or Molex power cabling included and pre-attached. This is quite a bare-bones NAS enclosure, and alongside the obvious purchase of a motherboard, CPU, memory, and PSU, etc., don’t forget that you’re almost certainly going to need those SATA fan-out cables and possibly Molex power adapters.

Overall, I’m happy with what I’m getting here, and as long as you know that you’re getting a bare-bones NAS enclosure, there’s nothing to be unsatisfied with here. Let’s discuss the external design of the N4.

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Design

The Jonsbo N4 case is approximately the same height as the N2 but distinguishes itself by being the widest NAS enclosure from the brand, largely due to the support for the larger M-ATX motherboard cavity internally. Interestingly, this system manages to be nearly identical to most other eight-bay 3.5-inch SATA NAS cases, while technically being a six-bay case traditionally.

There is ample passive ventilation throughout the entire NAS enclosure. Each side of the casing features a ventilation strip positioned beside the motherboard once installed, and the top panel also has a large ventilated area in the metal top cavity to assist warm air in naturally rising out of the case.

The design also introduces a real wood front panel purely for aesthetic reasons, not unlike the AUDHEID 8-bay case. It is surprisingly high quality, even if it largely offers minimal technical or operational improvement to the enclosure. The N4 is available in both black and white metal enclosure options, and although I have the black version here, I would argue the white version looks quite unique with the wooden panel motif. The wooden panel, situated directly in front of the motherboard internally, should not present any heat concerns due to significant passive ventilation around it and ample pathways for the internal CPU cooler to circulate air throughout the system behind this panel.

The storage area of the N4 is located behind a magnetically attached and ventilated front panel at the base of the system. This panel, easily removable via two finger hooks on either side of the enclosure, reveals the individual SATA storage bays of the N4. This vented and mesh dust-protected front panel is of reasonable quality and addresses the inconvenient access to storage bays seen in previous models from the brand.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the small aesthetic improvements made in the Jonsbo NAS system over the units that preceded it. Drive bay access has been simplified, the stylistic integration of wood and metal paneling looks appealing, passive ventilation is well-designed and plentiful, and overall, the case feels high quality and not at all cheaply constructed. Let’s discuss the storage potential of the Jonsbo N4, as this has been a topic of heated debate ever since the brand announced this new enclosure.

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Storage

Discussing the storage capabilities of the Jonsbo N4 has, in the month since its launch, drawn a lot of debate. The system arrives with two tiers of storage: 3.5-inch SATA media and 2.5-inch SATA media. Unlike previous releases by the brand in this enclosure series, all storage media bays are directly accessible via the front of the casing. The first-generation system was a two-drive system, the N2 was a five 3.5” drive system, and the N3 was an eight-drive system. The N4, however, scales things back and arrives with six 3.5-inch SATA storage media bays.

Alongside these, we find two 2.5-inch SATA drive media bays. With the total storage separated in a grid of 4 + 4, this is a peculiar choice, as the use of 2.5-inch SATA SSDs has notably decreased in recent years. There’s a clear division in most storage circles: 3.5-inch SATA storage is used for low-priced, high-capacity storage, and M.2 NVMe SSD storage is chosen for high performance but low capacity. Given that the majority of modern motherboards these days come with at least one M.2 NVMe slot, traditionally used for an operating system SSD, the necessity of 2.5-inch SATA SSD bays in a 2024 NAS enclosure is up for debate!

The debate regarding the storage bays of the system is further exacerbated when you learn that only four of these bays support hot-swapping. Slots one, two, three, and four are all attached with a SATA/SAS backplane located at the rear of the enclosure.

Whereas, the other two 3.5-inch SATA and two 2.5-inch SATA are just empty physical cavities that will require the user to directly connect SATA cables from the motherboard, as well as introduce individual SATA power for each drive. The convenience of hot swapping without getting too up close and personal with the system components on the fly is a peculiar choice of storage deployment in a system released hot on the heels of the Jonsbo N2 and N3.

With the scale of the system’s physical width increased for its support of M-ITX motherboards, the N4 is similarly sized to the majority of other eight-bay NAS systems in the market. Yet, practically all other eight-bay NAS enclosures opt for traditional SATA trays that directly load onto a single 8-port internal backplane. It is an odd choice by the brand to opt for this style of drive insertion.

This is further exacerbated by Jonsbo’s continued decision to forgo the use of traditional storage media trays and instead opt for rubber handles and individual grommet drive screws for each physical drive. Not only does this mean that the installation of 2.5-inch SATA media in these larger bays requires an additional physical adapter, but the installation of the Jonsbo storage media drives with these handles has always felt clunky and poorly served when drives are being moved in and out of the system.

In Jonsbo’s defense, this approach is somewhat of a house style for the brand in many of their previous releases, and they do reduce operational vibration and noise compared to the insertion of metal trays. However, this decrease in drive vibration is somewhat minimal and arguably even less useful when using larger capacity or enterprise drives that are simply too mechanical and jam-packed with hardware to be suitably muted in operation anyway.

All in all, I find these rubber handles for drives reminiscent of something from the early 2000s of entry-level home server devices and feel completely out of place with the rest of the system’s arguably modern aesthetic.

