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Cachem
Computex 2024 : Synology dévoile de nouveaux produits et services
5 juin 2024 à 07:00

Computex 2024 : Synology dévoile de nouveaux produits et services

Cachem

Par : Fx

5 juin 2024 à 07:00

En marge du Computex 2024, Synology lançait Synology Solution Exhibition 2024 à Taipei. Le fabricant a annoncé l’arrivée de plusieurs nouveaux produits, visant à répondre aux besoins croissants des entreprises en matière de gestion et de protection des données. Étonnamment, Synology n’a pas communiqué sur les futures versions de DSM au-delà de DSM 7.2 : DSM 7.3 ou DSM 8.0. Série GS et DP Synology a fourni peu d’information sur cette nouvelle gamme : GS. On sait que la série GS (et notamment le GS6200) proposera une plateforme de gestion et de stockage des données hautement évolutive, capable de supporter […]
Lire la suite : Computex 2024 : Synology dévoile de nouveaux produits et services

NAS Compares
The Synology ActiveProtect DP Series – DEDICATED BACKUPS
5 juin 2024 à 00:59

The Synology ActiveProtect DP Series – DEDICATED BACKUPS

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

5 juin 2024 à 00:59

Synology Launches a New Backup-Focused Server Solution – ActiveProtect and the DP Series

What is ActiveProtect and Why is Synology choosing 2024 to launch a completely new kind of solution into their portfolio? It’s a valid Q! I think it would be fair to say that Synology has been re-calibrating a lot of its solutions in the last few years, in an effort to aim a lot of its solutions towards business and enterprise users. This is not a bad idea! With pretty much all the big cloud players increasing their subscription costs at the business/enterprise level, as well as failing to improve their services accordingly (and don’t even get me started on download costs at scale!), ALOT of businesses have been looking at the current market offerings for in-house data storage solutions and Synology is looking remarkably well placed. Arriving at a lower cost compared with the hyper-scale and big unified storage players (Dell, Netapp, etc), yet being more user-friendly, providing a wide-ranging portfolio of tailored solutions and typically requiring less sys-admin in-house management by comparison!

However, despite Synology being the most acclaimed software solution in the NAS server market, I would still hesitate to call DSM truly ‘out the box’ and ‘idiot proof’. And THIS is what has clearly motivated Synology to develop the ActiveProtect platform and DP series of devices. Rather than the open use solutions in the Diskstation and Rackstation series with DSM, the DP series arrives with just 1 application/service – ActiveProtect, a development splinter of numerous applications and services that are currently available in DSM, but via a single portal. Promising genuinely fast 10-minute setup out the box, these solutions arrive pre-populated, pre-configured and actively ready to become the target storage for your multi platforms backups. Today I want to discuss this new series, what it IS, what it ISN’T and just who exactly ActiveProtect is aimed at.

What is Synology ActiveProtect?

The Synology ActiveProtect platform is a centralized portal for managing the entirety of your business backup services. Accessible locally over the network or remotely, ActiveProtect strips back a lot of the choices, services and customization that is available in DSM and it’s applications, instead streamlining the whole thing to just 1 service – BACKUPS! This might sounds a little basic/old-skool on the face of it, but there are plenty of businesses that desire a ‘shut up and do your job’ backup solution that balances stability, security, access and recovery. ActiveProteect is clearly targetted towards users that:

Just want a secure backup target for their variety of machines (bare metal and virtual)
Not interested in learning the complexities of network and data services
Want easy, yet secure access to 1 user-friendly interface that allows them to see the status of their backup routines at once

ActiveProtect merges many, many of the services of the popular Synology Active Backup Suite services, as well as many modular services that form the backend of the Synology platform, into one premier backup portal. supported services are pretty huge, with all the standard client platforms currently in the market supported (with the exception of mobile).

The ActiveProtect portal allows for a complete overview of all of these backups, providing their individual status and processes at a single glance.

Individual client machine backups can have their backup services immutable stored on the targetted DP system. This ensures that backup images where lost of egregious changes cannot be tolerated are protected from everything from accidental deletion and overwrite, to ransomware and indirect modification.

When this immutable backup rule is applied, it can be adjusted later down the line if needed. Meaning that if a select backup state of a client system needs to be kept, yet later backups are less mission-critical (creating an unchangeable and undeletable primary restore point), this can be easily arranged.

Likewise, you can manage multiple DP ActiveProtect ready systems via this single portal, allowing you to monitor their individual status, adding further nodes to this backup cluster when needed. Individual ActiveProtect client scheduled backups can be amended and/or redirected as needed.

Individually ActiveProtect-enabled client machines (virtual and bare-metal) can have a specific tailored backup protection plan applied. Beyond the immutable backup choices, there are very easy to manage retention policies (i.e how many backups are kept in history and eventually overwritten), as well as familiar scheduling options, actions in the event of a backup issue, inconsistency checks, backup destinations and more.

It is still unlear the maximum number of backup operations that can be managed by a single DP system, but I imagine they scale in conjunction with each system in the initial physical/bare-metal systems accordingly.

When creating ActiveProtect backups for your 3rd party VM services (eg VMware and HyperV), there are tailored options for connecting these to the DP System you want to host your backups on. These options include all the same choices as a bare-metal/physical client machine, but also provide a couple of extra useful options available during restoration.

Say, for example, you have a VM image backup of your VMware virtual machine and you need to restore it because you need to restore something, or because the remote hosted VM is no longer accessible. What are your options?

Well, ActiveProtect not only allows you to browse the history of your individual backups (more eon that in a bit), but it allows your to choose which platform you wish to use for restoration – with the option of using the system sown internally ‘quick deployment’ virtual machine hypervisor to deploy the VM locally on the system – this is MUCH faster than attempting to reinstate an internet service based VM and especially useful if you reasons for reinstating a backup of the VM were access related in the first place!

This ultimately means that your VM images are more just backups, but also serve as a means to reinstate access to a virtual machine client that was previously internet-only accessible. I very much doubt this is a service that is afforded to all client backups, but I can imagine that (much like the VM failover services of Active Backup), the linux based or windows OS level backups can/will be supported too for this service. Likewise, options like these allow you to TEST the strength and smoothness of client system recovery without waiting for disaster to strike, using the VM deployment as a means to test backups when needed.

Continuing with the subject of restoration, depending on the OS/platform of the backup client device, ActiveProtect also allows for individual File/Folder level access of backups and restoration of individual data pieces. This is going to be enormously useful to users that do not have the time or desire to perform an entire OS-level restoration, but instead want a specific file to a previous version and/or reinstate a file deleted in error.

An interesting additional feature of Virtual machine backups in ActiveProtect is the ability to create overarching backup rules that allow the system to act in the event of rule conflicts between backups, giving priroties as needed. You would need to be running quite a densely packed VM backup client – but one could argue that kid of scale is exactly the user that is looking at the likes of the DP7400 (with its 12x20TB of storage in RAID 6+HS).

Active Protect also provides scheduled and customizable options to apply Air Gap rules, to minimize access to the system outside of preset times and methods. Air-gapping is a data protection feature used to isolate and detach target storage from insecure networks, production environments, and host platforms. Air-gapped spaces are “blocked” by default and are inaccessible to applications, databases, users, and workloads on the fly. Air-gapped data storage only becomes accessible when the scheduled rules set for the air-gap are not in effect. In the case of ActiveProtect, you have a choice of three options. Two Physical Air Gap choices which can be applied to the connections or the entire system. These work by physically isolating/disconnecting the DP system from the network, ie deny all connection access and deactivated network interfaces (NICs) or powering the device off/on to a schedule. Alternatively, you have the option to use Logical Air Gaps, which does not disable the NICs or power the system off/on, but blocks/denies any in coming data transmission. All this adds up to to even further protective measures that ensure your widespread client backup operations can be actioned at the most appropriate times, yet your backup systems will not be in an active/accessible state the rest of the time.

Next, I want to discuss some of the smaller (but nonetheless important) backend features of Active Protect that focus on data integrity, capacity management and scalability. Backups that are sent to the DP series of devices with ActiveProtect have integrity checks at multiple points, starting with ECC memory as standard, then aided by checksums conducted via BTRFS (a file system already supported on practically ALL Synology NAS systems) to avoid data corruption during writes, as well as the integrity of the backup image being verified upon completion of the backup at the destination DP system. As previously mentioned, the VM deployment feature then allows for virtual hosting of a backup image (very client OS-dependent I’m sure) if you need to periodically check/prepare the robustness of your backup restoration plans.

Another backend system process in ActiveProtect that will become increasingly more useful as the scale of your operation grows is how deduplication is managed by ‘AP’ on one or more DP systems that have been deployed. DeDuplication is a long established space-saving measure that keeps track of multiple client backups and, in the event the same data is found in multiple locations (eg operating system files and company files that tend to be the same across multiple client systems), the ActiveProtect service will only store 1 copy, but keep track of all the clients that need it. Deduplication is not new, so why the big deal?

Well, this Deduplication logic extends to multiple DP NAS nodes that form a larger cluster, allowing duplicated files on multiple backup systems to be further recognized on a larger destination backup. Example:

A company has 5x offices globally, each has 5x team members and each location has a DP3400 NAS, backing up 5x Windows 11 systems (among other things)
Each individual DP340 system saves space with deduplication on all the identical data that lives in each client backup. That is 25 Windows machines with deduplication in palce
All x5 DP3400 are backed up remotely (on a system image backup level) to a larger DP7400 rackmount system in a remote location.
The deduplication of the DP7400 ActiveProtect service, seeing that there is data that is the same on all 5 DP340 backup images, then actions that data reduction even further.

This is further improved and hastened by the fact that deduplication of data is conducted at the source site – which results in faster-completed backups and less bandwidth/system resource consumption too.

This means that even a single DP system running ActiveProtect has everything small business might need to conduct multi-client backups with ease.

But moreover, allows for future scalability of this operation as the business grows. So a company does not need to action a complete company-wide backup strategy if their budget and/or requirements for the system are not big enough – further spreading the cost of the operation over time considerably (ie you only buy and extend the scale of the solution when you need to).

One question I do have though is where client file/folder backups are in this software platform? I can appreciate that ActiveProtect brings pretty much all of the functionality of Active Backup Suite to an app that is effectively it’s own OS, as well as using some of the security, safety and integrity protection that are found in other areas of DSM in too. But, what about Synology Drive client functionality? Although a lot of businesses buy a Synology NAS for Active Backup, many of them also do so for Synology drive and its native file/folder access to their client devices, file streaming/pinning/versioning and cross-platform/site synchronization. As beneficial as ActiveProtect is as a dedicated widespread backup platform, I think users might be missing out on the Synology drive client functionality. I hope, when we have our chance to look closer at the ActiveProtect client app, that we find some of the features of Synology Drive integrated to some extent. There are already mentioned of the file/folder restoration of your ActiveProtect backups, so there is clearly a logical path where they could integrate the feature set of Synology Drive into AP.

Synology Drive Style Functionality?

All in all, the ActiveProtect platform (As long as it does not feature any native subscription services of course) is an exceptionally well-provisioned backup solution, and serves as a great expansion of the features set and capabilities of Synology Active Backup. 80% of these are of course available to a traditional Synology DSM NAS user with a comparable Diskstation/Rackstation system, but for those not looking to lose time to the hurdles of setup and just want simple, powerful and capable backups – ActiveProtect seemingly delivered this in spades. There is most certainly going to be a few business users who will not feature a DP solution in their main office, especially if they already have a DSM-ready NAS in place (more on that later), but as an offsite backup, THEN they will be interested! But what about the DP Series of server backup devices themselves? What do you get for your money?

What are the Synology DP Series of Devices?

NOTE – Further information on the specifications of the launch DP Series devices is still ‘pending’. This section will be updated further, as soon as I know more.

Here are the specifications we know so far:

	DP7400
Client Backup Scale	83.5TB
Available Storage	140TB why steal this?
Drives	10x 20TB**
Redundancy	RAID 6 + Hotspre
SSD Cache	x 3840GB (SAT5200)
Bays	12-Bay Rackmount why steal this?
Processor	AMD EPYC 7272 12 Core
RAM	64GB DDR4 ECC why steal this?
Notes	2x SATA bays occupied with 2.5″ SSDs for caching

Only the DP7400 system seemingly confirmed it’s network connectivity, arriving with a dedicated management port and two 10G-BASET ports (and room to expand with further cards, I imagine). I am not a big fan of how the storage and caching has been approached on the DP7400. I completely understand that at this scale, this system needs ALOT of redundancy and recovery, so having both RAID 6 and a hot spare in place makes a lot of sense – especially when this system might well be the offsite backup for multiple DP/ActiveProtect systems in a larger business. However, only having 10 drives in a 12 bay, because you need two drives to be used for SATA SSDs for cache, instead of providing an NVMe Cache PCIe card in the available slot (and giving the user 2 more SATA/SAS bays of storage) would make so much more sense in the long term! Aside from SATA 4TBs costing less than an NVMe alternative + card cost, I cannot see any other reason to kit the DP7400 in this profile.

The naming conventions for the DP series of devices also elude to further releases in the ActiveProtect series of devices. Alongside the Entry level desktop and Enterprise core tiers discussed, there is an additional ‘Enterprise Edge’ product tier. There is also an additional (slightly muddled) system scale classification that is broken into the number of bays and CPU tier that highlight system hardware scales that feature the V1000 AMD embedded Ryzen processors (likely the V1500B and V1780B) and an older D-1541 Xeon processor. The last detail of not is an ‘F’ classification that indicates Flash tiers of DP devices. Synology already has a long-established Flashstation range, so we can expect the DP ‘F’ class devices to be similar profiles to the FS2500, FS3410, FS3600 and/or FS6400.

Example:

DP	Product Level	Bay / CPU Level	Generation	Reserved	Drive Type
3	Tower / Entry	2 = 2 bays why steal this?	1,2,3,…	Reserved	N/A = HDD / Hybrid
5	Enterprise Edge why steal this?	3 = 4 bays			F = All flash
7	Enterprise Core	2 = V1000	why steal this?
		3 = D-1541
		4 = EPYC why steal this?	why steal this?	why steal this?

The hardware is certainly not going to blow anyone away, in so far as it is not a big change from existing RS/SA Systems – and it is not supposed to! If I was being cynical, I would say that Synology is still trying to eak out as much as they can from their existing hardware portfolio and not introduce anything too exciting/expensive into their DP NAS series. But realistically, the above choices of these systems are hardware that the brand is very experienced with AND the DP devices resources are running ActiveProtect exclusively, so that means that they will likely run that software considerably better/broader (as in # of active clients) better than the same hardware running DSM, with a handful of apps (Active Backup, Drive, VMM, Hyper Backup, etc). My only other question is going to be the cross over between systems running DSM and the ones running ActiveProtect. Businesses are definitely going to like the idea of a system that is primed and targetted towards protected backups – but they will also lose out on Surveillance Station, Synology Drive, Mail, Chat etc – all of which are also great business on site data management tools in their own right. I cannot imagine Active Protect will release as a standalone DSM app (unless Synology Active Backup rebrands to it), so it leads to the end user having to either buy two parallel systems (one with DSM and the other with ActiveProtect, hoping they can also sync) or have to miss out. Larger-scale business and enterprise won’t mind this more modular approach (having dedicated system processes towards different systems), but this becomes less clear at the smaller business level.

When Will the Synology DP ActiveProtect Series Be Released and How Much Will it Cost?

Pricing and availability will likely be detailed further at Synology’s open-day solutions event in Taipei, taking place during the Computex 2024 event. Expect Launch to be vaguely ‘later in 2024’, but pricing is going to be a little tougher to predict. I still maintain that this range needs more storage SKUs in place if they plan on launching it pre-populated exclusively. But that also affects the pricing, in particular, solutions with the SSD cache in place (and don’t even get me started on the DP7400 and its 10x Synology HAT5310 20TBs (HAT5310-20T). I will update this article as and when I know more about the pricing and launch. What do you think of the Synology ActiveProtect DP series of devices? On the whole, I think I like them, I just want to see further integration into DSM services and existing Synology NAS ecosystems.

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IT-Connect
NAS Synology – Comment auto-héberger Stirling PDF, la boite à outils PDF ultime ?
4 juin 2024 à 18:00

NAS Synology – Comment auto-héberger Stirling PDF, la boite à outils PDF ultime ?

