When buying a NAS drive, it’s important to consider the software included with the purchase. Brands like Synology and QNAP offer different software designs, user priorities, and learning curves. Even if you plan to mostly use third-party software, you will still need to interact with the NAS software and GUI. The software for these brands is constantly evolving, so it’s difficult to compare them in a definitive way. However, we can examine their strengths and weaknesses to determine which one is best for you.
Before delving into a comparison of Synology DSM and QNAP QTS, it’s important to understand the company’s priorities and how they impact the software, hardware, and usability for different users. Synology generally has three key brand characteristics.
First-Party Priority in Hardware and Software – Synology prioritizes its own software and hardware tools over third-party alternatives. In some instances, such as VMs and cloud services, they may also support third-party options, but their focus on their own products is evident. In other cases, they do not support third-party options as they design their systems around their own products, such as newer rackmount releases, Synology HDDs, memory upgrade modules, and Synology C2 in HybridShare.
Software Over Hardware – NAS systems is often viewed with scepticism by PC builders due to their relatively modest specifications and price tags. While it can be argued that NAS are 24×7 systems that prioritize storage, Synology NAS systems typically have more modest specs than other brands, with 1Gbe as the standard and limited upgrade options, especially for third-party options. This is primarily because Synology NAS solutions are a much more software-and-hardware combined package than other brands. Synology invests heavily in its software, and then ensures that its hardware can make the most of it. I will later discuss some standout apps from Synology, but it’s clear that their primary focus is on software.
Hiding/Removing Some Configuration/Customization options for Performance & Stability – The DSM platform of Synology NAS servers is highly regarded for its smoothness and responsiveness when accessed remotely. The system utilizes intelligent memory caching and flushing techniques to ensure fast performance, but this is achieved in certain ways that may not be preferred by all users. For example, certain applications may only work with data stored in specific directories, and some customization options may not be available to maintain the high performance of the system software. While some users may be bothered by these limitations, most users are unlikely to be affected.
QNAP on the other hand, although similar in a number of ways has a broader and more open platform. This typically means that a user who wants to create an especially bespoke setup, has lesser-known file formats to content with, wants to use their own software (with the NAS as a storage target) or just like to ‘have it their own way’ might prefer the QNAP QTS NAS ecosystem. Their brand priorities can be summarized as:
Balanced 1st Party and 3rd Party Software – When using QNAP NAS QTS software, it quickly becomes apparent that they aim to support a wide range of users and utilities, which can be seen as either very versatile or overwhelming. QNAP and QTS include a variety of first-party applications with the NAS hardware, such as file management, multimedia management, backups, and business-class services like VMs, Surveillance, and Cloud Hybrid/Gateway tools. One of the reasons some users choose QNAP over Synology is their support for third-party storage systems and software, and the ability to adapt to them. Unlike Synology, which prioritizes stability over flexibility, QNAP offers a more open platform for the end-user to customize the system to their existing hardware and software. However, it should be noted that this may not be as straightforward as with Synology.
First To Release NAS Hardware – The last five years have seen QNAP at the forefront of many significant innovations in network-attached storage. They were the first to introduce the TS-2490FU All NVMe U.2 and ZFS rackmount (as well as new PCIe Gen 4 flash systems in 2022), combined 10Gbe and NVMe SSD Combo cards in their QM2 series, and changed the editing experience for many professionals in video post-production with Thunderbolt-enabled NAS. QNAP is widely considered the most innovative brand in the market, but some of their groundbreaking hardware could benefit from more development time before being released. This can be seen in the comparison between the QNAP QM2 card and the Synology E10M20-T1, which were released almost 18 months apart, but with significant differences in design and functionality.
Software Development On the Fly – The QNAP NAS QTS software is designed to support a wide range of users and utilities, which can be seen as both versatile and overwhelming. QNAP and QTS include many first-party applications with the NAS hardware, such as file management, multimedia management, and business-class services. They also have the ability to adapt to 3rd party storage systems and software, which is a major reason why some users prefer QNAP over Synology. However, the open structure of QNAP’s software can make it less cohesive compared to Synology’s more controlled approach. Additionally, QNAP’s software innovations, though early to market, may not always be fully polished and may require beta testing. This allows for early access to new features, but can also introduce beta software into the system, which some business users may not be comfortable with.