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Internal

The Jonsbo N4 features three removable panels for accessing the bulk of the internal system framework. Additionally, several internal cavities/pathways guide cables between the installed motherboard and individual components. Given the relatively compact framework of the system, efficient cable management is paramount to prevent blocking active airflow. Although a bit of a tight fit, Jonsbo mostly pulls it off, albeit with a few questionable choices along the way.

The single 120mm fan is secured with four screws at each corner, and once removed, it allows for easy maintenance of the active cooling fan.

I find myself missing the dual-fan arrangement featured on the N3 model, especially since, short of a substantial CPU cooler, this is the only fan that can be installed in the system. There are no additional placement holes for optional fans.

The system has a PSU cavity that supports an SFX power supply, up to 125mm in height. An empty space above the PSU area is used for funneling cables from the front panel slots five through eight.

The rear fan area reveals four individual SATA connectors that require funneling additional SATA cables from, via either a fan-out cable or individually, into your chosen motherboard. The backplane is powered by a single Molex female input.

The front-mounted USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports connect to three individual F-panel connector cables that run directly behind the wooden section of the enclosure. The system lacks audio sockets and does not feature LEDs for the individual storage bays, presenting an understated case overall.

Removing the top panel is straightforward, done by unscrewing some screws at the rear of the enclosure. This reveals the space available for installing your ITX or MATX motherboard.

Screw points for mounting your motherboard are clearly identified with the letters M, I, or M/I – the latter indicating a shared screw point for either motherboard installation. The guidance holes for PSU power and SATA cabling are clear; however, it’s highly recommended to route these cables in advance of installing your motherboard as doing so afterward will be challenging.

This brings us to another area of the system that’s somewhat divisive. The height of the motherboard installation cavity is quite low, supporting only low-profile CPU coolers. While there are many impressive half-height CPU coolers available, and modern SOC processors often come with slim 1 to 2cm fan-assisted heatsinks, this limitation is notable.

Users often choose NAS cases that support MATX motherboards for the purpose of using more powerful CPUs, alongside the benefits of larger PCIe slots and more DIMM slots. This all necessitates more cooling, making the N4’s limited capacity for CPU coolers a bit puzzling.

Regarding MATX benefits, the system has slots for up to four individual PCIe cards. Realistically, most users will install one to two double-width cards. The system’s lower motherboard cavity height also means it only supports half-height PCIe cards, which should be fine for network interface cards or compact M.2 NVMe upgrade cards. However, modern graphics cards and larger PCIe upgrade cards will not fit.

Realistically, the majority of users interested in the Jonsbo N4 are likely looking for a system suited to multimedia, low to mid-level VM and container deployment, or simply to enhance their home lab. A smaller segment seeking to expand into AI, high graphical demands, or aggressive VM deployment might find the reduced PCIe card capacity limiting.

Jonsbo N4 NAS Case Hardware Review – Conclusion and Verdict

I like the Jonsbo N4 NAS Case, but there is no denying that for so many reasons the N3 is a superior NAS enclosure. Earlier this year when the N4 was first announced, we made a comparison guide on the N2, N3 and N4 (HERE) and reached the conclusion that the N4 was arguably the most niche unit of the series so far, making us wonder if perhaps Jonsbo had got these numbers in the wrong order! Fast forward to now and when we have spent some time with the N4 case and that opinion has not changed at all! The N4 IS a good NAS case, but in efforts to support MATX motherboard use, strange choices have been made in what to do with the increased dimensions afforded to the system.

The arrangement of the SATA storage bays is weirdly inconsistent, the decision to go for 6x 3.5″ and 2x 2.5″ (instead of just going ‘route 1’ and just opt for 8x 8.5″ SATA) is a stance choice in 2024 (as the focus on SSDs rapidly shifts away from 2.5″ to M.2 NVMe, onboard MoBos). The funnelling on cables on the system is very clear, the PCIe card frequency is high and the physical design and aesthetic appeal are better on the N4 than any other Jonsbo NAS case. But the reduced motherboard cavity space and it’s impact on optional rear fans, smaller CPU coolers and half-height PCIe cards is going to be a hurdle for more enterprising users! For under $100 (without delivery!), Jonsbo are still going to be the ‘go-to’ NAS case manufacturer in 2024 onwards, but the Jonsbo N4 is still a little more niche a proposal in terms of its physical appeal to a lot of users. A good DiY NAS Case, but make sure that you look into the N2 and N3 case first, as you might find more to love there!

N2 Best for Low/Efficient NAS Deployment Lowest Price Point Smallest Physical Footprint Smallest Storage Capacity Only 1 PCIe Card Slot and Half Height	N3 Best for a Power NAS Build + Bigger CPU Cooling Largest Storage Capacity + Full Size PCIe Cards Best Prosumer Deployment BIG Size and oddly tall Noisiest System of the Three	N4 Better MoBo Compatibility (MITX and MATX) Best Size vs Storage Option + 4x PCIe Slots Most Conventially Aesthetically Appealing Most Expensive PCIe Cards Must Be Half Height

======= Where To Buy? =======
$76 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$99.42 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$76.99 (Check Aliexpress HERE)
$149 (Check Amazon HERE)	$170 (Check Amazon HERE)	*$199 (Check Amazon HERE)**

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Cachem
Bilan IT Partners 2024
21 mars 2024 à 07:00