IT-Connect

Par : Florian BURNEL

4 juin 2024 à 18:00

I. Présentation

Dans ce tutoriel, nous allons apprendre à installer et à configurer la solution Stirling PDF à l'aide d'un conteneur Docker. Stirling PDF est une puissante boite à outils gratuite et open source pour gérer et manipuler vos fichiers PDF localement.

Accessible à partir d'un navigateur Web, cette solution va vous permettre d'effectuer des actions diverses et variées sur vos fichiers PDF, tout en gardant la maitrise de vos données. En effet, avec Stirling PDF, tout fonctionne entièrement sur votre machine locale, garantissant la confidentialité et le contrôle de vos données. Ceci pourra éviter que vos utilisateurs s'appuient sur des outils en ligne, au risque qu'il y ait une fuite de données par la même occasion.

Cliquez ici pour regarder la vidéo sur YouTube

Voici quelques-unes des fonctionnalités disponibles :

Fusionner ou diviser des documents PDF
Extraire des pages d'un document PDF
Réorganiser ou pivoter les pages d'un document PDF
Convertir des fichiers sources en PDF (image vers PDF, HTML vers PDF, Markdown vers PDF, etc.)
Convertir un fichier PDF dans un autre format (PDF vers image, PDF vers Word, PDF vers HTML, etc.)
Compresser un document PDF
Extraire les images ou ajouter une image
Modifier les métadonnées d'un document PDF
Signer un document PDF (avec un certificat numérique ou une image de signature)
Ajouter ou supprimer le mot de passe d'un PDF
Ajouter un filigrane sur un document PDF
Visionneuse de documents PDF
Reconnaissance de caractères (OCR)
Etc...

Toutes ces fonctionnalités sont gratuites puisque cette application est libre et open source. Il intègre de nombreuses fonctionnalités dont certaines parfois réservées à des outils premium (payants).

Stirling PDF peut être installé sur une machine Windows, en local, car des exécutables sont proposés sur le GitHub officiel. Ceci implique l'installation de Java sur la machine. Pour ma part, je préfère m'orienter vers un déploiement dans un conteneur Docker, sur un NAS Synology, afin de mettre à disposition l'application à X utilisateurs. Ceci est d'autant plus pertinent que l'application est accessible à partir d'un navigateur, via l'URL de votre choix.

Pour en savoir plus ou télécharger l'exécutable pour Windows, consultez le GitHub du projet :

GitHub - Stirling PDF

II. Installer Stirling PDF sur un NAS Synology

Pour effectuer l'installation sur un NAS Synology, nous allons utiliser l'application "Container Manager" (Docker) afin de pouvoir utiliser un fichier de configuration Docker Compose. Ceci vous permet d'utiliser cette configuration facilement pour déployer le conteneur sur d'autres plateformes.

Tout d'abord, nous allons créer l'arborescence de dossiers pour accueillir les données de Stirling PDF. Sous le répertoire "docker", voici les répertoires à créer :

stirling-pdf
- trainingData
- extraConfigs

Le répertoire "trainingData" est utile uniquement si vous envisagez d'utiliser la fonction liée à l'OCR.

Ce qui donne :

Ensuite, lancez l'application "Container Manager" (Docker) sur votre NAS Synology. Créez un nouveau projet :

Projet > Créer

Commencez par donner un nom au projet, par exemple "stirling-pdf". Puis, indiquez le chemin correspondant au dossier précédemment créé, à savoir "/docker/stirling-pdf".

Puis, sélectionnez "Créer un fichier docker-compose.yml" afin de pouvoir personnaliser le déploiement de ce projet basé sur l'image Docker "frooodle/s-pdf" dans sa dernière version (vis-à-vis du tag "latest"). Voici un aperçu du code de configuration Docker Compose :

Pour cet exemple, je vais utiliser la configuration Docker Compose suivante :

version: '3.3'
services:
  stirling-pdf:
    image: frooodle/s-pdf:latest
    ports:
      - '8080:8080'
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/stirling-pdf/trainingData:/usr/share/tessdata #Required for extra OCR languages
      - /volume1/docker/stirling-pdf/extraConfigs:/configs
#      - /location/of/customFiles:/customFiles/
#      - /location/of/logs:/logs/
    environment:
      - DOCKER_ENABLE_SECURITY=true
      - SECURITY_ENABLE_LOGIN=true
      - SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_USERNAME=pdf
      - SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_PASSWORD=IT-Connect
      - INSTALL_BOOK_AND_ADVANCED_HTML_OPS=false
      - LANGS=fr_FR

Quelques explications s'imposent :

Le conteneur sera accessible sur le port "8080" puisqu'il est mappé sur le port "8080:8080" (port externe côté NAS : port interne dans le conteneur). Vous pouvez adapter cette valeur (premier numéro de port) si besoin, parce qu'un seul conteneur peut occuper chaque port.
Sous "volumes", indiquez les chemins vers les répertoires "trainingData" et "extraConfigs" créé précédemment. Les répertoires "customFiles" et "Logs" sont facultatifs. Ici, ces deux lignes sont commentées.
La directive "SECURITY_ENABLE_LOGIN=true" sert à activer la page de connexion sur Stirling PDF. Autrement dit, il conviendra de s'authentifier avant d'accéder à l'application. Ceci implique aussi de configurer la directive "DOCKER_ENABLE_SECURITY=true".
La directive "SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_USERNAME=pdf" sert à créer un utilisateur par défaut nommé "pdf"
La directive "SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_PASSWORD=IT-Connect" sert à attribuer le mot de passe "IT-Connect" à l'utilisateur par défaut.
La directive "INSTALL_BOOK_AND_ADVANCED_HTML_OPS=false" sert à indiquer qu'il ne faut pas télécharger l'application Calibre sur Stirling PDF. Elle permet la conversion de PDF vers/depuis un livre et la conversion HTML avancée. Activez cette option si besoin.
La directive "LANGS=fr_FR" sert à précise la langue pour la bibliothèque de polices personnalisées à installer pour la conversion de documents. Dans tous les cas, l'interface de l'application sera disponible en plusieurs langues, dont le français.

Ci-dessous, un aperçu en tant qu'image.

Une fois que c'est fait, poursuivez jusqu'à la fin de l'assistant pour lancer la création du projet. L'image Docker va être téléchargée et le conteneur configuré puis exécuté.

L'application Stirling PDF est désormais exécutée au sein du conteneur Docker. Stirling PDF est une application assez gourmande en RAM, probablement à cause de son lien étroit avec Java. Sur mon NAS, le conteneur consomme entre 400 et 700 Mo de RAM, ce qui n'est pas neutre.

Dans la suite de cet article, nous verrons comment utiliser et configurer Stirling PDF.

III. Découverte de Stirling PDF

A. Première connexion

L'accès à l'application s'effectue à partir d'un navigateur Web. Il suffit de préciser l'adresse IP ou le nom de domaine du NAS, suivi du port "8080", comme ceci :

http://192.168.1.148:8080/

Si vous avez activé l'authentification, vous devez vous connecter avec le compte créé par défaut (selon les informations définies dans le Docker Compose).

Voilà, vous êtes connecté à Stirling PDF ! Vous pouvez profiter de l'ensemble des outils intégrés à cette fabuleuse boite à outils !

Que faire ensuite ?

B. Gestion des utilisateurs

Avant d'évoquer les outils en eux-mêmes, je vous recommande de changer le mot de passe du compte utilisateur créé par défaut. Vous pouvez aussi créer d'autres utilisateurs. Pour accéder à la gestion de votre compte, cliquez sur "Paramètres" en haut à droite (icône en forme de roue crantée) puis cliquez sur "Paramètres du compte".

Ici, vous pourrez changer le nom d'utilisateur et le mot de passe du compte.

Si vous descendez tout en bas de la page, vous pourrez cliquer sur le bouton "Paramètres d'administration - Voir et ajouter des utilisateurs". Ceci vous permet de créer d'autres comptes utilisateurs, avec différents niveaux de permissions : administrateur, utilisateur, etc.

Libre à vous de créer un ou plusieurs comptes. L'intérêt étant principalement de gérer l'accès à l'application. À ma connaissance, Stirling PDF n'a pas vocation à permettre à chaque utilisateur de gérer une bibliothèque de documents PDF.

À tout moment, vous pourrez créer, modifier ou supprimer des utilisateurs.

C. Utilisation des outils

Nous n'allons pas passer en revue l'ensemble des outils, car l'interface est simple d'utilisation et il y a énormément de possibilités. Il vous suffit de choisir l'outil de votre choix à partir du menu principal, ou de la page d'accueil. Vous pouvez aussi utiliser la fonction de recherche pour gagner du temps, ainsi que mettre certains outils en favoris.

La fonction "Fusionner plusieurs PDF" vous permet, comme son nom l'indique, de fusionner (concaténer) plusieurs documents PDF en un seul fichier.

Il y a également un outil multifonction qui donne accès à quelques fonctions basiques dans une même interface. Vous chargez un fichier, et ensuite, vous pouvez intervenir des pages, effectuer des rotations de pages, etc... Selon vos besoins.

À vous d'explorer les différents outils au fur et à mesure que les besoins se présenteront.

D. Aller plus loin dans la configuration

Est-ce qu'il y a des paramètres de configuration supplémentaires ? La réponse est oui. La configuration de Stirling PDF s'appuie sur un fichier au format YAML nommé "settings.yml". Il est situé à cet emplacement :

/docker/stirling-pdf/extraConfigs/settings.yml

Il permet de configurer l'application plus en profondeur. Nous pouvons définir un nom personnalisé pour l'application, mais aussi configurer l'authentification OAuth2. Ceci peut s'avérer utile pour s'appuyer sur un service tiers pour l'authentification des utilisateurs (Google, GitHub, KeyCloak).

Nous constatons aussi la présence de deux options ayant pour objectif de protéger l'interface de connexion des attaques par brute force. En effet, il y a un verrouillage de comptes activé par défaut : 5 mauvaises tentatives d'authentification à suivre vont engendrer le verrouillage d'un compte pendant 2 heures.

  loginAttemptCount: 5 # lock user account after 5 tries
  loginResetTimeMinutes: 120 # lock account for 2 hours after x attempts

Voici un aperçu de ce fichier de configuration que vous pouvez modifier selon vos besoins :

Pour aller plus loin, vous pouvez aussi publier l'application sur un nom de domaine à l'aide du reverse proxy de DSM :

IV. Conclusion

D'une part, nous avons appris à installer Stirling PDF dans un conteneur Docker à partir d'un NAS Synology, et d'autre part, nous avons vu comment configurer et utiliser rapidement cette boite à outils PDF.

Stirling PDF est une excellente application qui a totalement sa place dans les entreprises, car elle répond à de nombreux besoins des utilisateurs. Le déploiement est relativement rapide et il n'y a aucun coût de licence à prévoir !

Qu'en pensez-vous ?

The post NAS Synology – Comment auto-héberger Stirling PDF, la boite à outils PDF ultime ? first appeared on IT-Connect.

NAS Compares
The Synology Solution Exhibition 2024 – EVERYTHING Revealed
4 juin 2024 à 12:56

The Synology Solution Exhibition 2024 – EVERYTHING Revealed

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

4 juin 2024 à 12:56

Synology Solution Exhibition 2024 Taipei

(Article Still in Progress!)

Synology has been unusually talkative in advance of their latest launch event for 2024! All too often, they tend to hold back the bulk of their intended release plans for the year (in both hardware and software services) prior to their events, which can often lead to a lot of surprises. However, this year they went ahead and published a ‘teaser’ video that covered a lot of things well in advance. I think it would be fair to say that the bulk of what they were intending to show off was heavily targeted towards large businesses and enterprises.

This shouldn’t have proven much of a surprise, given that is the way the wind has been blowing with the brand in recent years (launching their own C2 cloud platform, their own branded storage media, a shifting focus in services designed to work in unison with SaaS and PaaS IPs, etc.). Nevertheless, the Synology Solutions showcase in Taipei (happening during the Computex 2024 event) has really doubled down on Enterprise problem-solving! From AI and hyper-scale to simplified multi-site backups and surveillance, let’s go over the big plans the brand has in the works for 2024, as well as try to see where they hope to be in the food chain of network storage next year!

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. You can find out more about the Synology DP series and ActiveProtect in the article below:

[Click Link to ActiveProtect Article]

Synology Unveils Its AI Integration with AI Console

This is something I think most of us saw coming! The integration of AI assistant services and AI language models into the majority of platforms we use on a daily basis has been pretty much non-stop these last 12-18 months, and it comes as no surprise that Synology is now moving into this. But to their credit, they have not rushed into this. In fact, although we saw very tentative steps and early demonstrations of where they would like it to go at their Taipei event in 2023 (see video HERE), they have not rushed into this. The Synology AI Console is their integration of AI assistant tools into a number of their collaboration tools, namely Synology Mail Plus, Office, and Chat.

These tools are designed to provide services that are tailored to these applications – not just a glossy portal/GUI with ChatGPT and other LLMs behind it. Such as the ability to provide a summary of larger email chains, provide context and proofreading of documents, craft responses to communication that are tonally appropriate, and more. Additionally, they state that the AI services will be completely optional, off by default, individually enabled, and have a framework in place that prevents sensitive information from being used in AI-generated content. The extent to how this is controlled and adapted by the system owner is yet to be fully confirmed, as is the level of control that is provided to the Synology NAS owner with regard to the AI’s reference points internally.

Video from a Synology event in 2023:

They do highlight that support of existing popular AI models that include ChatGPT, Microsoft Azure AI, and Google Gemini will be available when the service is launched (in beta, I assume), but I will be interested to see how far the brand will be willing to take AI integration (especially if they are going to allow flexibility in the AI models a user can connect with) as the ability to use AI tools with storage filing services, more creative search categorization, and analysis of system logs. We will have to wait and see… DSM 8?

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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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

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.

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

Phison Show Off @Computex 2024

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

3 juin 2024 à 12:09

Phison at Computex 2024 – What Was On Show?

Note – this is a pre-launch article based on what I saw on the setup-day of cOMPUTEX 2024 (3/6/24). A fuller update to this article will be made after the Computex Launch day on 4/6 and a YouTube Video too.

A regular veteran of Computex, Phison is once again on show here at the Taipei-based Computex 2024 event, bringing a few follow-ups on products premiered last year, as well as some brand new and exciting innovations.

The 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.

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.

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

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.

CWWK x86 P5 NVMe NAS Board Review

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

31 mai 2024 à 18:00

CWWK x86 P5 NAS Review – SUPER COMPACT NVMe NAS?

Have you noticed just how diverse the world of DiY NAS has become? I’m old enough to remember when ‘Do It Yourself’ or Build Your Own’ (BYO) in the server world would mean converting an old PC case. Then things got SMALLER! The Rasperry Pi, the Mini PC and eventually we started to see consumer and hobbiest kit in NAS that was smaller than most domestic appliances and client hardware! But there has always been a trade-off with minimalization. Maybe it’s CPU power, CPU architecture, maximum memory or just plane old storage potential. This is where the CWWK x86 P5 steps into things. Build as a 64bit x86 alternative to Raspberry Pi devices, this architecture is not exactly new. Indeed, there are a slew of DiY/Open-Source ready Routers on the market built towards Pfsense and the like for years now, so what makes the CWWK x86 P5 something different? Well, it’s because this device shifts gears from being primarily about network management, and towards NVMe SSD Flash-based SSD storage. Running on an Intel N100 4-Core processor (N200 and N305 versions also available) that is rated at just 6W, the P5 supports up to 32GB of DDR5 memory and FOUR M.2 Gen3 SSD slots and 2 SATA drive connections (more eon that later). This all adds up towards a fantastically low power-consuming but highly capable system! Built with those with a DiY attitude, the system is a semi-bare board that is just ready to be scaled up and built into your next custom server setup with the likes of UnRAID and TrueNAS. But, is the P5 actually any good? Let’s discuss it in today’s hardware review.