When comparing QNAP’s QTS and Synology’s DSM, a recurring theme is that QNAP offers more control and information, while Synology prioritizes ease of use. In the past, this has been compared to the difference between PC gaming and console gaming. Synology, like console gaming, offers a more stable and consistent platform with limited customization options but at a higher cost. On the other hand, QNAP, like PC gaming, may require a steeper learning curve but offers better value for money, greater adaptability and flexibility, and the potential for better performance. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on the user’s needs and willingness to invest in the setup.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Smooth, Accessible, Easy to Learn
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – Adaptable, Capable and Wider Support Options
For most users, the initial interaction with their new NAS system will be through the mobile app, with some users even using their mobile phone to set up the NAS. However, the web-based graphical user interface (GUI) still offers the most configuration and control options for both Synology and QNAP NAS systems. The GUI, which can be accessed over the network or remotely through 1st party internet access portals, has evolved over time to resemble a full operating system control panel. The interface of both Synology DSM and QNAP QTS have become distinct from one another, much like Mac OS and Windows.
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The web-based interface for both Synology DSM and QNAP QTS have similarities in their layout and functionality, such as the options button at the top left, desktop shortcuts, and notifications at the top right. However, a comparison of the latest versions of DSM 7.1 and QTS shows that the two systems have distinct differences in how they allow users to control and manage their NAS systems through a web browser.
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The design of Synology’s DSM is similar to that of Mac systems, whereas QNAP’s QTS design is more similar to Android in terms of how applications and options are presented. Synology’s DSM feels more responsive and reactive to user input, while QNAP’s QTS is smooth for a network GUI, but may have a slight delay when switching between apps and windows. However, QNAP’s QTS provides more detailed information and analysis on each screen, which can save time when searching for specific information. The resource monitor on Synology’s DSM software is clear and simple, displaying CPU, memory, disk, and bandwidth usage, and allowing users to delve deeper into each category if needed.
The design of the Synology DSM interface is similar to Mac systems, while the QNAP QTS design is more like Android in its presentation of apps and options. Synology DSM is more responsive and reactive to user input, while QNAP QTS may have a slight delay when switching between apps and windows, but it offers more information on each screen. The resource monitor on QNAP QTS provides more detailed information about background processes, compared to the Synology DSM resource monitor. For users who want a more in-depth understanding of their system’s performance, the QNAP resource monitor will be useful, but for those who find it overwhelming, it may be considered too much information.
The logic that both Synology and QNAP provide to the end-user even in something as arguable pedestrian as a task manager will give you a decent idea of how they will be for you in practically every interaction moving forward. Below is a video on how each system compares in its graphical user interface, configuration and initial setup (users, folders, shares, etc):
In short, it comes back to that idea of control and customization. The Synology DSM Control is going to appeal more to new NAS users and those who want the system to just-shut-up-and-do-its-job! Whereas the QNAP QTS platform will throw more information (sometimes too much!) at you in the hopes that you can create a more bespoke and controllable environment.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Easy to Use and Intuitive
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – Better Analytics and Control
It’s not surprising that Synology and QNAP both offer a variety of mobile apps for iOS and Android. These apps include not just backup tools to protect your photos, but also sync tools, file management tools, and others that make accessing your NAS from your mobile phone easy and intuitive. Additionally, both companies offer apps that allow you to customize your access to the NAS system based on your specific needs. Popular apps include those for photos, music, video, and surveillance.