Bilan IT Partners 2024

Cachem

Par : Fx

21 mars 2024 à 07:00

L’édition 2024 de l’IT Partners restera gravée dans les mémoires, c’est indéniable. Les exposants étaient nombreux, de qualité et les visiteurs étaient au rendez-vous. Le salon a dépassé toutes les attentes avec une affluence record. Dès 9h, les visiteurs s’agglutinaient devant l’entrée… Habituellement, ils arrivaient vers 11h. Ce salon est l’occasion de croiser de nombreux acteurs, ainsi que des lecteurs. IT Partners à Disneyland Paris… c’est fini Les organisateurs avaient prévenu : c’est la dernière année où l’IT Partners se tient à Disneyland Paris. L’espace disponible n’est plus adapté au regard du nombre d’exposants, ni au nombre de visiteurs. La […]
Lire la suite : Bilan IT Partners 2024

NAS Compares
A Guide to Buying the RIGHT Hard Drives for Your NAS – 2024 Edition
18 mars 2024 à 18:00

A Guide to Buying the RIGHT Hard Drives for Your NAS – 2024 Edition

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

18 mars 2024 à 18:00

Choosing the Best Hard Drives for your NAS

If you’re considering a NAS server for your home or business, selecting the appropriate hard drive is crucial. Just as each utensil in a cutlery set serves a unique purpose, NAS drives are designed for specific scenarios. Using unsuitable drive media in your NAS can significantly affect its performance and efficiency. In the past years, hard drive manufacturers have developed server-tailored hard drives (including SSDs) that cater to the unique demands of NAS systems. These drives are designed for sporadic access patterns, continuous operation (24×7), quick read/write cycles, and enhanced durability required in NAS environments.

As of late 2023, the market has seen an evolution in storage capacity, with commercial hard drives reaching up to 22TB and data centers testing drives between 24-30TB. This increase in capacity reflects the growing data storage demands in both personal and professional settings. However, the abundance of options, with more than fifteen top-tier NAS and Data Center class drives available, can make the selection process overwhelming. In this guide, I aim to simplify this process. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of eight different NAS/Server architectures along with the most suitable hard drive options for each, updated to reflect the latest advancements in technology and market trends as of 2023/2024.

Note – Use our Best Price Per TB Calculator tool HERE in order to get the best value storage for your needs. It includes filters for NAS size, redundancy, budget and capacity needs too!

Recommended NAS Hard Drives

Best All Round = Seagate Ironwolf HDDs $50-229 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
Best for Synology 2023/2024 Series = Synology HAT3300 HDDs $109-189 Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
Best for QNAP Business = Seagate Ironwolf Pro HDDs $79-399 Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
Best for Enterprise Rackmount = WD UltraStar HDDs $70-550 Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
Best for Synology Enterprise NAS = Synology HAT5300 HDDs $199-599 Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H
Best for Budget NAS Builds = Toshiba H300 HDDs $250-450 Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Key Considerations in Buying Hard Drives for Your NAS

Before selecting the right NAS hard drive, it’s essential to grasp some key terms in the data storage industry. This knowledge ensures that the drive you choose meets your requirements to the highest standard. Here are some crucial terms you need to know, updated for 2023/2024, to decode the marketing jargon and understand the strengths and weaknesses of each drive:

RAID – Standing for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, RAID is a method of using multiple NAS HDDs simultaneously to enhance capacity, speed, and, most importantly, data safety. Unlike backups, RAID 0 combines total storage for high performance but lacks a safety net if a drive fails. RAID 1 cuts your total storage in half but provides a one-drive safety net. RAID 5 and RAID 6 offer one or two disk safety nets, respectively, and support much larger storage arrays. Other RAID levels exist, but these are the most widely used.

SATA – Despite it’s age, SATA still remains the most popular connection of HDDs in 2023/2024 (despite the rise of M.2 NVMe SSD use in NAS). SATA allows up to 6 Gigabits per second throughput. However, mechanical HDDs rarely exceeded 280MB/s. By 2023/2024, while SATA remains prevalent, advancements in connections like SAS, NVMe, and U.2, particularly in SSDs, have become more significant in enterprise settings.

Saturation – This term refers to the amount of data flowing through an interface/bandwidth. For instance, a SATA HDD might allow up to 600MB/s, but most NAS HDDs achieve around 180-280MB/s due to their mechanical design. Therefore, the saturation for a single drive is lower, at 180/280MB/s.

Platters – These are the disks inside the HDD that store data. Higher capacity drives feature more platters. Although compression techniques can increase space, there’s a limit to their effectiveness.

Rotation Speed – This indicates how fast the platters spin, enabling the arm/actuator to locate and write data magnetically.

Cache – This memory area on the NAS hard drive compiles and distributes data being processed by the disk. Larger capacity NAS hard drives typically have a larger cache, as do drives using Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR), which requires more handling space due to its unique writing style.

Terabytes Written (TBW), AKA ‘Workload Rating’– A metric often given annually, TBW indicates the amount of data a NAS Hard Drive can handle in a year while maintaining performance. This figure considers the potential for repeatedly filling and emptying the drive, common in data centers or tiered backups. Standard NAS hard drives usually have a TBW of around 180TBW, Pro series around 300TBW, and Enterprise-class HDDs 550TBW or more. This is often referred to as the workload rating.