Component	Details
Brand	CWWK
Model	x86 P5
Processor	Intel N100
Clock Speed	Base: 800Mhz – to 3.6Ghz
Memory	DDR4 SO-DIMM slot, up to 32GB 4800Mhz
Storage SATA	2x SATA-to-12pin
M.2 Slots	4 x M.2 NVMe slot
Network Interface	2 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports
USB Ports	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10G)
Display Outputs	2X HDMI 4K 60FPS
Power Supply	12V DC input
Operating System	Supports Windows 10/11, Linux distributions, and FreeNAS/TrueNAS
Additional Features	Supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 for data redundancy and performance, OS Dependant
Cooling	Passive heatsink, supports additional fan VIA INCLUDED KIT
BIOS	UEFI
Audio	Realtek ALC662 5.1-channel audio codec
Accessories	SATA cables, power adapter, user manual

Where to Buy?

CWWK x86 P5 NVMe NAS Board ($155 AliExpress) – HERE
CWWK x86 P5 Barebones + Case ($239 Amazon) – HERE

CWWK x86 P5 NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

It is INCREDIBLY difficult to find fault with the CWWK x86 P5 NVMe SSD NAS Board when you boil it down to the $150 price tag. The P5 is by no means a perfect device and it is insanely niche in its appeal to DiY homelabbers and those looking for a new ‘plaything’ SSD server, but for what you are getting here for the money (up to and including the PSU, fan kits and SATA-to-12pin cables) just kinda dissolves any of the shortcomings of the device, as it seems obvious that at this value, compromises need to be made. With the diminishing cost of M.2 NVMe SSD storage and the growing market for affordable M.2 SSD NAS solutions in the market, the P5 is a great first choice for those looking to dip their toe into private server ownership without breaking the bank. The base level hardware of the N100/N200/N305 processor, 4x Gen 3 m.2, 2×2.5GbE and ability to still add 2x SATA drives is a great foundation, especially when you look into the lower power consumption of this hardware too. There will be those that will complain about the base model not including memory, but at this price point CWWK would have had to opt for fixed flash memory, which would have been overall limited long term – so better to give a flexible SODIMM to scale up to 32GB at your own choice/budget. The performance of the P5 is not exactly going to blow you away of course, and I would definitely recommend investing in a little more active/passive cooling if you plan on running this 24×7, but overall for the $150, this is an absolute BARGAIN!!!

BUILD QUALITY - 10/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 6/10

PRICE - 10/10

VALUE - 10/10

8.8

PROS

Cannot argue with the price

4x M.2 NVMe is impressive for scale

The N100/N200/N300 Balance power, ability and consumption very well

scalability of memory up to 32GB

TWIN 2.5GbE and ability to add 2x more 2.5G/5G with adapters (OS Dependant)

Kit includes PSU and Fan kit

Complete in-house design = well-made heatsink with hidden details

Two SATA drives can be connected, which can be overlooked easily

WiFi M.2 Adapter slot Included

CONS

Lack of USB-C Power

Gets HOT

SSD Write performance and Drive-to-Drive copying has poor sustained numbers!

Where to Buy a Product
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			VISIT RETAILER ➤

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now?

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CWWK x86 P5 NAS Review – Design & Hardware

Despite the marketing materials for the x86 P5 heavy highlighting how the device is ‘barebones’ and ‘a NAS Board’, I think they are doing themselves something of a disservice here. It’s ALOT more complete than a lot of the NAS enthusiasts have been offered in recent years. It arrives with the CPU already in place, already fitted to an huge heat sink, it includes an external PSU, SATA-to-12 pin cables and even a fan mounting and desk kit. There is no included memory or storage in the base model (though there are options listed on their site) and you are definitely going to want to buy heatsinks for those m.2s (more on that later), but as a ‘barebones’ purchase, it’s pretty insanely good value at a little over $150.

The included mounting fans ARE optional and if you only plan on low-moderate daily use, you may not even need theM, but I am nonetheless impressed that these are included when many other brand would have put these are optional extras. The retail kit is pretty well protected, 2 layers of foam, a cardboard frame internally, accessories in their own bags and the unit itself is in a robust antistatic bag.

Right now, the only alternative product to this in the market of a similar 1 board architecture would be the likes of the Zimaboard/Zimablade from IceWhale. A a quick ‘aside’ the video below outlines that product, what was good and what was not:

The top mounted metallic heatsink is HUGE and it pretty much exclusively there to draw heat from the Intel N100/N200/N305 CPU, as the SSDs are mounted on a sister/riser board (more on that later). There is no active cooling by default (though you have those fan mounting kits included) but this heatsink is pretty great for the N100/N200, though I do wonder about the 8-Core N305-i3 model at peak use.

The device does not feature any included NAS Operating system (no OS drive included in the $150 option), but running TrueNAS r UnRAID was incredibly straight forward and I can confirm that all storage (both the M.2 and the SATA over 12pin) were visible in both of those popular NAS OS. However, it is worth mentioning once again that heatsinks or even just heatshields for those M.2 NVMe SSD bays are pretty essential if you are aiming for sustained use. I had the device running for 30 mins of relatively light tests on each drive and, even after a brief reboot to recalibrate, all four drives were throwing me 65-70+ degree warnings in UnRAID pretty quickly.

When looking a little more about the default configurations, you can see that CWWK have not missed a trick! With scaled memory versions all the way up to 32GB and fully populated SSD options on the table. I am unsure which brands of SSD or Memory you would receive, but given my experience with reviewing solutions like this, I would expect Samsung Memory, but unbranded/lesser-known SSD drives. You will pay penny’s for them, but their durability and reliability is up for question! It’s your call!

Another small grip is regarding the external PSU. On the one side, it’s a decent quality 36W PSU that has international clip replacement – and these clips are like 4 for a $1 on Aliexpress, so you will have easy global connection for this device with ease. Plus USB to Barrel adapters are pretty common too these days, so the option to deploy the P5 with a USB power connection is pretty easy to do too (see my video here on how to run a consumer NAS on a USB Battery Pack on YouTube). Running on a 6W TDP rated CPU and 4 M.2 massively reduces the potential power consumption, so all good so far, right?

HOWEVER! It is 2024… why is this device not arriving with USB-C Power? It would be so, so much more convenient and there are plenty of affordable/domestic USB-C PSU devices in the market that would allow for further eWaste!

Next, lets discuss the means to attached two SATA drives to the system. Adding SATA support to such a microboard with a CPU that only has 8/9 PCI Lanes to play with was always going to be tough! Adding a physical SATA-to-PCIe controller would have been the easiest way, but might not have been the most efficient. Instead (again, drawing comparisons to the ZimaBlade and ZimaBoard) the P5 has two 12 pin connectors and includes 2x SATA-to-12pin cables for attaching two drives.

I can also confirm that when I connected a SATA SSD, it appeared without any additional power needed (it was delivered to the dual SATA POWER + DATA cable). I do have questions about the extent to which it would power something beefier (a 24TB HDD for example), but I did not have these in place in time for this review – I will be returning to this later in a follow-up video on the YouTube Channel soon.

The four M.2 NVMe SSD slots are located on the other side of the P5 device and its a very clean layout. Supporting up to 2280 length M.2 NVMe SSDs, there are no thermal pads or heatsinks included with the CWWK x86 P5 NAS kit.

Each M.2 connector has moderate clearance from the base PCB and appear to be PCIe 3×4 (going by the board print), however, there are mixed messages on different sites listing the CWWK P5, with some stating Gen 3×2, or 3×1 on the SSD slots and others saying 3×4.

Digging into the terminal, we can see that although they ARE physically 3×4, they have been downgraded to 3X1. Not a massive surprise for this architecture – for reasons of efficient resource distribution, lane distribution and/or heat. But A little closer look physically at the device under the M.2 PCB shows a little something…

The M.2 Board seems to be fed into a separate pinned m.2 2280 board that, in turn, is connected into a m.2 located on the CPU/Memory PCB.

Unscrewing the M.2 PCB reveals that it sits on this sister 2280 m.2 board (not unlike a M.2 to SATA-MULTI-PORT card. This is an interesting approach and would definitely make the 3×1 on each m.2 slot a lot understandable when you know that the base M.2 is handling them all.

This adapter is definitely a custom-specific board for this system, to allow it to add to the initial board design (which is often used in those custom pfsense ready routers/gateway devices from CWWK and topton).

And the m.2 allocation does not stop there. Under THAT card there was a further small scale m.2 for a WiFi adapter card. I am surprised that CWWK did not include an Intel WiFi 6/6e adapter in their bundles (these are crazy cheap). That said, this would also mean that you would have to factor in the antenna – and things are already pretty crammed in here!

Unscrewing this board further reveals the CPU and top massive ehatsink connection. One detail it would have been easy to miss is that the massive heatsink has a small copper panel directly on the CPU (with thermal paste). This is a nice extra touch and one that most users will likely never even know about, adding heat conduction and dissipation.

I also wanted to highlight that another small detail that it would be easy for users to never notice is that the heatsink has been cut to ensure it has clearance for several conductor components, as to ensure they are not negatively impacted by the heatsink. It’s a very, very small detail, but does show that a decent degree of thought has gone into this plate and it’s specifically designed for this micro board layout.

The N100/N200/N305 CPU you find under this panel will differ in cores, threads, power and TDP, but all three are SoC/Mobile processors that are designed to run tremendously efficiently – which in a 24×7 NAS setup is pretty bloody important, especially with rising costs of electricity globally in 2024.

With the system fully populated with 4x M.2 NVMe SSDs, 1x SATA 2,5″ SSD, an 8GB DDR5 4800Mhz memory SODIMM module and the CPU at 50% utilization for 20 minutes, the CPU peaked at 22-23W. This is a pretty impressively low, even if we factor in that this is an exclusively SSD-focused system in my test. In idle, without the SSDs being access, this dropped to a little over 10W

One thing that might annoy a few of the SSD NAS veteran users is the lack of ECC memory on the P5. This is going to be a massive debating point for many, but given the $150 pricetag and it’s a large focus on keeping things compact and efficient, it’s not a huge surprise that CWWK has opted for a much more affordable and low energy-consuming CPU – which unsurprisingly does not support ECC. This is NOT a system built for ‘integral business data’ and that is not the target user either. Maybe if CWWK extend this system architecture and logic towards some of the AMD emb.Ryzen processors, then ECC might arrive, but for now you can install up to 1x 32GB DDR 4800Mhz SODIMM module in the P5.

Given the scale and price point, you cannot really fault the CWWK x86 P5 – as a more powerful alternative to a raspberry pi, that also has tremendous M.2 NVMe SSD NAS storage and SATA scalability, there is simply nothing out there for this price point! The lack of ECC is going to put some users off and the 3×1 lanes per SSD might be too limiting of some, but at $150+, it’s a hard case to make! Let’s discuss the ports and connections.

CWWK x86 P5 NAS Review – Ports and Connections

Give the scale of the CWWK x86 P5, you will not be surprised to know that there are not exactly a tonne of ports on show here. That said, they still do manage to squeeze in a decent amount, though there is no means to scale things up (beyond a USB hub or USB NIC), as there is no PCIe slot accessible (as you might find in the Zimaboard and Zimablade). In terms of network interfaces, there are two 2.5GbE network ports, as well as (depending on the NAS OS you choose to install) the option to attach USB-to-2.5G and USB-to-5GbE network adapters.

There are also two HDMI 4K 60FPS outputs (no DP) which will have a varied degree of utility, based on your NAS OS of choice.

As the system uses an external power button, there is a physical LED power button too. As the P5 is a modification of the hardware logic of the custom pfsense/router scene, this button is in a fixed location and not really movable with ease. This will make custom micro case installations a little troublesome.

The system does come with extendable ‘legs’ that allow you to stand the P5 on a desk horizontally, with the M.2 SSDs at the top, case-free. I cannot help by feel like this design, though not great, is still the best option of plenty of bad ones!

You could mount the device on a cage, attaching SATA drives into the SATA cage cavities, but this all still feels very ‘coffee cup’ dangerous! As an ‘add on’ module to an existing encased homelab, I like this, but as a standalone system, I wish it afforded a little more protection out of the box (optional plastic/metal casing included with the kit for like $5 more). Let’s discuss the architecture of the x86 P5.

CWWK x86 P5 NAS Review – PCIe Layout / Performance

When it came to checking out the bios (this is a great deal clearer in the video review) CWWK have pretty much opened everything up to customization, with little ‘hard’ pre-set in place. For a system destined for massively diverse 3rd party installation use, I respect this greatly!

In terms of performance, those SSDs on Gen 3×1 lanes each became pretty clear (also, add to that the efficiency-focused N100 Processor in this review unit). I was hitting around 784MBs read performance on repeated/sustained 1GB tests on a single drive, and hit 1.3-1.4GB/s on the 4 drives in a RAID 5 array. Obviously, this was internal performance, as by default you cannot exceed 550-579MB/s on 2×2.5GbE (maybe with a couple of USB-to-5G adapters at $70-90 a pop, you might get closer).

However, write performance was much more disappointing and quickly diminishing, starting at around the 600MB/s and heading down as low as 250-300MB/s upon sustained 1GB write tests (see below). The SATA connected SSD comfortably hit 470MB/s Read over 425MB/s Write on avg.

However, probably the most damning performance number was when I actioned 1GB of data to be copied between single-disks. This would rarely exceed 150MB/s and after a couple of minutes descended into double digits! How much of this was caused by oversaturation on those 4 M2 Gen3x1 drives having to be negotiated by that m.2 mounted sister board is hard to say. The CPU worked VERY hard during this comparatively modest procedure and the drive temps crept up very fast!

All this added up to the fact that the x86 P5, though very good at short-term use and sporadic activity with ease, it struggled under heavy sustained write actions. Also, the shortfalls of feeding those 4 M.2 SSDs into a single into a single adapter bring into question how a larger RAID array on them would perform over a great deal of time and/or a RAID rebuild. Not ‘bad’, but it definitely demonstrated one of the compromises in architecture that needed to be made to hit the $150 price tag.

CWWK x86 P5 NAS Review – Conclusion & Verdict

It is INCREDIBLY difficult to find fault with the CWWK x86 P5 NVMe SSD NAS Board when you boil it down to the $150 price tag. The P5 is by no means a perfect device and it is insanely niche in its appeal to DiY homelabbers and those looking for a new ‘plaything’ SSD server, but for what you are getting here for the money (up to and including the PSU, fan kits and SATA-to-12pin cables) just kinda dissolves any of the shortcomings of the device, as it seems obvious that at this value, compromises need to be made. With the diminishing cost of M.2 NVMe SSD storage and the growing market for affordable M.2 SSD NAS solutions in the market, the P5 is a great first choice for those looking to dip their toe into private server ownership without breaking the bank. The base level hardware of the N100/N200/N305 processor, 4x Gen 3 m.2, 2×2.5GbE and ability to still add 2x SATA drives is a great foundation, especially when you look into the lower power consumption of this hardware too. There will be those that will complain about the base model not including memory, but at this price point CWWK would have had to opt for fixed flash memory, which would have been overall limited long term – so better to give a flexible SODIMM to scale up to 32GB at your own choice/budget. The performance of the P5 is not exactly going to blow you away of course, and I would definitely recommend investing in a little more active/passive cooling if you plan on running this 24×7, but overall for the $150, this is an absolute BARGAIN!!!

PROS of the CWWK x86 P5

CONs of the CWWK x86 P5

Cannot argue with the price
4x M.2 NVMe is impressive for scale
The N100/N200/N300 Balance power, ability and consumption very well
scalability of memory up to 32GB
TWIN 2.5GbE and ability to add 2x more 2.5G/5G with adapters (OS Dependant)
Kit includes PSU and Fan kit
Complete in-house design = well-made heatsink with hidden details
Two SATA drives can be connected, which can be overlooked easily
WiFi M.2 Adapter slot Included

Lack of USB-C Power
Gets HOT
SSD Write performance and Drive-to-Drive copying has poor sustained numbers!

Where to Buy?

- CWWK x86 P5 NVMe NAS Board ($155 AliExpress) – HERE
- CWWK x86 P5 Barebones + Case ($239 Amazon) – HERE

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IT-Connect
Windows 11 24H2 – Ce qui change pour accéder aux partages sur un NAS (en SMB)
30 mai 2024 à 14:00

Windows 11 24H2 – Ce qui change pour accéder aux partages sur un NAS (en SMB)

IT-Connect

Par : Florian BURNEL

30 mai 2024 à 14:00

I. Présentation

La sortie de Windows 11 24H2 est proche et certains changements effectués par Microsoft pourraient perturber l'accès à des fichiers partagés sur les NAS. En effet, la configuration par défaut des accès réseau basés sur l'utilisateur du protocole SMB a été renforcée.