NAS Access Type | ![]() |
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System Management | DS FInder | QManager |
NAS File Management | DS File & Synology Drive | QFile, QSirch |
General Phone Backup | DS Cloud | QSync Pro |
Photography | Synology Photos | QPhotos & QuMagie |
Video Streaming | DS Video | QVideo |
Music Streaming | DS Audio | QMusic |
Surveillance | DS CAM & Synology LiveCam | QVR Pro Client, |
Downloading | DS Get | QGet |
Synology MailPlus | QMail Client | |
Notes & To-Do Lists | DS Note | QNotes3 |
NAS-VPN Manager | Synology VPN Plus | QVPN |
NAS Router Manager App | DS Router | QuRouter |
Other/Misc | Synology Secure Sign in – Login 2-Step Authentication
Synology Chat – Synology Chat Service App |
OceanTV Client – Karaoke Mobile Client
QContacts – Contacts and Connections Database QRemote – HDMI-enabled NAS Remote Control DJ2 Client – Livestream NAS Manager QMiix – Alternative to IFTTT client KoiCast & Koi Talk – Video and Internet Call Client |
Throughout my time, I have evaluated a majority of the key apps for system management, file management, backups, photos, music and video. Here, I will present my findings and provide videos that will give you a better understanding of how Synology DSM and QNAP QTS enable you to access your NAS drive on-the-go through your mobile device in a more data-specific manner. (You can click on the video title to open it in a new window on Youtube or watch them within the article)
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NAS Control and Accessibility | NAS Control and Accessibility |
NAS File Management | NAS File Management |
Photography | Photography |
Video Media | Video Media |
Music Media | Music Media |
Surveillance and Camera Access | Surveillance and Camera Access |
At first glance, it’s apparent that Synology’s applications have more consistency and similarity to third-party applications (e.g. Synology Drive and Google Drive, Synology DS Video and Plex, Synology Chat and Skype), while QNAP’s applications, even the newer ones, tend to have more distinct differences in GUI and layout, which can take more time to learn. However, QNAP’s mobile applications are generally more customizable and offer greater control and customization, both within the individual apps and in how they allow the user to control the NAS. Both NAS brands have their own strengths and weaknesses in how they have developed and implemented their mobile applications. Ultimately, the biggest deciding factor for the end-user will likely be the platform they primarily use to access the NAS. Desktop users may find QNAP’s platform more suitable for desktop access, while Synology’s platform has focused more on bringing mobile and desktop application experiences to the same level. Users who primarily access the NAS via mobile or have a balance of mobile and desktop access will likely find Synology’s platform more intuitive and smooth.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Intuitive and Streamlined UI
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – More Apps and Greater Control
While Synology and QNAP are both focused on storage, they have distinct approaches to displaying and managing data. They also have varying storage trends they support within their ecosystems. However, both offer highly evolved and reliable network storage options for safeguarding your data. Similar to the apps, user interfaces, and access discussed earlier, Synology and QNAP have each evolved their storage options and configurations differently in recent years, providing unique and specific features that can make the choice between them much simpler.
So, regardless of whether you buy Synology or QNAP NAS, you have a great deal of storage support available. However, there are a large number of brand SPECIFIC storage services and options that ONLY one brand of the two have. Let’s start with the Synology NAS DSM exclusive options.
So, as you can see, a large range of first-party prioritize storage that is still quite a capable list of support services, formats and hardware in terms of storage in a Synology NAS. None fo the above is currently supported/available from QNAP NAS, however, they have their own range of very unique and QNAP-ONLY available storage options. They are as follows.
The QNAP Storage options unsurprisingly are a great deal more open (wider HDD/SSD support on all their hardware, wider cloud support on their cloud gateway software, expansion chassis and connections), however, Synology and its focus on the 1st party R&D results in stronger and more evolved ‘in house’ results (such as Synology Hybrid RAID, their own range of media that has unique options, btrfs integration on all apps, etc).
Why Choose Synology NAS? – BTRFS, Synology Hybrid RAID and Ease of Use
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – ZFS, Better Encryption Options, HybridMount/vJBOD and Better Expansion Options