Magnetic Recording – This refers to how data is stored on the platters. As of 2023/2024, there are several prevalent types: SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording), PMR/CMR (Perpendicular/Conventional Magnetic Recording), EAMR (Energy Assisted Magnetic Recording), and HAMR (Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording). Each type has its pros and cons, but PMR/CMR remains the most popular for NAS hard drives.

Warranty Length – This is the period during which the manufacturer will repair or replace a NAS hard drive if it fails due to manufacturing issues. Warranties typically range from 3 to 5 years.

These terms are essential for choosing the best NAS hard drive for your system in the context of 2023/2024. Next, we’ll examine different NAS hardware environments and recommend the best NAS hard drive for each.

Best Hard Drives for an Affordable RAID 6 Desktop 6/8-Bay NAS – Seagate Ironwolf (non-Pro)

1-12TB, 5900-7200RPM, 64-256MB Cache, 180TBW, 3yr Warranty, Rescue Data Recovery Services Included $50-229

For those who are looking at a NAS server for business, or are home users who have made the enterprising move into the Prosumer bracket, then a 6-Bay or 8-Bay desktop NAS solution will become incredibly attractive. At this storage tier, we find a number of very cool and incredibly useful features become more widely available. For a start, we find the utility of RAID 6 (the 2 disk safety net configuration) much more palatable, as it makes less of a dent on our total available storage. Additionally, at this storage size, we start to see much more powerful processors, such as the Intel Core (i3, i5, etc) series arrive, AMD Ryzen and even Xeons. This combined with huge expandability of both memory internally and storage externally and generally with 10Gbe included as standard or available as an upgrade. So, at this scale of NAS storage, the hard drive choice becomes more important, as you do not want to create an internal bottleneck. For this tier of storage, I recommend the Seagate Ironwolf range of NAS drives. They arrive with a large number of 7200RM drives (with 5400RPM in the smaller capacities), a 180 terabytes per year guaranteed workload and the Seagate Rescue service. For those that are not aware, the Seagate Rescue+ package is a data recovery service that is included with your Ironwolf and Ironwolf Pro drives that, alongside your 3 year warranty, includes an additional 3 years of data recovery services.

What that means is that if your drive fails through no fault of your own within reason (so, no, not smashing it with a hammer), you can send the drive off to the Seagate recovery labs and they will try to get that data back. From accidental deletion, all the way through to mechanical and forensic level recovery, this is an impressive inclusion! You should still factor other safety nets in your architecture (backups, UPS, RAID, etc) but given the cost of data recovery services (costing anything from hundreds to thousands of pounds), this is a very, VERY useful inclusion when you need it. Additionally, Seagate Ironwolf hard drives sill manage to be the most affordable NAS drives on the market compared with their competitors, even when including the Rescue recovery included. They are also the only 3rd party NAS hard drive brand that has a tool to monitor drive health available on practically ALL the NAS software GUIs in the market, in Seagate Ironwolf Health Management.

+ Excellent Price Point

+ Rescue Data Recovery Services

+ Seagate Ironwolf Health Management

+ ONLY CMR/PMR Drives in their NAS Range

– Max Drive Capacity is 12TB (Pro Series go up to 22TB)

– Noisier General Operation than WD Red Drives

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

Seagate IronWolf, 8TB ST8000VN002 £185 Amazon usa

USA £185 [LINK]
Seagate IronWolf 8TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD Amazon usa

USA $139.99 [LINK]

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best Hard Drives for a Small NAS Drive – WD Red & WD Red Plus

1-14TB, 5400/7200RPM (higher Caps = 7200RPM), 64-256MB Cache, 180TBW, 3yr Warranty, WD Red 1-6TB (SMR), WD Red Plus 1-14TB (CMR) $69-379

If you are looking to populate a compact, modestly powered, desktop NAS system (so a 1-Bay or 2-Bay NAS drive), then you have quite a large range of Hard Drives on offer. It is worth highlighting though that larger and more enterprise drives (i.e faster and longer warranty) will be noticeably noisier. Additionally, you will need to factor in that your maximum storage is going to be capped at either a single drive OR (in a 2-Bay NAS with RAID 1) your storage halved to maintain redundancy. Finally, you will need to factor in that most 2-Bay NAS devices will either have a smaller external network connection (1/2.5Gbe) or are not really capable of saturating a full connection externally. So, baring these factors in mind, I would recommend the WD Red series of NAS hard drives for small NAS systems. They do not typically have more aggressive hardware internally, so the ambient noise when these drives are running will be remarkably low.

The performance, due to the lower rotations per minute (RPM) and cache might not seem spectacularly high, but in a 1-Bay or 2-Bay NAS, you likely could not push much performance externally anyway, so why spend much more on something that in most cases you will not be able to take advantage of. Be warned though, as you reach the much higher capacities above 8TB, the general background noise of the drives will increase incrementally.