Ceci va impacter l'accès aux données hébergées sur des partages de fichiers, notamment sur les NAS, que ce soit des modèles de chez Synology, Asustor, QNAP ou encore TerraMaster. Microsoft a mis en ligne un article à ce sujet pour avertir ses utilisateurs. Nous allons évoquer ces changements ainsi que les solutions possibles.

II. Windows 11 24H2 : ce qui change avec le protocole SMB

A. Les modifications apportées par Microsoft

Microsoft a apporté deux changements importants dans la configuration des connexions SMB sur Windows 11 24H2. L'objectif étant de renforcer la sécurité de Windows et de lutter contre certaines attaques associées au protocole SMB (dont le "SMB relay").

Par défaut, la signature SMB sera requise et obligatoire pour toutes les connexions. Dans le cadre d'une connexion SMB, où le client est représenté par le PC Windows 11 et le serveur par le NAS (ou un autre périphérique), si le serveur SMB ne prend pas en charge la signature des échanges, alors la connexion échouera.

"Nous ne savons pas faire la différence entre un NAS qui n'a pas activé la signature SMB et un serveur malveillant qui ne veut pas que la signature SMB soit activée.", voilà une phrase qui résume bien l'intérêt d'avoir la signature SMB activée, et le problème de ne pas l'utiliser.

Le basculement vers l'accès invité, appelé "guest fallback", lors de la connexion à des partages SMB sera désactivé sur Windows 11 Pro. L'accès invité sert à se connecter sur un partage réseau en tant qu'invité, c'est-à-dire de façon anonyme, sans avoir besoin de préciser un identifiant et un mot de passe. Cette possibilité va être désactivée.

À ce sujet, Microsoft précise : "La signature SMB est disponible dans Windows depuis 30 ans mais, pour la première fois, elle est désormais requise par défaut pour toutes les connexions. La fonction d'invité est désactivée dans Windows depuis 25 ans et la fonction SMB guest fallback est désactivée depuis Windows 10 dans les éditions Enterprise, Education et Pro for Workstation."

Ces changements concernent principalement les connexions SMB sortantes depuis votre appareil Windows 11 vers d’autres serveurs SMB. Autrement dit, lorsque votre appareil Windows 11 se connecte à un autre serveur, notamment un partage réseau situé sur un NAS.

B. Les erreurs que vous pouvez rencontrer

Microsoft a précisé un ensemble de messages d'erreur et de codes d'erreur que vous pouvez rencontrer avec Windows 11 24H2 lors de l'accès à un NAS. Voici les messages en question.

Si la signature SMB n'est pas prise en charge par le NAS.

0xc000a000
-1073700864
STATUS_INVALID_SIGNATURE
The cryptographic signature is invalid / La signature cryptographique n'est pas valide

Si le NAS exige une connexion en tant qu'invité (ce qui est plus rare).

You can't access this shared folder because your organization's security policies block unauthenticated guest access. These policies help protect your PC from unsafe or malicious devices on the network / Vous ne pouvez pas accéder à ce dossier partagé car les règles de sécurité de votre entreprise bloquent l'accès des invités non authentifiés. Ces stratégies permettent de protéger votre ordinateur contre les périphériques dangereux ou malveillants présents sur le réseau.
0x80070035
0x800704f8
The network path was not found / Le chemin d'accès au réseau n'a pas été trouvé
System error 3227320323 has occurred / L'erreur système 3227320323 s'est produite

Que faire pour résoudre ces erreurs ?

III. Comment configurer son NAS ?

Nous n'allons pas voir comment autoriser l'accès invité, car je considère que le risque de sécurité est trop important, autant pour votre appareil Windows 11 que pour les données hébergées sur votre NAS. Néanmoins, nous allons nous intéresser à la signature SMB.

Vous avez deux solutions :

Configurer le NAS pour activer la signature SMB et ainsi permettre la connexion des appareils Windows 11 24H2 tout en renforçant la sécurité des accès.
Configurer l'appareil Windows 11 24H2 pour ne pas rendre la signature SMB obligatoire, ce qui d'avoir une configuration identique à celle de Windows 11 23H2 et les versions antérieures.

A. Activer la signature SMB sur un NAS Synology

La signature SMB est prise en charge par le système DSM des NAS Synology. Il s'agit d'une fonctionnalité supportée dans DSM 6.2 et les versions supérieures (bien que pas située au même endroit dans toutes les versions). Voici où trouver cette option dans DSM 7.2.

Connectez-vous à DSM et accédez au "Panneau de configuration" afin de parcourir l'interface de cette façon :

1 - Cliquez sur "Services de fichiers".

2 - Cliquez sur l'onglet "SMB".

3- Cliquez sur le bouton "Paramètres avancés".

4 - Configurez l'option "Activer la signature serveur" de façon à choisir le mode "Défini par le client". La valeur par défaut est "Désactiver". Ceci permettra d'accepter les connexions des appareils Windows 11 24H2, tout en continuant d'autoriser les clients qui ne supportent pas la signature SMB, ou pour lesquels, elle n'est pas activée. Dans un second temps, il pourrait être utile de sélectionner le mode "Forcer".

Il ne vous reste plus qu'à cliquer sur "Sauvegarder" pour valider.

Ce simple changement va permettre aux appareils Windows 11 24H2 de se connecter à un partage de fichiers situés sur un NAS Synology, via le protocole SMB. À condition, bien entendu, de s'authentifier avec un nom d'utilisateur et un mot de passe. La configuration du NAS, c'est-à-dire du serveur SMB, est l'option à privilégiée.

Remarque : la signature SMB est prise en charge sur d'autres marques de NAS. L'idée générale reste la même, donc "il suffira" de naviguer dans les menus pour trouver une option équivalente à celle présentée ici.

B. Activer ou désactiver la signature SMB sur Windows 11

Pour activer ou désactiver la signature SMB sur Windows 11, il convient d'éditer la stratégie de sécurité locale ou d'utiliser PowerShell. Cette action doit être effectuée uniquement si le NAS, ou en tout cas le serveur SMB, ne supporte pas la signature SMB.

Voici la marche à suivre à partir de l'interface graphique :

Appuyez sur Win + R, tapez "gpedit.msc"et appuyez sur Entrée.
Dans l’arborescence, accédez à Configuration de l’ordinateur > Paramètres Windows > Paramètres de sécurité > Stratégies locales > Options de sécurité.
Double-cliquez sur le paramètre nommé "Client réseau Microsoft : communications signées numériquement (toujours)", ou "Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (always)", en anglais.
Sélectionnez "Désactivé" et cliquez sur "OK".

Ce qui donne :

Windows 11 24H2 - Désactiver signature SMB

Remarque : ce paramètre est configurable dans une stratégie de groupe (GPO) Active Directory afin de modifier la configuration sur un ensemble d'appareils.

Si vous souhaitez opérer en ligne de commande, vous pouvez utiliser les commandes suivantes pour configurer la signature SMB à l'aide de PowerShell. Commencez par ouvrir une console PowerShell en tant qu'administrateur.

La commande ci-dessous sert à indiquer si votre PC est actuellement configuré pour exiger ou non la signature SMB. Si la valeur retournée "true", c'est que c'est le cas. Sinon, la valeur "false" sera retournée.

Get-SmbClientConfiguration | fl requiresecuritysignature

Ensuite, pour désactiver la signature SMB, utilisez cette commande. Appuyez sur "T" puis sur "Entrée" pour valider.

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false

Pour activer la signature SMB, voici la commande à utiliser :

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $true

Ce changement va permettre à votre appareil Windows 11 24H2 de se connecter à un partage SMB, en faisant une croix sur la signature SMB.

IV. Conclusion

Voilà, nous venons de traiter cette problématique intéressante et qui devrait perturber de nombreux utilisateurs, que ce soit les particuliers ou les professionnels. En effet, les NAS sont très répandues et nous sommes susceptibles de les croiser aussi bien dans une baie informatique que dans un salon...

Ce qui est évoqué dans cet article, en prenant le cas d'un NAS, s'applique aussi pour Windows Server. En fait, la signature SMB doit être activée sur Windows Server pour que l'appareil Windows 11 24H2 puisse se connecter à un partage de fichiers. Ce cas de figure sera abordé dans un autre article.

La configuration évoquée ici est celle attendue dans la version stable de Windows 11 24H2. De mon côté, j'ai installé une machine Windows 11 24H2 en version "Preview" et la signature SMB n'était pas forcée : j'ignore pourquoi. Si vous faites des tests de votre côté, n'hésitez pas à faire un retour en commentaire.

Enfin, voici le lien vers l'article Microsoft :

Microsoft Tech Community - SMB avec Windows 11 24H2

The post Windows 11 24H2 – Ce qui change pour accéder aux partages sur un NAS (en SMB) first appeared on IT-Connect.

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

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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.

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

CWWK Q670 Gen 5 NAS 8-Bay Board Review

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

24 mai 2024 à 15:00

CWWK Q670 Gen 5 NAS Board Review

With so, SO many DIY mini server motherboards in the market, what exactly does the $200 CWWK Q670 NAS motherboard bring to the party that we haven’t seen dozen times before? The booming market for 24×7 server mobos in ‘M-ITX in the last 18-24 months has been somewhat meteoric, with Chinese brands such as CWWK and Topton gaining a lot of industry attention for providing versatile solutions that challenge the hardware power and value that we have come to expect. The CWWK Q670 certainly continues this trend, arriving as a M-ITX motherboard that is ready for the slowly rolling out 14th Gen of Intel CPUs (as well as 12 and 13th Generation), Gen 5 PCIe architecture, DDR5 memory in the triple figures, eight native SATA drives and three m.2 NVMes SSDs (covering Gen5x4 and at 22110 length too). There is ALOT here on this little board. But power isn’t everything! How does it all come together? Have compromises been made? And ultimately, does it deserve your data? Let’s find out whether the Q670 deserves to find a home in your homelab.

Important Note – The photos taken for this article were taken AFTER I installed a CPU, Memory and heatsink. The default $200+ model of the CWWK Q670 arrives without any kind of extras.

Component	Details
Form Factor	Mini-ITX (17 cm x 17 cm, 6.7-in x 6.7-in)
Chipset	Intel Q670
Supported CPUs	Intel 12th/13th/14th Generation LGA1700 desktop processors
Memory Technology	Desktop U-DIMM DDR5
Memory Slots	2* U-DIMM DDR5 dual channel
Memory Speed	DDR5 supports 5600MHz by default (12th gen processors only support 4800MHz)
Max Memory Capacity	Single memory maximum 96GB; two memories maximum 192GB
M.2 Slots	1* M.2 NVMe PCIe 5.0 x4 (2280/22110 size, front of motherboard)
	2* M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 (2280 size, back of motherboard)
SATA Ports	8* SATA 3.0 (6Gbps)
Network Ports	1* Intel i226-V 2.5G RJ45
	1* Intel i226-LM 2.5G RJ45 (supports Intel vPro remote management function)
Expansion Slots	1* PCI-E x16 (PCIe 5.0 x16 signal) supports graphics card/network card expansion
Display Outputs	1* HDMI 2.0 (supports 4K 4096×2160 @ 60Hz)
	1* DP 1.4 (supports 4K 4096×2160 @ 60Hz)
	1* D-Sub (supports 1080P 1920×1200 @ 60Hz)
USB Ports	2* USB 2.0 Type-A (rear)
	2* USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (rear)
	1* USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (rear)
	2* USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (via header)
	1* USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (via header)
	2* USB 2.0 Type-A (via header)

Where to Buy?

CWWK Q670 8-Bay Gen5 NAS MoBo ($203 AliExpress) – HERE
CWWK x86 P5 NVMe NAS Board ($155 AliExpress) – HERE
CWWK x86 P5 Barebones + Case ($239 Amazon) – HERE

CWWK Q670 NAS Board Review – Quick Conclusion

As long as you do not lose sight of the fact that the CWWK Q670 NAS mobo is designed to be part of a larger and more powerful NAS build, there is ALOT to love here – especially at 200 bucks! For an M-ITX board this thing out specs a lot of bigger and broader M-ATX boards at the price. The Gen 5 architecture, if you are going to build around it ‘hardcore’ enough, as well as spend the time needed to tweak it, is definitely this board’s USP. As is that it manages to challenge conceptions of what an MITX board should arrive with, thanks to those eight native SATA ports. The remote BIOS-level access is a nice extra and although its not going to be used by everyone, in a pinch (ie ‘back against the wall troubleshooting and/or maintenance), it’s a great little bonus. The huge scalability afforded to the NAS builders with the UDIMM memory choice over SODIMM and three M.2s really does allow for a much more aggressively storage-focused system here. All that said, things are super cramped here and extra care is advised when buying your accessories (especially cooling), as aside from airflow restrictions, there is the potential here to accidentally create a air flow dead end! This is NOT a motherboard for the learner homelab’er or shiny new NAS enthusiast… but if you are happy to spend a little more and have the time to configure accordingly, this thing can be a fricking POWERHOUSE!

BUILD QUALITY - 9/10

HARDWARE - 9/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 10/10

VALUE - 10/10

9.2

PROS

A Gen5 M-ITX NAS Mobo...SOLD!

8x SATA Ports (actual SATA, not via an m.2 adapter or miniSAS)

Good scope to support 13th Gen and more CPUs

3x M.2 at Gen 5 and 4 (one of the 22110)

PCIe 5x16 Slot

Excellent USB Outputs

Full-Length DIMM Memory Support (i.e more memory possible)

Very well priced at just over $200+

CONS

CPU Cooler vs Memory slot placement is VERY tight!

Need a lot of BIOS tuning by the end user

No pre-bundled (CPU/RAM) options

1 PCIe slot (standard M-ITX build) will lead to hard choices about NIC upgrades

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CWWK Q670 Gen 5 NAS Board Review – Design and Hardware

Although I set up the CWWK Q670 NAS motherboard with a 12th Gen i5 processor, it’s worth highlighting that this board supports all the way up to the latest 14th Gen of Intel Core processors (no mean feat, given their launch very late last year and very few mobos of this scale being compatible without significant compromise. Bring an M-ITX does mean that there are architectural compromises of course (more on that later) but they do manage to squeeze ALOT in here (for good, and for bad).

It’s also worth touching on that there are 2 versions of the 670, with a remote access network card that allows the end user to access system control and bios level customization over the network via Intel vPro and Intel EMA remotely. It’s quite a niche service for anything less than enterprise/bigger-business use, but its an incredibly useful feature for those that do not have the time or physical deployment for keyboard, Video & Mouse. This service is bound to one of the 2.5G ports, and does not prevent it for typical LAN use by the NAS system.

The CPU and cooler requirements are LGA1700 and the rear of the Q670 is a clean layout, and CWWK have used this spec to include two Gen4 M.2 slots (more eon these later), but we have to talk about something far more intriguing in this M-ITX board…

The Q670 features EIGHT native SATA 6Gb ports (no mini-SAS fan out requires or an m.2-to-SATA adapter) which really is a breath of fresh air, even if this NAS mobo wasn’t so feature rich already. Additionally, native SATA massively smooths any potential NAS OS BIOS conflicts in the event of managing large drive layouts.

That said, this is definitely one of the earliest examples of this motherboard cramming in ALOT of hardware. The 8x SATA ports are directly next to the UDIMM Memory slots. The Q670 features two UDIMM memory slots, which one the face of it is GREAT! Rather than SODIMM (which most would expect from a mobno of this scale), UDIMM allows for larger memory capacity per module, as well as more common ECC modules available in UDIMM. Equally, newer generation CPUs support ALOT of memory, which this board is clearly ready to capitalize on! So what is the problem?

Well, those UDIMM slots are remarkably close to the CPU cooler and although there are plenty of good coolers in the market with a taller and slimmer profile, this can become problematic depending on the NAS case you are choosing to use.

Alternatively (I can hear you thinking) you could just rotate the cooler? Well, on the other side of the cooler is your PCIe Gen 5×4 slot – and for those that know, PCIe Gen 5×4 gets HOT! So, it is always recommended that you use a fan assisted heatsink for a Gen 5 SSD – which will be directly in the path of your CPU cooler, if you rotate it.