Many home users and prosumer customers consider purchasing a NAS for their multimedia collection. With digital media becoming increasingly popular and the decline of physical media in recent years, the appeal of having your own personal “Netflix” with a NAS is attractive. As expected, both Synology and QNAP have made significant advancements in multimedia streaming and sharing in recent years. Although the core function of streaming media to devices such as DLNA Smart TVs, Amazon Firesticks, phones, and home theaters is similar on both brands, they have each developed their own unique features in terms of presentation, third-party hardware support, and how photos, music, and videos are handled internally. Additionally, both Synology and QNAP support Plex Media Server, Emby, Jellyfin, iTunes, and traditional file/folder level DLNA media streaming to a similar degree, with some differences depending on the hardware of each NAS release. The following guides compare Synology and QNAP in terms of photography, music playback in the GUI, and video streaming. First, here is how Synology DSM and QNAP QTS compare with Photography:
Synology Advantages Support of Live Photos/Gifs in the Browser/Apps Excellent Cross-App Support with Drive Synology Photos in DSM 7 merges Photo Station & Moments Very Attractive and Easy to Control GUI Better Geo Location Recognition/Map View Better Multi Face Tag Searching |
QNAP Advantages
Album+File/Folder Browsing in QuMagie Better AI Recognition in QuMagie (inc ‘Things’) AI Photo Recognition can be improved with a $25-30 Goolg eTPU M.2 Card Allows Custom Photo Directories Multimedia Console Allows Better Indexing/Thumbnail Generation Better Cross-Software Tag Support |
Next, this is how Synology DSM and QNAP QTS compare with Music and the browser GUI:
Synology Advantages Support of DS Audio Skill on Amazon Alexa Voice Recognition GUI Very Appealing Better Config Options Better Album Thumbnail Utilization (especially Mobile) |
QNAP Advantages
Album/File+Folder Browsing Better DLNA Streaming Support of Local Speaker Connections More 3rd Party Audio Applications Support of more Formats, codecs and Compressions |
Finally, we have how both Synology DSM and QNAP QTS compare with Video Media in the GUI:
Synology Advantages Video Station/DS Video have VERY easy-to-use GUI DS Video App available on FireTV / Amazon Firestick Comparable to Plex and Emby Intuitive Setup for Libraries and Metadata resource connections |
QNAP Advantages
Supports HDMI Out More Media Server Players are available Better offline Transcoding Options Cayin player option for H.265/HEVC 10bit Support |
It’s undeniable that QNAP generally has a more open/customizable multimedia user interface when it comes to music and video media, while Synology has invested heavily in developing their Video Station and Audio Station to rival Freemium services like Plex Media Server and WhatsApp, with advanced metadata scraping and 1st party apps on Amazon FireTV and Alexa voice support in DS Video and DS Audio. In terms of photography, QNAP’s QuMagie platform offers more control, recognition, file/folder access and keeps it as two separate apps. Similarly, the multimedia console application on QNAP QTS is a standout feature, allowing complete control over all multimedia indexing, sharing, and transcoding from a single portal. Ultimately, it depends on the type of media you plan to watch, the device you want to watch it on, and how much customization you plan to make.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Video Station, DS Audio Alexa Voice Support – Choose for Amazon FireTV, Alexa and ‘Netflix-level’ video streaming
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – Multimedia Console control is Unparalleled, QuMagie provides better AI recognition and Custom Directories as standard. Also, H.265/HEVC 10bitplayback better with the CAYIN player option
It’s worth taking a closer look at the similarities and differences between the Synology DSM and QNAP QTS NAS software and services. While both brands offer similar functionality, there are some subtle distinctions that could cause frustration if you’re not aware of them. For example, Synology’s NAS platform comes with Hyper Backup and Active Backup Suite, while QNAP has Hybrid Backup Sync and Hyper Data Protector. BOTH Synology and QNAP across their respective two apps each provide support of:
The Synology and QNAP NAS software and services both provide similar functionality, but there are a few small differences that may affect your experience. Both brands offer backup solutions, but the Synology’s Hyper Backup and Active Backup Suite have a more user-friendly interface and support for multiple cloud platforms. On the other hand, QNAP’s Hybrid Backup Sync and Hyper Data Protector have additional features such as inline deduplication and compression provided by the ZFS-based QuTS Hero platform, which also handles encrypted backups better. Additionally, while both brands support cloud connections, QNAP requires additional license fees while Synology’s Active Backup Suite offers it for free with Google Workspace and Office 365 add-ons.
There is more to discuss regarding Synology Drive and its client applications, QSync Pro and its enhanced mobile client-to-NAS services, etc, but these topics pertain more to synchronization, file streaming, and remote access rather than backups. While QNAP software is still exceptional for various backup methods, and ZFS and its file transmission advantages stand out, it offers more options for external storage and cloud support. On the other hand, Synology Backup tools and services are more tailored to specific needs, with different services included in Hyper Backup and Active Backup Suite for home and business use respectively.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Active Backup Suite, Hyper Backup, Licence Free Office 365/Google Workspace Sync and Synology C2