+ Affordable Price Tag

+ Low Noise and Power Consumption in 24×7 Use

+ Good base level of Capacities Available

– Some Drive feature Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR)

– Performance is fairly average in the smaller capacities

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

12TB WD Red Plus Western Digital usa

USA Buy 2 12TB drives for $379.98. [LINK]
18TB WD Red Pro Western Digital usa

USA Buy 2 18TB drives for $549.98. [LINK]

These Offers are Checked Daily

Affordable Hard Drives for a RAID 5 Desktop 4-Bay NAS – Toshiba N300

4-18TB, 7200RPM, 128-512MB Cache, 180 TBW, 3yr Warranty, 1-1.2M MTBF Rating $250-450

A 4-Bay NAS drive is generally when home and small/medium business users start to take their storage seriously. There are such a wide variety of hardware options that arrive at this storage tier, ranging from powerful Intel/AMD processors and DDR4 memory, to 10Gbe and PCIe upgrades. This arrives with the utility if RAID 5, that allows users to have a much larger potential capacity and performance, but still have a single drive of redundancy to fall back on in the event of drive failure. At this degree of NAS storage, you have a much greater potential to not only largely saturate a 10Gbe connection, but alternatively, you can also look into installing 2.5Gbe and 5Gbe upgrades and fill multiple plus gigabit connections directly or via a switch. In order to maximize this connection, but to also not max out your budget, I recommend the Toshiba N300 range of Hard Drives. Although they are a brand that is generally held commercially in the 3rd place when it comes to NAS media drives, their N300 range arrives at a similar/lower price point than Seagate Ironwolf and WD Red, but also arrives with 7200RPM on all capacities, with the lowest capacity arriving with 128MB caching and scaling up to 256MB quickly in the series. The increase in RPM will increase the background clicks, hums and whirs of the drive, but at 4-Bays, this is something that the NAS enclosure itself will begin to generate too. A high performing and often overlooked drive that, at the top capacity, can hit performance of up to 274MB/s.

+ Well Priced for a 7200RPM and 128/256/512 Cache Drive

+ Available in up to 18TB, even in non-Pro N300 Series

+ Error Recovery Control

– Will Generate More Noise at 7200RPM

– Not As Widely Available

– Not as well regarded as Seagate or WD

The 3.5-inch N300 NAS Hard Drive offers unprecedented reliability for NAS and other high-performance storage systems. It is optimized to meet the reliability, endurance, performance and scalability requirements of 24-hour x 7-day high-capacity storage for personal, home office and small business use. The N300 is available in capacities of up to 18 TB.

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best Hard Drives for a Small Rackmount NAS – WD Red Pro

2-22TB, 7200RPM, 128-512MB Cache, 300TBW, 5yr Warranty $85-429

Now we move onto the Rackmount NAS compatible hard drives, we have to start looking squarely at two main factors – Performance and Durability. If you are a business or established Prosumer user, then chances are that your NAS system is going to be used for a much larger % per day than most average users. Whether it is for surveillance, virtual machines, business file-sharing or just a combination of all of them every day, you want drives that are going to give you a good level of performance internally AND externally. Likewise, as the hard drives in even a modest rackmount NAS will be on for extended periods, you need to know that the drive can maintain the promising performance indefinitely AND without braking. This is where we start to look at specifications such as TBW (Terabytes Written), Mean time between failure, workload cycles and the warranty in more detail. For those looking at 10Gbe equipped or at least ’10Gbe Ready’ modest rackmount systems, I would recommend the WD Red Pro series of compatible NAS hard drives. Generally, one of the first Pro series NAS hard drives to arrive on the market, the WD Red Pro series is designed for NAS systems up to 24Bays and is available up to 18TB currently.

What did we say about the WD Red Pro 22TB highest tier model? We reviewed it back on September ’22 and whichever way you look at it, the WD Red Pro 22TB Hard drive is a stone-cold WINNER of a drive – both in terms of what it brings to the end user AND what this new 10-platter/OptiNAND drive design means for the future of the WD drive line up. WD does not over promise with this drive (with performance exceeding the brands reported benchmarks in almost every one of my tests, even using mid-range equipment) and they even nailed the price point in line with previous drives in the portfolio (though there is simply no avoiding that you are going to need deep pockets to fully populate any system with these 22TB drives). That said, much like any other WD Red Pro drive, the more industrial architecture still leads to a slightly higher running temp, noisier operation and slight increased power use. This is to be expected, but with no non-Pro alternative available at this capacity, the feasibility of fully populating a smaller scale system with the WD Red Pro 22TB is going to be both expensive AND noisy. I definitely recommend this drive to larger-scale NAS and SAN environments that need sustained RAID performance, high capacity and storage reliability – just maybe buy some earplugs if you plan on working in the same room as them.

Certainly one of the most expensive NAS HDDs out there, but provides a very good level of storage, performance, durability and overall is a very dependable drive for SMB users (Small/Medium Business) that want a drive they can rely on.

+ Top Tier NAS Drive Performance

+ 300TB/Y Workload

+ Build for up to 24-Bay Servers

– Certainly Noiser than non-Pro equivalents

– More Expensive than the Seagate Pro Option

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

18TB WD Red Pro Western Digital usa

USA Buy 2 18TB drives for $549.98. [LINK]

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best Hard Drives for an SMB Rackmount NAS 12-Bay – Seagate Ironwolf Pro

4-22TB, 7200RPM, 256MB Cache, 300 TBW (Newer NT version rates at 550TBW), 5yr Warranty, Rescue Data Recovery Services Included $79-399

When it comes to the move into Rackmount storage for businesses (novices stop here) then not only do you have to only consider Pro/Enterprise-class drives only, but you can also start to look at drives that include certain business level advantages in terms of coverage and service. Much like the non-PRO series of hard drives mentioned earlier, the Seagate Ironwolf Pro series of HDDs include the Rescue+ data recovery services but also includes an impressive 5 years of the manufacturers warranty. However, it is in terms of performance, capacity and durability that the difference between these two ranges become apparent. For a start, the Ironwolf Pro HDD range arrives in capacities of up to 18TB (20TB promised for later in 2021 thanks to Energy Assisted Magnetic Recording), with ALL drives in the PRO range arriving with 7200RPM and 256/512MB of cache. The result is that these drives will hit up to an impressive 260MB/s, which even in smaller RAID 5 groups will easily saturate a 10Gb connection with just 4-5 drives.I performed te sts on 64MB, 256MB, 1GB and 4GB test files, as well as mixed 70/30% R/W. The results were consistent and largely lived up to Seagate’s claims here.