Ok, what about facing it downwards? Well, that places you pretty squarely above your PCIe slot. The CWWK Q670 arrives with a very beefy PCIe Gen 5×16 card slot – but that’s just it – a single slot (one of those fun limits of M-ITX that is quite common, that I mentioned earlier). So you will likely be using this for a NIC upgrade (2 port 10g/25GbE card perhaps to get some serious saturation of those M.2 and/or 8xSATA) or adding a multi-port Gen 5×4 M.2 SSD card to start carving up that 5×16 slot into multiple SSDs via bifurcation? Hell, maybe even go extra wild and look at mid-high tier GFX cards.

Regardless, you once again face quite alarming proximity with that CPU cooler if it faces in that direction! In 2 outta 3 (technically 4) of these placements of the cooler, you have nothing to worry about (even less still with a taller and narrower cooler), but that is still a lot of very high throughput components in close proximity that have quite obstructed airflow! Again, there are ways and means to mitigate with upright coolers, or even using watercooling and pipes – but that’s a lot to wrap around an M-ITX board when this scale of mobo is mostly there to reduce physical space on the server enclosure vs ATX.

Example on Aliexpresss HERE

Returning to the M.2 Gen 5×4 slot, the Q670 might well be the first Gen5 M-ITX NAS Mobo that CWWK have ever released (and there are not a vast number of others out there from other brands either). Additionally, this slot supports up to the longer 22110 M.2 scale, which allows for larger capacity drive potential, better NAND distribution drives (i.e more, smaller capacity NAND cells on an M.2 PCB result in higher consistent performance vs fewer NAND cells of a larger capacity), plus longer 22110 SSDs can put the NAND all on one side of the PCB to better manage heat dissipation and physical space upon installation. This isn;t even factoring PLP SSDs either! This is a savvy move, as SSD makers are now hitting performance and temp walls when expanding Gen5 SSD technology and are perhaps instead favouring side-grading these drives to improve sustained performance and stability.

The rear M.2 NVMe slots are Gen 4×4, which makes a lot of sense, given just how far the architecture on this mobo has been stretched. As the mobo does not arrive with a CPU, the full extent to which an end user can tinker with the architecture and how much lane/speed can be afforded to these slots is up for debate. Just because the board CAN hit Gen 5 and 4 respectively on these M.2. does not mean you are going to get it without the right CPU choice!

Both the Gen 4×4 slots are 2280 in length (only the Gen 5 is 22110) which, in a way, is a bit of a shame, as these two slots have a whole lot of surface area to play with compared with the comparatively cramped surface when the Gen5 slot lives. Nevertheless, it’s great that this board is ready to go for 8 SATA HDD/SSDs and 3 M.2 NVMes (and that is even before you start considering the PCIe Upgrade slot. That said, the BIOS on this board is (on the plus side) incredibly flexible in it’s configuration, but also (bad side) tremendously intimidating in it’s range of choices, with lane distribution depending on your CPU choice being quite hard going!

This opens the door towards how many/much of those M.2 are going to be usable with the PCIe slot in use. With a higher, more modern and more capable processor, there’s a good deal to share around, otherwise you end up making touch lane speed choices!

The rang of ports and connections on the board are actually a fraction ‘safe’, with the USB connectivity and an additional network control feature being the only area with a slight bit of difference from the bulk of CWWK boards.

There is a fairly pedestrian USB-A 3.2 port, but there IS a 20Gb/s USB-C port. This is listed as just “3.2 20Gb/s”, so its a little unclear on whether this is USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or a USB 4 port that that has had its bandwidth halved.

There are visual outputs of course (an HDMI 2.0 and a DisplayPort 1.4) which can output at 4K 60FPS, but the extent to which these can be used is going to be heavily dependant on your NAS OS of choice again.

The USB Type A connectivity is 5Gb(s) Gen 2 and there are two ports available, a bit ‘so-so’. But better to have lots of USB 5G ports than 1-2 10G ports (I know this is not an opinion often shared!)

But I do like the internal USB 2.0 port, as that is perfect for an UnRAID setup on this motherboard – and now that ZFS pools are fully stable and supported in UnRAID, it makes the 8+3 storage slot CWWK Q670 exceedingly desirable.

The network ports are both 2.5GbE, which is going to be something of a bottle neck externally (especially when you factor in that even a medium-sized mechanical Pro/Ent HDD can hit speeds of 250-282MB/s), but that is where that PCIe slot will add network scalability, and don;t overlook the appeal of combo cards (M.2 + 10G cards) from brands like QNAP that work on this board (I tested the first gen QM2 Combo card).

However, interestingly the Q670 also arrives with the support of Intel vPro which, for most users, is going to serve as the ideal gateway to manage their system backend configuration remotely – I am talking BIOS level. In practice, that means that having to awkwardly KVM into a system that is typically deployed without any accessories is avoidable. It requires a little setup and using the vPro interface requires further setup, but ultimately this is a nice extra that is a lot rarer in DiY NAS boards than you might expect.

Overall, this might be the best balance of hardware scalability and storage scalability on a reduced physical scale that I have EVER seen, not just in DiY. Plus, arriving at the $200 price tag all adds up to a NAS board that provides tremendous hardware customization on a larger NAS system, without braking the bank + allows you to put that money you saved towards a beefy CPU and some excess memory! Let’s discuss that hardware configuration internally and what a fairly average and affordable CPU can get out of it?

CWWK Q670 Gen 5 NAS Board Review – Performance and Tests

Performing any tests on a NAS motherboard that is not available with an integrated CPU was always going to be tricky, as it means the results are always going to be fantastically relative to that specific configuration and represent one of hundreds or even thousands of configurations – and the CWWK Q670 is no exception. To get some base level understanding of the board on it’s own, here is the hardware spec it arrives with:

Feature/Service	Details
vPro Function	Requires i5-1X500 or above processor. F series does not support it and requires core graphics.
Power Efficiency	Recommended T processors such as 13500T for power efficiency and long-term use
Supported Memory Speed	DDR5 supports 5600MHz by default (12th gen processors only support 4800MHz)
USB Features	Built-in set of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 pin sockets for panel connection
Display Support	HDMI + DP dual display output supports 4K @ 60Hz
Network Management	Intel i226-LM 2.5G RJ45 supports Intel vPro remote management function
Operating System Compatibility	Supports Microsoft Windows 10/11 64-bit, Compatible with Linux (EFI mode only)
Memory Compatibility	Dual-channel desktop U-DIMM DDR5 slot supports 5600MHz backward compatibility
Miscellaneous Software	Supports U disk encryption, system booting

I went ahead and installed an Intel 6-Core / 12 Thread 12th Gen i5 Core and 16GB 4800Mhz non-ECC DDR5 Memory. Straight out the gate, just using three M.2 NVMes on the system (full benchmarking, Gen 4 and Gen 5) the system hit around 45W utilization. Had I connected eight SATA HDDs, I can imagine this would have been almost doubled! However, there were not 8 drives in our test area available at the time of this review.

As mentioned earlier, the BIOS that is available on this board is pretty deep, even by ‘bare mobo’ standards. Also, adjusting the PCIe Gen goes up to Gen5 all over the shop!

I went ahead and ran UnRAID on the system (thank you, small internal USB Port!) and a;; the SATA/M.2 slots were visible and good to go!

The layout of the system in it’s default configuration (using the i5 I installed) was reasonable, but the speeds on the M.2 slots was definitely a little ‘funky’, especially when you factor in that I installed Gen 4 Kingston KC3000s and a Gen 5 Phison E26 M.2 in their respectively supported slots.

The first disappointment is that, unless I used up a scaled-up processor and spent some time playing with the bios, the Gen 5×4 slot was downgraded to Gen 4×4. Gen 4 is still good, but the major appeal of this Mobo for some users is going to be the fact its Gen 5 SSD ready. What about the Gen 4 slots?

Well, good news and bad news there. The first Gen 4 M.2 slot was defaulted at Gen 4×4 WITHOUT any downgrade. Great stuff, right? Well…

The 2nd Gen 4 slot had been downgraded to Gen 3×4! Remember, this is how the the system has default laid things out with the i5 12th Gen processor I choose to use. I am sure there is wiggle room for this and as mentioned several times, this configuration is one of literally thousand of possibilities, but I raise this to demonstrate that this board needs some hands on work by the user when its installed to get the most out if it for the end user’s needs.

Looking at performance, within the gen and speed that this motherboard defaulted to, these are all reasonable. Eg the Gen 5×4 slot (that SHOULD hit a potential 10-12GB with the right drive) was hitting a respective 6GB/s, as it was downgraded to 4×4.

Likewise, the Gen 4×4 m.2 slot that had not been downgraded hit 5.9-6GB/s. Not the reported 7GB that Kingston says this drive will be capable of hitting of course, but those benchmarks are based on much more powerful setups and tools than these comparatively primitive tests.

And then there was the Gen4 slot that had been downgraded to 3×4. Thanks to it still being ‘x4’, the Gen 4 drive, even with it’s forced downward auto-negotiation, was still hitting respectable 2.9-3.0GBs numbers.

The forced downgrades that kicked in, I am sure, could be negotiated with a better setup and with more time being spent in bios – but those looking at more modest and affordable NAS setups are likely going to lose out on the full abilities of this motherboard. M.2 slots that sharer lanes with the PCIe slot (or even shared across multiple M.2s) are not a new thing, but ultimately you need to keep in mind that this board is not going to immediately give you a perfect system base to work with – it just opens to doors and windows enough to get you on your way, with an M-ITX NAS build.

CWWK Q670 Gen 5 NAS Board Review – Conclusion and Verdict

As long as you do not lose sight of the fact that the CWWK Q670 NAS mobo is designed to be part of a larger and more powerful NAS build, there is ALOT to love here – especially at 200 bucks! For an M-ITX board this thing out specs a lot of bigger and broader M-ATX boards at the price. The Gen 5 architecture, if you are going to build around it ‘hardcore’ enough, as well as spend the time needed to tweak it, is definitely this board’s USP. As is that it manages to challenge conceptions of what an MITX board should arrive with, thanks to those eight native SATA ports. The remote BIOS-level access is a nice extra and although its not going to be used by everyone, in a pinch (ie ‘back against the wall troubleshooting and/or maintenance), it’s a great little bonus. The huge scalability afforded to the NAS builders with the UDIMM memory choice over SODIMM and three M.2s really does allow for a much more aggressively storage-focused system here. All that said, things are super cramped here and extra care is advised when buying your accessories (especially cooling), as aside from airflow restrictions, there is the potential here to accidentally create a air flow dead end! This is NOT a motherboard for the learner homelab’er or shiny new NAS enthusiast… but if you are happy to spend a little more and have the time to configure accordingly, this thing can be a fricking POWERHOUSE!

PROs of the CWWK Q670 NAS Motherboard	CONs of the CWWK Q670 NAS Motherboard
A Gen5 M-ITX NAS Mobo…SOLD! 8x SATA Ports (actual SATA, not via an m.2 adapter or miniSAS) Good scope to support 13th Gen and more CPUs 3x M.2 at Gen 5 and 4 (one of the 22110) PCIe 5×16 Slot Excellent USB Outputs Full-Length DIMM Memory Support (i.e more memory possible) Very well priced at just over $200+	CPU Cooler vs Memory slot placement is VERY tight! Need a lot of BIOS tuning by the end user No pre-bundled (CPU/RAM) options 1 PCIe slot (standard M-ITX build) will lead to hard choices about NIC upgrades

Where to Buy?

CWWK Q670 8-Bay Gen5 NAS MoBo ($203 AliExpress) – HERE
CWWK x86 P5 NVMe NAS Board ($155 AliExpress) – HERE
CWWK x86 P5 Barebones + Case ($239 Amazon) – HERE

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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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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.

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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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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IT-Connect
NAS QNAP – CVE-2024-27130 : un exploit PoC a été publié pour cette faille de sécurité zero-day
21 mai 2024 à 08:47

NAS QNAP – CVE-2024-27130 : un exploit PoC a été publié pour cette faille de sécurité zero-day

IT-Connect

Par : Florian BURNEL

21 mai 2024 à 08:47

Des chercheurs en sécurité ont effectué un gros travail de recherche de vulnérabilités sur le système QTS utilisé par les NAS QNAP. Ils sont parvenus à identifier 15 failles de sécurité, plus ou moins sérieuse ! Faisons le point !

Les chercheurs en sécurité de WatchTowr Labs ont mis en ligne un rapport au sujet de 15 vulnérabilités qu'ils ont découvertes dans le système QTS de QNAP. Enfin, il ne s'agit pas du seul système analysé puisqu'ils ont également analysé les versions QTS Hero et QuTS Cloud.

Pour le moment, 11 vulnérabilités ne sont toujours pas corrigées, et certaines sont encore sous embargo, alors que QNAP a été averti entre le 8 décembre 2023 et le 8 janvier 2024. Voici la liste des CVE patchées par QNAP : CVE-2023-50361, CVE-2023-50362, CVE-2023-50363 et CVE-2023-50364.

La faille de sécurité CVE-2024-27130

L'une de ces failles de sécurité, associée à la référence CVE-2024-27130, mérite une attention particulière. Cette vulnérabilité de type "stack buffer overflow" présente dans la fonction "No_Support_ACL" du fichier "share.cgi" permet à un attaquant d'exécuter du code à distance sur le NAS QNAP. Néanmoins, l'exploitation n'est pas simple, car l'attaquant doit pouvoir se connecter au NAS QNAP, avec un compte lambda, de façon à manipuler la fonction de partage de fichiers.

À ce jour, cette faille de sécurité est connue publiquement et elle n'a pas été corrigée par QNAP alors qu'elle a été reportée au fabricant de NAS le 3 janvier 2024 : une belle faille de sécurité zero-day.

À chaque fois, QNAP a demandé un délai supplémentaire à WatchTowr Labs. Mais, désormais, le temps presse... Les chercheurs en sécurité de WatchTowr Labs quant à eux, ont mis en ligne un exploit PoC pour cette même vulnérabilité : il est disponible sur ce GitHub. Tous les détails techniques sont fournis pour indiquer comment l'exploiter, bien qu'elle ne soit pas corrigée.

En exploitant cette faille, les chercheurs de WatchTowr Labs sont parvenus à créer un compte nommé "watchtowr" sur le NAS et à l'ajouter au fichier "sudoers" pour lui permettre d'élever ses privilèges sur le NAS.

Désormais, le correctif de QNAP est attendu, que ce soit pour cette vulnérabilité ou toutes les autres non corrigées pour le moment.

Source

The post NAS QNAP – CVE-2024-27130 : un exploit PoC a été publié pour cette faille de sécurité zero-day first appeared on IT-Connect.

IT-Connect
NAS Synology – Surveillez votre connexion Internet avec Speedtest Tracker
19 mai 2024 à 18:00

NAS Synology – Surveillez votre connexion Internet avec Speedtest Tracker

IT-Connect

Par : Florian BURNEL

19 mai 2024 à 18:00

I. Présentation

Dans ce tutoriel, nous allons apprendre à déployer l'application Speedtest Tracker sur un NAS Synology, à l'aide d'un conteneur Docker ! Cette application sert à effectuer un suivi d'une connexion Internet grâce à l'exécution de tests de débit réguliers via le service Speedtest by Ookla.

GitHub - Speedtest Tracker

Cliquez ici pour regarder la vidéo sur YouTube

Chaque test de débit sera enregistré dans une base de données, ce qui permettra d'avoir des graphes et un historique des performances de votre connexion à Internet. Vous pouvez planifier les tests de débit et configurer des seuils d'alertes afin d'être notifié par e-mail en cas de problème de performances. Ceci est configurable pour le débit montant et le débit descendant, mais aussi pour le temps de réponse (ping) s'il est trop élevé. Au-delà des alertes par e-mail, vous pouvez être notifié sur Discord, Telegram, etc... via un système de Webhook.

Aujourd'hui, nous allons apprendre à installer Speedtest Tracker sur un NAS Synology grâce à la création d'un conteneur Docker dans Container Manager.

Effectuer un test de débit Internet sur son NAS Synology

II. Installer l'application Speedtest Tracker sur son NAS

Avant de créer le conteneur, nous allons préparer un répertoire pour stocker ses données. Au sein du répertoire "docker", nous allons créer le répertoire "speedtest-tracker" afin de maintenir la logique habituelle : un répertoire par conteneur.