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – Hybrid Backup Sync, Many More Cloud Services Supported and Hyper Data Protector has Better Retention Policies
When considering buying a new NAS drive, many users take into account not just the backup software and multimedia streaming capabilities, but also the potential use as a surveillance system. Both Synology and QNAP offer business-class surveillance software packages that allow the use of multiple IP cameras, speakers, and network door locks, all accessible through a single interface. However, in recent years, the two brands have taken different approaches to their surveillance software. QNAP’s Surveillance software is more spread out across a web browser and local client apps, with adding cameras and customizing the setup primarily done through the web browser GUI, and camera access and control mainly on the client apps. On the other hand, Synology’s Surveillance Station allows for all camera setup and customization through the browser and most functions through the desktop client app. While the mobile client for QVR Pro and Surveillance Station is somewhat limited, Synology’s platform generally offers more even access to the software’s full capabilities. Here is a breakdown of the main benefits/PROs of each surveillance NAS software:
![]() PROS of Synology Surveillance |
![]() PROS of QNAP Surveillance |
Considerably Better Browser Access & Controls
Beter 3rd Party Software integration with the Surveillance station API Better Camera Feed Accessibility in the Browser & Clients Fast Search Runs remarkably Smoothly LiveCam converts a Mobile to Live NVR IP Camera Feed Share Live Feeds to YouTube for Fast/Easy Sharing Synology have 1st Party IP Cameras, TC500 and BC500 (More coming later in 2023) |
More Camera Licences (8x in QVR Pro)
Technically 3 Surveillance Platforms to Choose that vary in complexity Better Client App Control and Analytics Local KVM (Keyboard/Video/Mouse) Support AI Surveillance services can be added on Integrated CPU NAS, Google TPU card or a GPU Card USB Web Camera Support AI Services can be improved with the support of an m.2 Google TPU Coral NU Upgrade ($25-30) |
CONS of Synology Surveillance
Only 2 Camera Licenses included in most NAS’ systems AI Surveillance Services are ONLY available on the DVA3221 and DVA1622 NAS (at the time of writing) Practically no KVM setup on Diskstaiton NAS systems |
CONS of QNAP Surveillance
QVR Elite for QuTS Hero Only has 2x Licenses and is subscription licence based Camera Feeds Cannot Natively be used and controlled by QVR Pro in the Browser The bulk of AI Supported Services are Annual Subscription Fee-Based |
Upon initial examination, the QNAP QTS QVR Pro software has an advantage over Synology’s Surveillance Station with the inclusion of 8 camera licenses, compared to the 2 offered by Synology. Additionally, the support for keyboard, video, and mouse on QNAP NAS systems with an HDMI port allows for direct interface with the system in case of network failure. A significant advantage of QNAP is the availability of AI-supported surveillance services on systems with a sufficient embedded graphics CPU, a TPU M.2 Coral upgrade, or a graphics card installed. Synology, on the other hand, has restricted AI surveillance to only two of their NAS systems with a GPU card pre-installed and at a higher cost. While these AI-supported services may be niche, they are certainly appealing to some users. Here is my video breakdown comparing the two popular surveillance services for QNAP and Synology:
It is worth highlighting however that the AI-supported services on the QNAP QVR Platform are not technically ‘completely free’ and before you think that the Synology DVA3221 near £2K box is an overspend, it is worth highlighting that in order to use all the same AI-powered services on the QNAP NAS platform, you will need a NAS that either has a decent embedded CPU (starting at just over £1K for the QNAP TVS-472XT to start with) and/or a GPU card installed. Then you have to factor in the licences. Not just the camera licences (although both the DVA3221 and any QTS NAS have 8 camera licences for adding camera) but the license to use the AI services on the QVR Surveillance software. Somewhat annoyingly, QNAP has put each of the AI services (tracking faces, people recognition, AI recording analysis, Smart AI Door unlocking, etc) behind individual licenses that (for the most part) are all ‘annual’, so you will need to renew them (see below for current pricing and terms). This is quite a bitter pill to swallow in the long term and although the saving versus the Synology DVA system seems good at first, if you want to run a 4 Bay AI-Powered Surveillance system on the QNAP NAS system with 4-8 cameras, it ends up costing just as much (maybe even more once you factor in the annual fees) and only partially mitigated by the flexibility of the system you want to use.