What did we think of the Seagate Ironwolf Pro larger capacities? We reviewed the new NT series (higher durability at 550TBW over 300TBW in the previous revisions) 20TB version and Straight out the gate, the Seagate Ironwolf Pro 20TB HDD comfortably delivers on it’s promises of performance. This alongside full tested and confirmed compatibility with Synology and QNAP NAS devices means that you have a drive here that can turn any 4-Bay NAS into a 60TB RAID5 Storage colossus – let alone once you start thinking about rackmounts and hyperscale. The pricing at the time of writing is a little muddled (the result of having two SKUs/Model IDs floating around in the market and eTailers having to play catch up) but that should hopefully iron out over time. I particularly appreciate that the workload discussion surrounding ‘Pro’ Class drives at 300TB/yr vs rapid HDD capacity growth is being addressed here with a 550TB/yr version to rival that of ‘Ent’ class drives – whatever the reason/motivation. The value of the Ironwolf Health Management tool is going to be something of debate and the inclusion of 3yrs data recovery services is a nice extra that (with any luck) few will need to use – but having them included in a 20TB HDD that still manages to maintain a similar level of Price per TB vs the bulk of NAS HDDs in the Pro tier increases the value notably. As HDDs continue to increase in scale and Seagate (among other brands) continues to outline their plans to hit 50TB by the end of the decade, the Seagate Ironwolf Pro ST2000NT001 is another good example of an HDD that finds a sweet spot between price, durability and value. Just be aware that this is a drive designed for large-scale use and that means high operational noise and higher than typical power use than non-Pro and smaller cap drives!

In recent years we have seen Seagate reshuffle their range of available capacities to align the capacities from 1-12TB to arrive in the standard Ironwolf range and Capacities of up to 18TB and 22TB to arrive on the PRO series (likely due to those larger capacity options requiring the more enterprise hardware as standard and making a non-PRO version impossible without purposely nerf’ing the lesser drives intentionally. There is crossover in 4-12TB models in between, however, the distinction in RPM, cache, build design and TBW rating is wide enough to justify this. The noise level of the Ironwolf HDD series in PRO is noticeable higher, but given these are designed for larger arrays, this noise increase will be less noticeable over the ambient noise of the whole system generally.

+ Excellent Price Point vs Ironwolf NON-Pro in the Portfolio

+ Rescue Data Recovery Services

+ New NT Version Available with 550 TB Annual Workload

+ Seagate Ironwolf Health Management

+ ONLY CMR/PMR Drives in their NAS Range

– Smallest Drive Capacity is 4TB

– Noticeable Boot Up Noise

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

Seagate IronWolf, 8TB ST8000VN002 £185 Amazon usa

USA £185 [LINK]
Seagate IronWolf 8TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD Amazon usa

USA $139.99 [LINK]

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best Hard Drives for an Enterprise Rackmount NAS Server – Seagate EXOS

1-24TB, 72000RPM, 256-512MB Cache, SAS & SATA Options, 550 TBW, 5yr Warranty, $99-519

Now we finally move into the class of hard drive that is more classically defined at ‘Data Center’ and/or Hyperscale environments. Often choosing between a PRO class and Enterprise-class drive can be ticky at a glance. However, Pro class drives generally arrive with a much longer terabytes written rating per year (ie the amount of data that can be written to the drive throughout its lifespan per annum), arrive in numerous interfaces (so both SAS and SATA generally) and typically arrive with numerous format and encryption standard versions available. These are available because some industries and organizations insist on drive media that features in-built protection and secure erase on the drive itself. Of all the enterprise and data centre-class media in the market, I generally recommend the Seagate EXOS series for any hyper scale system environment. They are very, VERY closely followed by the Western Digital UltraStar class of drives, but the Seagate EXOS series is a little clearer to understand, has larger capacity options available earlier, will hopefully release Mach2 version drives in 2021 (dual actuator/arm SATA drives at 400MB/s+) and generally arrive a pinch lower in price too in like-for-like comparisons against the Ultrastar.

Sound Test Video Live Soon (Below)

Recent changes by Synology in their newest 2021 series of rackmounts systems to ONLY support their own range of HDD media has led to their own drives featuring on their own respective hardware, so make sure to check that your intended NAS rackmount system supports Seagate EXOS drives before you head to checkout!

+ Huge Range of Architecture Options (FIPS, Military Encryp, 4KN, SED, SAS and more)

+ Constantly Evolving (Mach 2 versions, x14, x16 & x18 etc)

+ Comparatively Lower in Price vs Ultrastar

+ New 24TB Model (X24) Version Available in 2024

– Range Can Be Confusing

– Availability Can Be Difficult + Some Models Are ‘Bulk Purchase’ Only

– Noisy!