Ce qui donne :

Ensuite, dans le répertoire "speedtest-tracker", créez un répertoire nommé "data" qui servira à stocker les données du conteneur. De plus, sous le répertoire "data", créez un dossier nommé "keys" qui servira à stocker le certificat TLS et sa clé privée. Ceci vous permet de charger votre propre certificat si vous le souhaitez, sinon, c'est un certificat auto-signé qui sera stocké ici.

/docker/speedtest-tracker
                      ---- data
                      ------- keys

Lorsque les répertoires sont créés, vous pouvez lancer l'application Container Manager (Docker) pour créer un nouveau conteneur à partir d'un code de configuration Docker Compose.

Dans "Container Manager", cliquez sur "Projet" puis sur "Créer". Nommez ce projet "speedtest-tracker" puis indiquez le répertoire "/docker/speedtest-tracker" comme chemin pour ce conteneur. Autrement dit, l'option "Chemin" doit avoir pour valeur "/docker/speedtest-tracker". Comme ceci :

En ce qui concerne la "Source", choisissez l'option "Créer un fichier docker-compose.yml". Une zone de texte apparaît : qu'allons-nous écrire ici ? Nous allons récupérer le code du fichier "docker-compose.yml" disponible sur le site officiel du projet pour ensuite l'adapter.

Il y a plusieurs options pour stocker les données de l'application : SQLite, MySQL et PostgreSQL. Ici, nous allons choisir l'option "SQLite" qui est la plus légère, mais vous pouvez adapter le fichier Docker Compose, si besoin.

Voici le code à copier-coller par défaut :

version: '3.4'
services:
    speedtest-tracker:
        container_name: speedtest-tracker
        ports:
            - 8080:80
            - 8443:443
        environment:
            - PUID=1000
            - PGID=1000
            - DB_CONNECTION=sqlite
        volumes:
            - /path/to/data:/config
            - /path/to-custom-ssl-keys:/config/keys
        image: lscr.io/linuxserver/speedtest-tracker:latest
        restart: unless-stopped

Désormais, nous allons devoir modifier plusieurs options :

Les deux valeurs sous "volumes" pour faire le mappage vers les répertoires "data" et "data/keys" créés précédemment.
Les deux valeurs nommées "PUID" et "PGID" car il s'agit des identifiants uniques correspondants au compte utilisateur à utiliser pour exécuter le conteneur. Ici, l'utilisateur "docker" de mon NAS est spécifié en indiquant son UID "1027" et son GID "100".

Voici un lien utile si vous ne savez pas quoi indiquer pour "PUID" et "GUID" :

NAS Synology : comment obtenir l'UID et le GID d'un utilisateur ?

Vous pouvez aussi adapter les numéros de ports pour les connexions HTTP et HTTPS. Ici, les ports externes 8081 (le port 8080 est déjà utilisé sur mon NAS) et 8443 sont utilisés.

Ce qui donne le fichier suivant :

version: '3.4'
services:
    speedtest-tracker:
        container_name: speedtest-tracker
        ports:
            - 8081:80
            - 8443:443
        environment:
            - PUID=1027
            - PGID=100
            - DB_CONNECTION=sqlite       
        volumes:
            - /volume1/docker/speedtest-tracker/data:/config
            - /volume1/docker/speedtest-tracker/data/keys:/config/keys
        image: lscr.io/linuxserver/speedtest-tracker:latest
        restart: unless-stopped

Une fois le fichier Docker Compose prêt, vous pouvez continuer jusqu'à la fin pour créer le conteneur.

L'image "lscr.io/linuxserver/speedtest-tracker" sera téléchargée à partir du Docker Hub et utilisée pour exécuter le conteneur.

Voilà, le conteneur Docker "speedtest-tracker" est actif !

En principe, vous pouvez vous connecter à l'application avec votre navigateur :

https://<adresse IP du NAS>:8443

Vous devriez arriver sur la page de connexion à l'application :

Pour vous connecter, utilisez les informations suivantes :

Adresse e-mail : [email protected]
Mot de passe : password

Bienvenue sur Speedtest Tracker !

III. Utilisation et configuration de Speedtest Tracker

A. Modifier le mot de passe du compte admin

La première des choses à effectuer, c'est personnaliser le compte administrateur créé par défaut afin de modifier son nom et son mot de passe. Cliquez sur "Users" à gauche dans l'interface de Speedtest Tracker, puis cliquez sur le nom "Admin".

Un formulaire sera visible et vous permettra de personnaliser le nom, l'adresse e-mail et le mot de passe. Ceci est important pour sécuriser l'accès à votre application. Par ailleurs, via le bouton "New User", vous pouvez créer un nouveau compte admin ou utilisateur lambda.

B. Effectuer un test de débit

Retournez sur le "Dashboard" afin de cliquer sur le bouton "Run speedtest", puis, "Ookla speedtest" pour lancer un test de débit ! Patientez un peu, puis actualisez la page pour visualiser le résultat de ce speed test ! Il sera immédiatement visible dans le tableau de bord, dans les graphes, et aussi en détail en cliquant sur "Results" dans le menu de gauche.

C. Planifier un test de débit

Pour planifier un test de débit, vous devez cliquer sur "General" sous "Settings". Cette section de l'application donne accès à tous les paramètres de configuration, y compris la possibilité de définir le fuseau horaire, ainsi que la planification d'un speedtest.

Speedtest schedule : planifiez un test de débit, en utilisant le format "crontab" de Linux. L'exemple ci-dessous permet de lancer un test de débit toutes les 4 heures. Attention à ne pas effectuer des tests de débit trop fréquent, car si le serveur Speedtest est trop sollicité, il peut être banni par les opérateurs.

0 */4 * * *

Prune results older than : supprimez les résultats plus anciens que X jours. Si vous indiquez "0", les anciens tests ne seront jamais supprimés.
Speedtest servers : sélectionnez un ou plusieurs serveurs à utiliser pour effectuer le test de débit. Si vous ne sélectionnez rien, Speedtest sélectionnera le meilleur serveur à chaque fois.

Ce qui donne :

D. Configurer les seuils d'alertes

La section "Thresholds" située dans le menu de gauche permet de configurer différents seuils d'alertes : débit montant, débit descendant et temps de réponse au ping. Ceci permettra de recevoir des notifications par e-mail (ou par un autre moyen de communication) en cas d'incidents, selon les seuils définis par vos soins.

Ici, les seuils d'alertes sont positionnés à 500 Mbps pour le débit montant et le débit descendant, et à 100 ms pour le temps de réponse au ping. En principe, sur une connexion en fibre optique (FTTH), le temps de réponse au ping ne dépasse pas 20 ms. Adaptez ces valeurs en fonction de votre type de connexion et du niveau de service attendu (sur de l'ADSL, le ping sera plus élevé).

E. Configurer les notifications par e-mail

Pour finir, nous allons voir comment configurer les notifications par e-mail. La configuration est un peu plus complexe, car nous allons devoir configurer les variables d'environnement de notre conteneur.

Vous devez modifier le fichier ".env" situé à la racine du dossier "data" de votre conteneur. L'éditeur de texte de DSM ne permettra pas de l'éditer en ligne, à moins de changer le nom du fichier : passez de ".env" à ".txt", par exemple. Une fois la modification terminée, il conviendra de remettre le nom d'origine.

Dans ce fichier, vous devez configurer le serveur SMTP à utiliser pour envoyer les e-mails en définissant un ensemble de variables :

MAIL_MAILER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=smtp.mail.fr
MAIL_PORT=465
[email protected]
MAIL_PASSWORD=SuperMotDePasseCompteEmail
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS="[email protected]"
MAIL_FROM_NAME="Speedtest Tracker - NAS"

Ici, le serveur "smtp.mail.fr" sera utilisé, sur le port 465 avec une connexion TLS. L'authentification sera effectuée à l'aide du compte "[email protected]" dont le mot de passe est "SuperMotDePasseCompteEmail". L'adresse e-mail de l'expéditeur est "[email protected]" et le nom utilisé "Speedtest Tracker - NAS".

Pour obtenir de l'aide supplémentaire pour la configuration de ces variables, vous pouvez lire cette page de la documentation.

Voici un exemple :

Une fois les modifications effectuées :

Enregistrez le fichier.
Redonnez-lui son nom d'origine (.env).
Arrêtez le projet "speedtest-tracker" dans Container Manager.
Démarrez le projet "speedtest-tracker" dans Container Manager.

Voilà, les informations pour le SMTP doivent être prises en compte. Si elles sont correctes, l'envoi d'e-mail fonctionnera.

Pour finir, vous devez activer les notifications par e-mail. Rendez-vous sur "Notifications" sous le menu "Settings" de l'interface web.

Cochez l'option "Enable mail notifications", ainsi que celle nommée "Notify on threshold failures" afin de recevoir une alerte par e-mail en cas de problème (selon les seuils configurés). L'option "Notify on every speedtest run" permet de recevoir un e-mail à chaque fois qu'un test de débit est exécuté. Pensez à ajouter un ou plusieurs destinataires dans la partie inférieure via le bouton "Add to recipients".

Cliquez sur "Test mail channel" pour effectuer un test : vous devriez recevoir un e-mail !

Par la suite, si une alerte est déclenchée, vous allez recevoir une notification. Voici un exemple :

Remarque : il y a un bug actuellement, car le bouton "View Results" présent dans l'e-mail renvoie vers une adresse en localhost, donc cela n'aboutit pas.

Documentation de Speedtest Tracker

IV. Conclusion

L'application Speedtest Tracker est une application que vous pouvez auto-héberger sur un NAS ou un autre serveur afin de surveiller votre connexion Internet ! Sur un NAS, à son domicile, cette application a totalement sa place ! En entreprise, elle peut être utilisée aussi, notamment en l'absence de système de supervision plus complet.

Le tableau de bord est très sympa et le fait d'avoir un historique des tests de débit permet de suivre dans le temps les performances de sa connexion à Internet. Ceci est plus pertinent, plutôt que d'effectuer un test de débit de temps en temps.

Pour aller plus loin, je vous recommande de publier cette application avec le reverse proxy de DSM, ce qui permettra d'avoir un certificat TLS et d'utiliser un nom de domaine. Référez-vous à ce tutoriel :

NAS Synology - Publier une application web avec le reverse proxy

The post NAS Synology – Surveillez votre connexion Internet avec Speedtest Tracker first appeared on IT-Connect.

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

17 mai 2024 à 15:58

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – SUPER COMPACT FLASH!

With so, SO many Chinese players entering the OS-free NAS scene in the last couple of years, several names have bubbled to the top (natural selection in IT?) and one name that is making big waves is Aoostar! At a glance, you could easily lump them into the ever growing pile of ‘mini PC’ companies that spam your Facebook pages, AliExpress and eBay. But what has set them apart is their specifically NAS-tailored development of their server releases. The mini PC crossover from SoC/Mobile scale processors of your favourite Intel Core or Ryzen processor is nothing new, but the growing market for NAS systems that need to spread the focus towards storage and network connectivity is all too often a leap that separates the men from the boys – and what has make Aoostar a player in this arena it would appear. Back in December ’23, I reviewed the Aoostar R1 and Aoostar R7, and I was massively impressed by what these affordable UnRAID/TrueNAS-ready boxes were achieving! Today is the turn of the Aoostar GEM10 – An m.2 NVMe Flash NAS System that features Gen4 SSD architecture, USB4, 32GB DDR5 Memory, 2.5G and oCulink. So, does the Aoostar GEM10 NAS deserve your hot data? Let’s find out in today’s review.

Where to Buy?

Aoostar GEM10 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (AliExpress $465) – HERE
Aoostar GEM10 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (7940HS Amazon) – HERE
Aoostar GEM12 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (7840HS Amazon) – HERE
Aoostar GEM10 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (6800H Amazon) – HERE

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

The Aoostar GEM10 is making some pretty bold hardware promises, given it’s scale! The ‘dazzle’ of how powerful mini PCs have been getting in the last few years has definitely become a little duller, as it grows more common. But given how Aoostar has merged this into a much more NAS-tailored system in a meaningful way that clearly cost some $ at the R&D level needs to be appalled. This is not a small SSD NAS with is covered in Mini-PC caveats – this IS a NAS and one that I think might well be the most powerful for it’s scale in the market right now (especially at $499+). That said, it certainly ain’t perfect! Network scalability is a mixed bag, the way memory has been approached (in architecture and ECC support) is debatable, the CPU choices in the range of 4 with the differing process and PCIe layouts is a big baffling and the full utility of oCuLink in this NAS context is still far from fleshed out. BUT, There are prosumer concerns for the more technically minded and IT sophisticated, which I think does not make up the bulk of this device’s target demographic. I struggle to call this system turn-key (due to it’s lack of an included NAS OS, even a 3rd party one, as seen in the UnRAID license-ready LincStation N1), but it’s certainly miles more user-friendly than full DiY. I have often spoken of the growing middle ground between full NAS DiY from the ground up and full ‘out the box’ turnkey from brands like Synology and QNAP. The Aoostar GEM10 is a FANTASTIC example of the kind of product that can evolve from this – well build, powerful, 3rd party OS ready and a step above the churned-out Chinese budget fodder found elsewhere in the ‘pre-built OS free NAS sector’. Recommended – IF you have the time to set it up right!

BUILD QUALITY - 10/10

HARDWARE - 9/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.4

PROS

Insanely Compact, especially for the hardware configuration

8 cores and 16 threads to play with on an SSD NAS - Yum Yum

Dual LAN Connectivity = failover

USB 4 Support and 4x 10G USB

oCuLink inclusion is unusual, but adds potential scalability

32GB LP Memory

TONNES of cooling and ventilation

No 3rd party NAS OS Locks or Limitations

Gen 4 Architecture on the SSD Bays

Scope to add a 4th M.2 SSD Bay (removing oCulink and WiFi6 Card)

CONS

Low Noise, but definitely not silent!

ECC Support and Memory overclocking is debatable

Confusion of CPU configurations

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AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – Design

The design of The GEM10 is a little beefier than most mini PCs (though, obviously much smaller than comparable desktop NAS devices running on MITX boards), and a lot of this space is needed for the chunky cooling system internally.

The GEM10 arrives at just 10.7cm x 10.7cm x 6cm in size and just a little under 1KG when fully populated with SSDs. The retail kit includes an external power adapter, instruction manual (which arrives in 2 languages and is a little space tbh), mini screwdriver and thermal pads. Depending on whether you purchase the version with SSD and 32GB DDR5 Media, this will change the # of thermal pads inc.

There is ventilation on practically every side of the device – which given the 8-core 4.7Ghz , 16 thread architecture of the device and it’s three Gen4 M.2 slots should NOT come as a big surprise! This tony little chassis has a lot crammed in and the potential for temperature-related system bottlenecks and throttling is MASSIVE!

Alongside the passive ventilation panels on all 4 sides and the top section (above where the CPU is located), the system also features who internal active cooling fans built into the top and base. Even a casual check through the vented panels reveals the internal heatsink of that CPU. This is a decent amount of cooling provisioning for the scale of the system, even for a Ryzen SoC like this one, for when SSD NAS operations truly kick off!

The base fan is not silent, but it manages to be pretty mild (in the grad scheme of things), as it is parallel with the desk when deployed. I will say that full control of this fan (and the CPU fan) is debatable, as the system does not arrive with NAS software (no Aoostor 1st party NAS OS, or an included UnRAID/TrueNAS/OMV license either). So, how much control you have over these cooling measures is going to be debatable.

For such a compact chassis, you can definitely feel the weight of the internals. The external casing is largely plastic, which I was a little surprised by. Nevertheless, you cannot fault that the brand has clearly factored cooling and ventilation in to their device, whilst still keeping an eye on keeping it fantastically compact. Let’s discuss the connectivity of the Aoostar GEM10.

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – Ports and Connections

Credit where it is due – Aoostar has done a 10/10 job here to get as many ports featured on this device as they have, given the scale of the GEM10. The ports are located on the front and rear panel, and although there are the usual ‘mini PC’ telltale ones (audio in/out for example, that has practically no use in traditional NAS outside of a locally deployed VM), I will definitely give them credit for keeping pretty much everything else very NAS friendly – with a fun little twist at the end!

The ports are largely separated into network ports and storage ports (at least when you use NAS software) with the front featuring 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s), USB 4 (40Gbps) and an Oculink port (more on that later).

The rear on the other hand features two 2.5GbE ports (so, a little good news / bad news there), twin HDMI 4K/8K outputs and two more USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gb ports. So, although this mini NAS is a little more on the expensive side compared to other Mini SSD NAS that have been launched from China in the last 18 months, I will say that this device features some of the very ports hardware ports out there I have been at this price point.

We are starting to see more and more USB4 NAS-ready devices arrive on the market from China, as the booming industry for NAS-ready Mini ITX and Micro ITX boards scene grows more and more. However, once again, the extent to which you can use this functionality is hugely NAS OS-dependent. So, although I am willing to bet that most NAS software you install on this will happily give you USB 4 speeds on a connected external SSD drive, I do not think we will see this for use as a direct PC/Mac-to-NAS connection anytime soon – QNAP still dominates the market on Thunderbolt NAS devices that allow such a feature.

The GEM10 arriving with two 2.5G ports is mixed news really. Obviously, these two (even if your NAS OS of choice supports LAG, Trunking, SMB MultiChannel or even Load Balancing) mean a total network connection potential of 550MB/s or so (half a gigabyte) network throughput, so these are going to be massively oversaturated with even a single SSD inside. That said, there are still a lot of users who will be happy with this (at least you have 2x ports for failover) as they prioritize internal performance, IOPS and throughput for complex databases, VMs, containers and more. Given the scale of the system, you won’t be surprised to learn that a PCIe slot is simply not available for any kind of NIC upgrade card. You CAN use 2.5G/5G-to-USB adapters (again, NAS OS dependant) as the system has several USB ports available, but the system also arrives with another trick up its sleeve – oCuLink.

OCuLink is a relatively new kind of technology that allows the benefits and scalability of PCIe to be available over an external connection. Hotswapping and plug-n-play is still not in anyway advised, but it does mean that the GEM10 has the potential to add PCIe-connected hardware upgrades (via supports Oculink-to-PCIe enclosures). oCuLink is predominantly associated with eGPU upgrades to allow the power of graphics cards to be added to systems with ease, but the potential to use this for improved network connectivity with 10G/25G/100G cards is MASSIVE!

Noise-wise, I cannot say that the GEM10 is silent by any means. Because of the two FANS inside (base and CPU fan) during peak periods, the ambient noise was noticeable. It was still very much on a small scale and the only really problematic at less than 1 metre distance, but they were definitely there! In idle, the fans were non-existent in noise and I had to check a couple of times to see that it was on! But when the SSDs were in heavy write (as well as during the initial 15 secs of boot), the fans were around 32-35 db.

The power use of the Aoostar GEM10 was pretty reasonable. Obviously, we have to factor in that this is an exclusively M.2 NVMe system and therefore this does seemingly scale the power use down, but this is still a pretty beefy CPU inside (comparative to the non SoC version of course). Idle power use was a conservative 10-12W (this was after the initial boot, running UnRAID and then the system was left to go into IDLE, with all drives in idle).

During heavy active use (UnRAID, accessing all drives and the CPU at 50-60% utilization) the power use was at 34-38W. Had this been a SATA HDD system, it would likely have hit the 50-60W scale easily. Pretty good for the size of the system.

Keep in mind that the CPU supports power adjustment at BIOS and, depending on your NAS OS choice, could result in even better power consumption numbers in your own bespoke setup. Overall, I am not going to say that the GEM10 gives you anything incredible in the connectivity department – but I will say that it is a complete gamechanger when compared to what is on offer from the bulk of Mini-PC NAS hybrid devices in the market. Aoostar have clearly spent serious time and R&D to finesse their NAS range (the GEM10, GEM12, R1 and R7 series are great examples) that are designed to be more than just a mini PC that is pretending to be a NAS. The GEM10 here has the kind of connectivity that I would love to see on more traditional turnkey NAS devices. But what good is all that connectivity, without the right H/W inside to fulfil it! Let’s discuss the internal hardware.

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – Internal Hardware

The base of the system come away with the removal of four base screws. Doing so reveals the individual storage bays, the WiFi 6 wireless NIC structure and the base cooling and active fan provisioning.

The base fan is encased in its own panel and the intervening panel is a metal plate that sits directly connected to the M.2 SSDs. This is pretty smart (in a way) as it ensures that the heat being generated by the SSDs (Gen4 m.2 SSDs remember) will be passed (via the thermal pads) directly into the metal panel and dissipated into the airflow of the fan. Not an unusual method, but a smart tradeoff of the limited space and creative cooling.

The system arrives with three gen 4×4 SSD bays (according to the specifications tables, but there is room for debate, given the 4 different CPU configurations that are available in the Ryzen 7 7840HS, 7735H, 6800H and Ryzen 9 7940HS), so I will be digging into the BIOS and SSH later on to check. Plus, it becomes clear wh the included thermal pads that the GEM10 arrives with were so thin – there is very VERY little space between the individual M.2 bays and the metal fan-assisted panel. You can FORGET any kind of m.2 heatsinks in between, even particularly aggressive heatshields on SSDs are going to be a little tight.

If you purchase the pre-populated 1TB model, it arrives via a BIWIN 1TB Gen 3×4 SSD (available here for specs on Amazon). On the one hand, having an OS drive is always going to be handy, and in the case of some NAS OS such as TrueNAS, you need a clearly separate operating system OS drive target. But the drive being Gen3 means that you are already potentially underusing that Gen4 slot (you only have x3 total!). Additionally, if you plan on NAS software such as UnRAID (running from an USB) it means that you will need to replace this drive with something a little more uniform and higher performance soon-ish! Just a note to keep in mind when buying a pre-configured version of the GEM10.

Interestingly, another move by Aoostar here to manoeuver so much connectivity into this slim size (and be as efficient as possible with the 20 lanes afforded to that SoC Ryzen AMD chip) is that alongside those 3 Gen4 slots, they have added an adapter into a 4th slot that separates into a wireless NIC adapter slot and into that oCuLINK connector on a riser board. Obviously, this does bring up the question of removing the adapter card to remove wireless connectivity and the oCuLink, in favour of a 4th SSD. That’s one to ponder, for sure!

The WiFi 6 card is a fairly common $20-30 AX200NGW Intel adapter, that has 2×2 connectivity via two antennae that run from the card to two sides of the enclosure – so 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, and 800Mb and 1.2Gb wireless bands afforded to you. Once again, the NAS OS you use makes all the difference and very few NAS OS’ actually support wireless connectivity in both connections (i.e to attach the NAS to your WiFi network AND connecting to the NAS over WiFi directly as it’s on AP.

Accessing the underside of this board, to access that CPU proved very difficult, as it would undermine the later tests in this article (so I will be coming back to this at a later date and/or in the review). The CPU in the model I reviewed was the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS mobile SoC and 32GB of memory (pre-attached via individual flash cells – no upgrading). The R7 6800HS integrates all eight cores based on the Zen 3+ microarchitecture. They are clocked at 3.2 (guaranteed base clock) to 4.7 GHz (Turbo) and support SMT / Hyperthreading (16 threads). The chip is manufactured on the modern 6 nm TSMC process. The HS variant offers a 10 W reduced TDP and therefore a lower sustained performance than the H version.

AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS

Product Family

AMD Ryzen

Processors

Product Line

AMD Ryzen

7 Mobile Processors with Radeon

Graphics

# of CPU Cores

8

# of Threads

16

Max. Boost Clock

Up to 4.7GHz

Base Clock

3.2GHz

L1 Cache

512KB

L2 Cache

4MB

L3 Cache

16MB

Default TDP

35W

Processor Technology for CPU Cores

TSMC 6nm FinFET

Unlocked for Overclocking

No

CPU Socket

FP7

Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax)

95°C

*OS Support

Windows 11 – 64-Bit Edition

Windows 10 – 64-Bit Edition

RHEL x86 64-Bit

Ubuntu x86 64-Bit

*Operating System (OS) support will vary by manufacturer

PCI Express® Version

PCIe® 4.0

System Memory Type

DDR5

Memory Channels

2

Max Memory Speed

4x1R

DDR5-4800

4x1R

LPDDR5-6400

Graphics Model

AMD Radeon

680M

Graphics Core Count

12

Graphics Frequency

2200 MHz

The new Zen 3+ is a refresh of the Zen 3 architecture and should not offer a lot of changes. The chip itself however, offers a lot of new features, like support for USB 4 (40 Gbps), PCI-E Gen 4, DDR5-4800MT/s or LPDDR5-6400MT/s, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth LE 5.2, DisplayPort 2, and AV1 decode. A big novelty is the integrated GPU Radeon 680M, that is now based on the RDNA2 architecture and offers 12 CUs at up to 2.2 GHz. It should be the fastest iGPU at the time of announcement. This Ryzen 7 has a default TDP of 35 W (also known as the long-term power limit). Which is definitely too high to allow for passively cooled designs. The CPU is cooled by a pre-attached double copper pipe radiator that fans out into the edges of the case.

The scope of this processor is great and exactly the kind of processor you would want if you want to have fast and stable performance from a RAID’d group of SSDs in such a compact system. The fixed memory, although of a decent amount at 32GB (4x 8GB Cells, attached to PCB, not SODIMM), is annoying that it is fixed – additionally, there have been mixed reports online supporting the overclocked speed potential of the LPDDR5-6400 in this configuration.

Plus, there is a lot of ‘grey’ when it comes to ECC support here too – as the 6800HS DOES support ECC memory, but it is very much BIOS, physical config and OS dependant to a degree – so ECC is only really going to be a ‘thing’ here if Aoostar have included it! All that aside, if you are less interested in hardware tinkering and OC’ing the architecture and just looking for fast and stable performance in the default config 0 this has ALOT of the building blocks in hardware that you would want to see on a competent flash NAS.

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – Software and Performance

The Aoostar GEM10 NAS unit I received arrived with Windows 11 on board and an included OS SSD (this drive is available included, alongside the 32GB pre-attached memory). This software will almost certainly be abandoned after purchase, in favour of the system having UnRAID, TrueNAS, OMV, etc installed by the end user, but whilst it was there, I took a moment to check the Geekbench scores for the CPU and GPU. The GEM10 scored a highly respectable 2039/9435 Single/multi core rating.

The GPU score (something that many plex/vm/container users are going to be concerned with) was pretty good for a smaller class system, at 29336.

Digging into the terminal/SSH we were able to learn a little more about the PCIe allocation across the system. That SSD that was included with the device in m.2 NVMe SSD Bay #1 was indeed a PCIe Gen 4×4 slot, without any kind of downgrade in place – nice to see!

Likewise, slots 2 and 3 were also both 4×4 and not downgrade – surprisingly rare in 2024, with so many flash systems in the market needing to lower the speeds of m.2 bays for reasons of resource use, bifurcation or just heat generation.

Performance testing on these bays was reasonable, with the Seagate Ironwolf 525 SSD (with a reported maximum performance of 5GB/5,000MB/s) hitting in excess of 4GB/s Read on sustained/repeated 1GB file tests.

Likewise, the maximum reported write performance of this drive of 4.4GB/s / 4,400MB/s by Seagate, was not too far off the 3.85GB/s average performance that the drive reached in the GEM10 in sustained 1GB write testing.

Then I tested the performance of copying data between 2 of the M.2 NVMe SSDs. This ended up hitting quite a low number at 1.155GB/s. This was not unusual (shared channel/lane etc vs system overhead etc). but I would have liked/hoped to have at least seen this hit closer to 2GB at least. Still not, terrible, just not great.

The top performance you should be expecting will be MASSIVELY influenced by the drives you chose to use and the NAS OS you choose to install. In the UnRAID and Seagate 525 Ironwolf setup I use, the power use, noise, performance and response times I observed were all pretty solid. But there’s plenty of room for improvement/error in other configurations compared with a standard turnkey solution, especially at this scale.

I reached out to Aoostar on some of the areas of this GEM10 Review that users frequently asked about with Mini PC styled NAS devices, and Aoostar was able to provide the answers to the most recurring questions below

Q – Why Does the Aoostar GEM10 not have ECC Memory?

A – On the subject of ECC, currently 95% of the mini computers on the market don’t support ECC memory, it’s not that we don’t want to get it that way, it’s restricted by some part of the authority, so it leads to most of the mini computers on the market don’t support ECC memory at the moment. However DDR5 does support on die ECC, which provide a similar level of data inconsistency protection.

Q – Why is the Aoostar GEM10 at a maximum 32GB of memory when the CPU supports more?

A – Unfortunately, there is no 64G of inlay RAM available at this scale and deployment, it’s not that we don’t want to do this configuration. If you want to use dual-channel DDR5 RAM like other models, then the size will be bigger, and it will not be able to meet the “mini size” we advertise. But the 32G RAM capacity is good enough for most uses

Q – With so many configurations of the GEM10 and GEM12 series, how does a buyer avoid confusion on what they need?

A – In view of your confusion about the configuration of the GEM10 series of CPUs, let me introduce you to the GEM10 series of CPUs: GEM10 AMD R7 6800H CPU (inlaid memory 32G); GEM10 AMD R7 7735H CPU (inlaid memory 16G, currently discontinued); GEM10 AMD R7 7840HS CPU (32G of inlay memory); GEM10 AMD R9 78940HS CPU (32G of inlay memory). The best price/performance ratio is the GEM10 6800H CPU, but as a company that puts a lot of money into R&D and seeks to produce cost-effective products, the GEM10 Intel N100 SKU (32G of inlaid memory) is already ready, but we are still testing it for the engineering machine, and it should be officially launched in a few months.

Q – Why does the GEM10 use USB4 and not Thunderbolt4?

A – About Thunderbolt and USB4 ports. As we all know, the Thunderbolt interface is Intel’s project, so they produce their own mini-computers are equipped with the Thunderbolt interface. USB4 interface is more open, AMD does not have a proprietary interface of the project, and they, as a competitor to INTEL, want to get the authorization of the Thunderbolt interface is in fact very difficult, which is why the market is equipped with the AMD mini-computer are USB4 interface! . Our company will also launch the INTEL series of minicomputers next month, but I still don’t know whether the project team will license these minicomputers with Thunderbolt interfaces or USB4 interfaces

AOOSTAR GEM10 SSD NAS Review – Conclusion and Verdict

The Aoostar GEM10 is making some pretty bold hardware promises, given it’s scale! The ‘dazzle’ of how powerful mini PCs have been getting in the last few years has definitely become a little duller, as it grows more common. But given how Aoostar has merged this into a much more NAS-tailored system in a meaningful way that clearly cost some $ at the R&D level needs to be appalled. This is not a small SSD NAS with is covered in Mini-PC caveats – this IS a NAS and one that I think might well be the most powerful for it’s scale in the market right now (especially at $499+). That said, it certainly ain’t perfect! Network scalability is a mixed bag, the way memory has been approached (in architecture and ECC support) is debatable, the CPU choices in the range of 4 with the differing process and PCIe layouts is a bit baffling and the full utility of oCuLink in this NAS context is still far from fleshed out. BUT, There are prosumer concerns for the more technically minded and IT sophisticated, which I think does not make up the bulk of this device’s target demographic. I struggle to call this system turn-key (due to it’s lack of an included NAS OS, even a 3rd party one, as seen in the UnRAID license-ready LincStation N1), but it’s certainly miles more user-friendly than full DiY. I have often spoken of the growing middle ground between full NAS DiY from the ground up and full ‘out the box’ turnkey from brands like Synology and QNAP. The Aoostar GEM10 is a FANTASTIC example of the kind of product that can evolve from this – well build, powerful, 3rd party OS ready and a step above the churned-out chinese budget fodder found elsewhere in the ‘pre-built OS free NAS sector’. Recommended – IF you have the time to set it up right!

PROS of the GEM10 Flash NAS

CONs of the GEM10 Flash NAS

Insanely Compact, especially for the hardware configuration
8 cores and 16 threads to play with on an SSD NAS – Yum Yum
Dual LAN Connectivity = failover
USB 4 Support and 4x 10G USB
oCuLink inclusion is unusual, but adds potential scalability
32GB LP Memory
TONNES of cooling and ventilation
No 3rd party NAS OS Locks or Limitations
Gen 4 Architecture on the SSD Bays
Scope to add a 4th M.2 SSD Bay (removing oCulink and WiFi6 Card)

Low Noise, but definitely not silent!
ECC Support and Memory overclocking is debatable
Confusion of CPU configurations

Where to Buy?