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best Hard Drives for a Business Synology NAS – Synology HAT5300

8-18TB, 7200RPM, 256/512MB Cache, 550TBW, 5yr Warranty, Synology System ONLY, Firmware Control on Synology DSM $199-599

Arriving on the scene in Jan 2021, the Synology branded range of Hard drives for enterprise server use took ALOT of people by surprise! Synology has always had a long-standing reputation with the production of network-attached storage, so in efforts to produce a complete first-party storage system that includes the software, the network hardware AND the media inside is very what their brand has been all about. In their defence too, these are not just cash-grab drives and are in-fact enterprise-class drives that are being priced at PRO series drives (so an Ultrastar/EXOS drive that is at the price tag of a WD Red or Ironwolf Pro). The drives themselves arrive (at launch anyway) with just three capacities available (8TB, 12TB and 16TB) and the architecture of them is quite eye-catching. A 550TBW per year rating, a 2.5Million MTTF, 256/512MB cache and performance ranging across the capacities from 230MB/s to a reported 270MB/s+. The drives are originally Toshiba M06/07/08 Enterprise drives that have a tweaked Synology NAS firmware onboard, so they are geared specifically towards utilization inside the Synology ecosystem. You can even check and upgrade the individual drive firmware directly from with the Synology DSM graphical user interface too, which is quite a unique and convenient feature for those larger arrays with differing drive versions being installed throughout your server’s lifespan.

You cannot really question the quality of the hardware architecture featured on the Synology HAT5300 range of hard drives. We clearly find here a range of drives that have been designed by Toshiba (an HDD vendor with decades of experience and Synology are not being coy about highlighting the partnership on this media), combined with one of the biggest providers of modern NAS in Synology, with media that is tweaked for use within their NAS systems and despite arriving at a Pro series price tag, arrive with hardware far more comparable to that of Seagate EXOS and Western digital Ultrastar hard drives. With a terrifically impressive annual workload, an approach to drive firmware and upgrades relatively unseen from any other drive for NAS’ and remarkable transparency from Synology in the marketing of these drives on day one certainly needs to be acknowledged. Moreover, Synology is not the first brand to champion the use of locked hard drive media in their service systems and they certainly won’t be the last. Overall, I am happy with the new Synology hard drives and despite possible reservations about where the logic of locked drives and exclusivity on this product and range will be extended to in the future (standard class versions?), I still happily recommend the Synology HAT5300 media series alongside other champions of NAS hard drive in 2021.

The move towards hard drive locking by Synology is something that has impressed some and disappointed others – but if you were going to be installing drive media inside a NAS system for business anyway, then ultimately these are still a very solid and well-performing product for you.

+ Enterprise Drives at a PRO class Price

+ 550TBW on ALL Capacities

+ Drive Firmware can be Updated from within the Synology DSM GUI

– Using them in not Synology NAS Hardware is not Supported

– More Expensive than other Enterprise Class HDDs from Seagate & WD

– Noisy Operation

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

Synology DS1821+ 64TB 8 Bay Desktop NAS Solution, Installed with 8 x 8TB HAT5300 Amazon

UK 4.16 OFF (WAS 4073) [LINK]

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Best Hard Drives for a Business QNAP NAS – WD Ultrastar

1-18TB, 7200RPM, 256-512MB Cache, 550TBW, 5yr Warranty, FIPS and SED Options, SATA, SAS and U.2 NVMe SSD Options $70-550

Finally, we move onto possibly the most well known of the enterprise-class of Hard Drives on the market. When it comes to data center and hyper-scale storage environments, Western Digital’s UltraStar range has the same reputation and long-running recognition as IBM has in the computer industry. They have been the go-to drive media of choice in the huge storage environment’s for years, thanks in large part to the fact they have been designed, developed and improved at the same time as the systems they were going into. In recent years, competitors have taken chunks of the market from them (as they are a larger and slightly slower behemoth to suddenly change tactic) and feature larger product runs that have to last extensive lengths of time to facilitate data center replacement media as needed. Nevertheless, in recent years the Ultrastar brand under WD has diversified hugely and alongside the popular WD Gold label has branched into a vast array of interface types, form factors, media variants and scales. Typically the first drive series to crack into a new capacity tier (the first to crack 20TB too).

Sound Test Video Live Soon (Below)

The Ultrastar series of hard drives will often be compared against the WD Red Pro range of NAS hard drives when considering populating a server. It is worth remembering that the Ultrastar series is designed for both a higher performance AND a much more enduring performance – i.e it can maintain that level, as well as switch between processes, for much longer. Indeed in testing, the Ultrastar even features a much higher Read and Write performance than pretty much any other drive that peaks as high as 280MB/s in our ATTO DiskBenchmark testing below with just a single HDD. Even the IOs (IOPS_ went as high as 19,000, which although low when compared with modern high-end SSDs, for a single HDD is really impressive).

The drives themselves are fantastically dull in appearance of course, as one might expect from the enterprise tier and also feature quite an aggressive spin up noise. However, in much larger scale environments, you will almost certainly not hear the drive media over the ambient system fan noise. Overall still an oldie but a goodie!

+ Consistently High Performance

+ Well-established HDD Drive and Brand

+ Numerous Interfaces, in-Drive Encryption Systems and Choices

– DEFINITELY one of the most confusing product ranges

– Noticeably Noisy at boot

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

These Offers are Checked Daily

Best Hard Drives for a Home or Small Business 2023/2024 Gen Synology NAS – Synology HAT3300 Plus Series

4/6/8/12TB, 5900-7200RPM, 64-256MB Cache, 180TBW, 3yr Warranty, Synology NAS Designed, Firmware Update in DSM $109-189

There is most certainly a clear design choice here to mirror that of the existing regular-class server drives on the market right now. The Synology HAT 3300+ series has been reported several times, not just here on the blog, to be built using Seagate Iron Wolf drive media with specific Synology firmware on board. Arriving with 180-terabyte annual workloads, 5400rpm, 256-megabyte cache, arriving in a CMR architecture and air-sealed – the specifications we see here are all quite standard. The 12TB benefits from an increased RPM and helium sealing, as per most 12 TB drives in the market, but apart from that the Synology Plus hard drive series are going to run quieter than most pro or enterprise-class drives, as well as have a slightly lower power consumption, but are also going to have a slight performance decrease than that of the HAT5300 and HAT3300. But that is only going to be of significance in larger RAID configurations realistically.

The differences between the Synology HAT3300, HAT5300/HAS5300 are pretty much exactly as you would find if you compared WD Red and Seagate IronWolf versus that of Seagate Exos and WD Ultrastar. Indeed, I am a little surprised that Synology has not introduced a middle ground in the form of a pro series drive, but perhaps this is something that will roll out later down the line. Nevertheless, this results in quite a void of performance, durability, and scale between these two ranges when compared to long-term established server hard drive ranges from these other companies filling the gaps of capacity and pro middle ground choices. It should be immediately highlighted that regardless of which Synology hard drive you opt for, you still benefit from firmware updates being actionable from within the Synology DSM software, easier and more streamlined warranty support, and firmware optimization that is specifically tailored towards Synology hardware deployment. We have discussed this at length previously when discussing the Synology enterprise hard drives and SSDs, and although you pay a premium for Synology’s own branded drives when compared to third-party alternatives that people have been using for decades, there are nonetheless merits in using drives specifically geared towards your NAS system rather than requiring a slightly broader design that suits more diverse servers. Here is how the Synology enterprise SATA, enterprise SAS, and mid-range plus hard drives differ in their specifications:


Classification	Enterprise SATA	Enterprise SAS	Domestic SATA
Series Name	Enterprise/XS	Enterprise/XS	PLUS
Model	HAT5300	HAS5300	HAT3300
Interface	SATA 6Gb	SAS 12Gb	SATA 6Gb
Recording	CMR/PMR	CMR/PMR	CMR/PMR
Capacity (5/23)	4/8/12/16/18TB	8/12/16/18TB	4/6/8/12TB
RPM	7200RPM	7200RPM	5400RPM (7200 on 12TB)
Cache	256/512MB	256/512MB	256MB
Sector Size	512e	512e	512e
Max Transfer Speed (Capacity Dependant)	254/260/253/274/281MB/s	241/253/274MB/s	202/240MB/s
Drive Sealing	AIR/AIR/Helium/Helium/Helium	AIR/Helium/Helium/Helium	AIR/AIR/AIR/Helium
Power Use (Idle)	4.07/5.61/4.25/4.00/4.16W	6.62/4.36/4.46W	3.96/3.4/3.4/5.07W
Power Use (Active)	7.76/9.29/7.83/7.63/8.35W	9.87/7.80/8.12W	4.85/5.3/5.3/8.33W
Load/Unload Cycles	600K	600K	600K
Workload Rating	550TB (Annual)	550TB (Annual)	180TB (Annual)
MTBF (Hrs)	2.0/2.5Million	2.5Million	1Million
Warranty	5 Years	5 Years	3 Years

+ Much more affordable than the HAT5300 Series

+ Better range off smaller capacities than HAT5300

+ Drive Firmware can be Updated from within the Synology DSM GUI

– Not Supported on Bigger Synology NAS Systems (eg XS or SA Series)

– Lacks Data Recovery Service of Seagate Ironwolf HDDs

– 12TB Maximum Capacity (at time of writing)

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

Synology DS224+ 8TB 2 Bay NAS Solution installed with 2 x 4TB HAT3300 Drives Amazon

UK 10.11 OFF (WAS 650) [LINK]

These Offers are Checked Daily

IMPORTANT! Compatibility of Hard Drives with Synology NAS Systems

An increasingly important factor when selecting NAS hard drives is their compatibility with specific NAS systems. Over the last 18-24 months, there has been a noticeable trend, especially with Synology, towards reducing the range of compatible, supported, or verified HDDs. Synology has shown a preference for their own HAT3300 and HAT5300 drives, somewhat limiting the choice for users of their systems. This shift marks a departure from the traditionally open approach where most NAS brands, including Synology, supported a wide range of third-party drives.

This change in policy is significant for users needing specific storage solutions or those accustomed to a broader choice of drives. It contrasts with other NAS brands, which continue to support a variety of third-party drives, including the latest high-capacity models. When choosing a NAS hard drive in 2023/2024, it’s crucial to consider not just the drive’s specifications but also its compatibility with your NAS system. This ensures that you can take full advantage of the NAS’s features and avoid potential compatibility issues.

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