Aoostar GEM10 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (AliExpress $465) – HERE
Aoostar GEM10 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (7940HS Amazon) – HERE
Aoostar GEM12 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (7840HS Amazon) – HERE
Aoostar GEM10 3x Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe NAS (6800H Amazon) – HERE

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Asustor Lockerstor Gen3 NAS Revealed

NAS Compares

Par : Rob Andrews

15 mai 2024 à 18:00

Asusor Reveal the Lockerstor Gen 3 NAS series in 4, 6, 8 and 10-Bay

With the recent reveal of the Asustor Flashstor Gen 2 and a recent refresh of a number of their cost-effective units being refreshed to Gen 2 versions, you would be forgiven for thinking that this slightly smaller brand in the world of NAS might have little more to offer in 2024. However, alongside the Flashstor Gen 2, Asustor have also revealed the Lockerstor Gen 3 – the 3rd iteration of their very popular Prosumer Desktop series (first launched back in 2020). Asustor has tended to scale up and double many elements of their devices with each refresh, and the Lockerstor Gen3 is no exception to this rule. Arriving in 4, 6, 8 and 10 Bay configurations, the AS68 series features a more raw performance-focused CPU, DDR5 ECC Memory, scaled-up network bandwidth and four faster M.2 SSD support. All the while arriving in the family enclosure design as it’s predecessors and supporting the full range of ADM’s software and services (with promises of ADM 5 rolling out later this year). Let’s discuss this new desktop HDD and M.2 NVMe SSD Hybrid NAS for 2024.

What Are the Hardware Specifications of the Asustor Lockerstor Gen 3 NAS Series?

The previous release in the Lockerstor series (the AS67 range) was an Intel Celeron base system that, although provided popular features such as integrated graphics opening the door to improved plex transcoding and Intel QuickSync , also reduced the available number of PCI lanes across the system architecture and also lowered the overall system performance potential notable. The Locksterstor Gen 3 sought to remedy this with a significantly more capable processor that provided much more power, more lanes to play with, Gen4 architecture and support of ECC memory – which in a system that features such a bulk of storage and m.2 SSD bays, is going to be very desirable! Let’s take a look at the reported internal specifications fo the Lockerstor Gen 3 NAS:


Model	Asustor Lockerstor Gen3 Series
Model	AS6804 / AS6806 / AS6808 / AS6810
CPU	AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14 (2.3-3.8Ghz) Zen3 Processor
Integrated GFX	N/A
Cores and Threads	4 Cores / 8 Threads
TDP	15W (Configurable to 10-25W at CPU level TBC)
CPU LANES	20 Lanes, Gen4
MEMORY	TBC – But DDR5 and ECC Support Indicated (32GB TBC)
M.2 DRIVE SLOTS	x4 Gen 4×1 via a sister/riser card
HDD	4 / 6 / 8 / 10 SATA
MAXIMUM DRIVE BAYS WITH EXPANSION	Additional 8 Bays via Offical Expansion
SUPPORTS SINGLE VOLUME LARGER THAN 16TB

Choosing the right CPU for a NAS is, frankly, not easy! It would be SO easy to just lump in some beast desktop gamer PC processor, but the reality is that the CPU is a NAS that needs to be able to run 24×7, needs to be powerful enough to get the jobs done but at the same time not be TOO power hungry as it will cost a fortune to run.. oh.. and it needs to manage it’s temperature well and not get too hot that it throttles. Not enough? Oh it also needs to support ECC memory to ensure data integrity from things like bitrot. have plenty of cores and/or vCPUs for VM allocation and needs to be affordable. SERIOUSLY!!!

This is why the processor that the Lockerstor Gen3 arrives with is such a great choice! There will be those of you who will be disappointed in the lack of integrated graphics, but it’s worth highlighting that the Lockerstor Gen 3 does not seem to be ‘replacing’ the Gen 2 model currently (as well as no 2-Bay option in the Gen3 series), but instead expanding the range – so those that want GFX will have the Celeron version. but those looking for a compact and powerful workhorse system will have the Lockerstor Gen 3 version with its AMD Ryzen V3C14 processor to play with. This processor manages to crank to up to 3.8Ghz when needed, on it’s 4 core and 8 thread architecture (so, technically 8 virtual CPUs to play with on your containers and VMs). Likewise, die hard storage enthusiasts will be pleased to note that this CPU not only supports DDR5 memory but also ECC (Error Correction Code / Error Code Correction) up to 32GB. We are still yet to 100% confirm the base included level or memory and if it is soldered or SODIMM deployed, as well as the quantity included in the 6 and 12 Bay models respectively. Power consumption on this processor, despite it’s scale of capabilities, is also an impressively low 15 TDP according to AMD (with configuration possible to allow 15W and 25W TDP – but how much of this will translate to the Lockerstor Gen3 and ADM is still TBC). Also, a minor but important note, AMD have a fantastic reputation in their Embedded Ryzen series and this processor is slated for support till 2032, a HUGE change up for the 3-4yr support cycle by Intel in a number of their Celeron processors. Here is how that CPU is broken down in the specs:

Product Line	AMD Ryzen Embedded V3000 Series
Model	V3C14
Release Date	September 27, 2022
Market	Desktop
Architecture	Zen 3+ (Rembrandt)
Socket	AMD Socket FP7
Foundry	TSMC
Process Size	6 nm
Package	FP7r2
Cores	4
Threads	8
Base Frequency	2.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	Up to 3.8 GHz
TDP	15 W (configurable between 10-25W)
Memory Support	DDR5, up to 4800 MT/s, Dual-channel with ECC support
PCI-Express	Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only)
Cache	L1: 64 KB per core, L2: 512 KB per core, L3: 8 MB (shared)
Features	AVX, AVX2, AMD Secure Processor, AMD Memory Guard, other performance enhancements
Longevity	Planned product availability until 2032

You might well have also spotted that this system arrives with 20 lanes of PCIe Gen 4 architecture – This is a HUGE scale up for the 9 Lanes of Gen 3 in the Lockerstor Gen 2 series. This means that the AS68/Gen3 has more than double to lane allocation to distribute across the system AND those individual lanes are twice the bandwidth. Here is a diagram layout of this processor series by way of reference:

Interestingly, the range arrives in a decent range of storage profiles too, in 4-Bay, 6-Bay, 8-Bay and 10-Bay of SATA storage. With full support of RAID 0/1/5/6/10, as well as support of BTRFS and numerous backup/archival tools included with the software – this is an impressively broad range of hardware options to arrive with this CPIU+RAM combo. There is support of 3.5″ HDDs and 2.5″ SSDs, also to Asustor’s credit, they are quite responsive and meticulous on their compatibility lists (certainly compared with the bulk of other NAS brands) and 24TB NAS HDDs and 8TB SSDs are already present on their support pages as compatible already.

However, the real kicker in terms of storage is that the 4x M.2 2280 support has been carried over from the Lockerstor Gen 2 series – making each device in the Lockerstor Gen3 series an impressive hybrid NAS system. However, the newer AMD V3000 embedded Ryzen processor means that these individual slots are Gen 4 (so 2000MB/s per lane), double that of the Gen2 series. Now, these ARE Gen 4×1 (almost certainly for reasons of available resources and what can be delivered efficiently), but that does still provide a decent amount of bandwidth per SSD slot which can be combed thanks to RAID storage pool support on these bays (alongside read/write caching of course).

Additionally, as the bays are only x1 speed, there is hope that excessive drive temperatures (leading to throttling) can be avoided. Until we have the unit here for review, we can only speculate on this, but fair play to Asustor, when I raised this concern in the launch of the Lockerstor Gen 2, they published a video specifically on the subject of SSD temperatures on the Flashstor series when it has 6-12 SSDs at x1 speeds (see below) to show that temperatures were notably lower.

Overall, the internal hardware of the Lockerstor Gen 3 is decent-sized jump over the Gen 2 series, but mainly in terms of bandwidth and power across the board (Gen 4 lanes, more CPU threads and higher clock speed). That said, unless you are well versed in the technicals – the scope of these improvements are going to be easy to miss. Let’s discuss the ports and connectivity of the Lockerstor Gen 3 NAS.

Lockerstor Gen 3 Series, Ports and Connections

People’s demands for their private server storage have certainly scaled up in recent years. Part of this is the improved speeds afforded to internet speeds thanks to Fibre and even cellular 5G coverage – but also, the standard of consumer client hardware and it’s network connectivity has also scaled up, allowing access to WiFi 6/6e at 1.2Gb and 2.5GbE connectivity becoming ‘baseline’ in 2024 for a lot of current tech. Then you have the increasing affordability of 10GbE and 2.5/5GbE network adapters in the market (with USB-connected adapters starting at as little as $15) meaning that a NAS device arriving now with ‘simple’ Gigabit/1GbE connection is going to look a touch bottlenecked. When your internet speed crosses the gigabit speeds, then the idea of your LOCAL network storage capping at the gigabit speed is at best annoying, and at worse hugely impactful on your workflow. So, it was always going to be the case that Asustor would roll out the Lockerstor Gen 3 with greater than gigabit connectivity – hell, they were possibly the FIRST turnkey NAS brand to roll out a 2.5GbE desktop NAS (the Nimbustor series in 2019). However, they kinda went a bit bananas on the Lockerstor Gen3. Here are the ports and connections:


EXPANSION	USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 4
NETWORK	2 x 5GbE + 2x 10GbE (Copper / RJ45)
PCIE EXPANSION SLOTS	Yes, but requires swapping with the M.2 Card (at least, it was in theprevious Gen. Still TBC)
LCD PANEL	Yes + Physical Control Buttons
SIZE	4-Bay = 185.5(H) x 170(W) x 230(D) mm 6-Bay = 185.5 (H) x 233 (W) x 230 (D) mm 8-Bay = 215.5(H) x 293(W) x 230(D) mm 10-Bay = 215.5(H) x 293(W) x 230(D) mm
VOLUME TYPE	Single disk, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10
TRAY LOCK
MYARCHIVE DISK BAYS	BAY # DEPENDANT
SERVICE LED INDICATOR	–
REDUNDANT POWER SUPPLY	–

Now, I can say that in more than a decade following NAS releases, I have NEVER seen a desktop system arrive with twin 10G ports AND twin 5G network ports – maybe a rackmount, but even then, given the relative lack of 5GbE integration in the market, 5GbE system are still surprisingly rare. There are also going to be users who say “Hold Up, NOTHING I use is 5GbE!”. So, why is the inclusion of 5GbE alongside those 10G a good thing? Well, much like the use of 2.5G ports by brands in recent years, the point is to allow the potential to FULLY use the full extent of the bandwidth on offer from the system architecture. Thanks to ‘auto-negotiation’ in most )(but crucially, not all) 10GbE connections, it means that if you were to connect a copper 10GbE switch/router/client to these 5GbE ports, you would still be able to get 550MB/s or so max bandwidth. Sure, it’s not 10GbE – but better that beating hugely throttled down to standard gigabit connectivity and the available bandwidth on the system going to waste!

Although 5GbE support in switches natively is pretty thin on the ground, there are several different USB to 2.5GbE and 5GbE adapters you can buy on the market that allow you to make the most fo this bandwidth – especially if you are going to bypass the use of a switch entirely and opt instead for a direct connection between your client Mac/Windows/Linux machine and directly connect them to the NAS. This is something often used by photo/video editors that was to action post-production on projects directly on the NAS (rather than occupying local storage space). The 10GbE and 5GbE ports open up the external network connectivity on the Locksterstor Gen 3 towards 30Gb/s (shared across those connections of course – 5G+5G+10G+10G), and thanks to older combination services such as Link Aggregation and Port trunking, as well as newer and simplified services like SMB MultiChannel, that means that it is more than possible that a single client devicewith the right connections can open the flood gates to the bulk of this bandwidth! Add to that the potential RAID performance benefits afforded to 4-10 bays of SATA storage and the 4x Gen4x1 M2 NVMe storage, the potential to FULLY saturate that 30Gb/s external connectivity is also pretty good too!

All that positivity aside though, we do need to address that Asustor’s choice to opt for a less graphically enabled CPU means that HDMI and/or multimedia outputs (eg S/PDIF etc) are not available and no opportunity to add a GFX card to add them. So, the multimedia flexibility afforded to the Lockerstor Gen 2 is absent here. However, the Gen3 series DOES arrive with USB 10G connectivity for 1,000MB/s backup SSD drives, as well as supporting USB 4, which means 4,000MB/s bandwidth external drives too (though, in reality, most external USB 4 SSD drives will max around 3,300-3,500MB/s). The extent to which this USB 4 port can be used for non-storage peripherals (eg docking stations) is unknown right now, but the option to add a high performance USB4 Docking station and add further USB connections, network connections and more would certainly be something! Bottom line, the Locksterstor Gen 3 seems to be much more focused on file transmission and harnessing high bandwidth enabling, and the ports and connections are reflective of that! Let’s discuss the software and 3rd party NAS OS’.

Asustor Lockstor Gen 3 Software and Services

The Asustor Lockerstor NAS arrives with the latest version of ADM included. Additionally, this software receives frequent updates to ensure that the software runs the very best it can on this system, as well as keeping up to date with security patches and application versions.Also Asustor has also highlighted that they will be launching ADM 5 (the latest revision) alongside these devices – still awaiting confirmation on Beta status or full incremental rollout. The NAS software is accessible via a web browser and displayed very much like a normal computer operating system (desktop, user accounts, customizable themes, file management, running multiple tasks in windows that can be switched in the native tabs), but there are also a range of desktop client tools for accessing the NAS on your local machine natively, as well as a whole bunch of mobile applications that allow tailored access from your phone/tablet in more task-specific means (eg a photo app for viewing pictures and creating phone backup routines, a video app for enjoying your movies and boxsets, surveillance app to access your cameras, etc). There is also a large range of support of 3rd party applications too in the ADM platform. Asustor is not as big a company as the likes of Synology and QNAP, whole put ALOT more money into their software development, but Asustor try to counter this by (when they do not have an in-house app) making native versions of 3rd party tools in their platform (example, they do not have a 1st party Virtual Machine app, but DO include huge support for VirtualBox). The platform is not quite as fully featured as DSM and QTS, but it is still a very smooth and accessible software platform. The app center has a few more 3rd party applications and slightly crowbarred software (eg the Amazon Media and Streaming service plugins) that is not updated up the original uploaders anywhere near enough (leading to running issues on these tools), but the 1st party apps run very well. The big takeaway on the Asustor software and it’s services is that the standard class of expected features of a modern NAS in 2024+ are here and run exactly as you would want, it is just some of the additional ones that other platforms have doubled down on (such as AI-related services in Photography and Surveillance for example) that are a little lacking. That said, the brand has definitely ramped up a number of the key security protocols and settings in the default setup. But what about 3rd party OS? What is the Asustor position on this?

Asustor have been surprisingly fluid on this one in the last 18 months. Originally, they (along with the bulk of NAS vendors) were steadfast in their position of “if you install a 3rd party OS such as UnRAID or TrueNAS, it will invalidate your warranty”. However, this position has now changed and they are continuing to support users who opt for 3rd party NAS OS installations, but with the caveat that if that software actively harms the system and/or results in the system being deployed in a fashion outside of what they guarantee the system to operate under (eg, the 3rd party NAS OS software automatically or manually overclocks the heck out of the processor and cooks it! Or overwrites the internal eMMC flash module that contains the ADM bootloader) they will not be able to offer support. I think this is pretty reasonable. However, it is ALSO worth keeping in mind that the Lockerstor Gen 3 series is built using a non-integrated gfx CPU, so there is the question of 3rd party NAS installation without a KVM/Visual output and/or BIOS access – but there ARE ways and means to get around this of course!

When Will the Asustor Lockerstor Gen3 Be Released, And How Much Will It Be?

Unlike the previously mentioned Flashstor Gen 2 which seems comparatively early in it’s development, the Lockerstor Gen 3 seems a lot further along in it’s production and I would expect it to arrive somewhere in the first half of Q3 2024 (July-September). Nothing confirmed yet officially however. Pricing-wise, I would expect things to be pretty close to the Gen 2 pricing, but with maybe a$100 or so more on the price tag on each storage capacity tier – perhaps with the 10 Bay commanding a premium. We should know and learn more about the Lockserstor Gen 3 NAS next month at Computex 2024. Stay Tuned!

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