Overall, it is pretty clear that QNAP gives the end-user ALOT in terms of surveillance for their money (although that licensing model structure gets a thumbs down from me), as well as allowing access to many modern AI CCTV services that Synology either choose to not pursue or only allow on a select few systems. Maybe you are reading this in the future and Synology have opened up this logic to allow ‘Synology supported GPU Cards’ to be installed, which would certainly give this comparison a different outcome, but there is no denying that the QVR Pro surveillance platform allows more flexibility in its setup. Alongside this, the QVR to software right now has a lot more camera licences included (though this drops to x2 on QVR Elite on the QuTS Hero platform – which though admittedly has higher performance on the local client integrated, is a bit of a shame) and many will end up seeing the potential savings being enough to overlook that Synology Surveillance station is the better Surveillance tool in terms of the GUI, supported service add ons and in how user-friendly it can be.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Better Surveillance Software Overall, Especially in the Web Brower GUI
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – More Camera Licenses, QVR Pro has KVM Support, Wider AI Surveillance Support and Upgrade Options
It wasn’t such a long time ago that the use of virtual machines (VMs) was exclusively in the business sector. The ability and utility to create a virtual and remotely accessible version of a computer (giving you need a terminal in order to utilize them in most cases) was simply not of use to the average home or even small business user. However fast forward to 2023/2024 and you find that they have accelerated in popularity, thanks to businesses requiring centralized data storage for both the convenience of duplicating computers AND to simplifying the backup/restore process. Then you have the simple appeal for prosumer or small business users to be able to create an emulated version of their own computer in order to access it anywhere in the work, run test with software/updates that they are hesitant to run on their core system OR simply to allow them to create an accessible VM of an operating system that can be run parallel to that of the core hardware (i.e. a Linux/Unbuntu VM that runs in a window, on a Windows/Mac matching). Most high-end business users in recent years have used one of two popular 3rd party client TOOLS for this, VMware vSphere and Hyper V (with other smaller tools like VirtualBox popping up). Where a NAS can be integrated into this is actually pretty cool, such as:
Now it is worth highlighting that BOTH Synology and QNAP have excellent VM hosting applications, in Virtual Machine Manager and Virtualization Station respectively, which perform all of the above services, however, they do it in slightly different ways (involving other applications in the system that are integrated) but for VMware/HyperV, the restoration is arguably handled smoother with the Synology Virtual Machine tool and Active Backup Suite tool working together to allowing exclusive integration with Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) as the temporary disaster recovery solution allows you to instantly restore services to the Synology storage server even when the production environment is down. QNAP have very similar services to this, but not the same fast, easy and integrated pass-over system. For a better understanding of the GUI of Synology Virtual Machine Manager vs QNAP Virtualization Station, take a look at the video below:
There are several very unique and arguable superior elements to the QNAP VM software that are worth highlighting. First off there is access to a VM marketplace from within the app that allows you to install Virtual Machines directly on the QNAP NAS without having to obtain the VM Image/ISO independently. These include firewall and network management virtual images such as Pfsense, RouterOS and Zabbix, but there is also a 3-click Windows VM installation option too. This allows users who just want to try out a Windows 7/8/10/Server VM before committing fully to a NAS based VM environment for business/home use and includes a 90-day trial (you can use your existing windows registered key/login if you want. Alongside this, there is also the improved VM-to-Hardware integration available on Synology Virtual Machine Manager and QNAP Virtualization station that allows you to connect USB ports to a VM and allow that virtual desktop environment to access physical local USB devices, however, QNAP takes this a noticeable degree further with the support of PCIe-to-VM connectivity that allows you to connect a Graphics card (or other suitable PCIe to that VM architecture) and allow the virtual environment to scale up considerably (perhaps for video editing or gaming, if the CPU is appropriate). Then there is the flexibility of setup on the QNAP, with Virtualization Station supporting a KVM environment and QVM (QNAP Virtual Machine) to allow a NAS with connected Keyboard, HDMI Video monitor and Mouse to have a local VM that can ALSO be accessed remotely too. Finally, QNAP has a dedicated Ubuntu application that allows you to create VMs of multiple versions of Ubuntu (the free Linux alternative to Windows and MacOS) in around 3-4 clicks of the mouse! This is a very rare occasion in this Synology vs QNAP comparison where I can genuinely 100% say that QNAP spent much, much more time working on 1st party support and Synology keeping it a little more openly supported with 3rd parties – though, given the maturity of the likes of VMware, this is understandable. This is also demonstrated on the subject of container image and deployment (if a VM is an entire OS, then a Container is an application or program that is running without an OS to live on to off) where the QNAP platform has its own Container Station application and download center/marketplace and Synology use the industry popular Docker tool.
Synology’s Virtual Machine Manager is a fantastic tool and definitely one that has enterprise users in its sights! With that improved integration with existing enterprise VM software providers in the market, they have made a very clear decision that their free VM software still has a business feel, whereas QNAP has shaped their VM tool to something more accessible for all tiers (though lacking the snap cloud-to-local VM deployment – which is a real shame). Much like AI surveillance on the QNAP platform, a few of the biggest features of Synology Virtual Machine Manager are license/subscription fee-based (which is a shame, but understandable given the target demographic and its scope when FULLY deployed, these include:
Synology VMM
(Free) |
Synology VMM Pro
(License Required) |
|
---|---|---|
Supported Operating System | Windows, Linux, and Virtual DSM | |
Cluster Management | Included | Included |
QoS Settings | Included | Included |
CPU Overcommit | Physical CPU threads x2 | Physical CPU threads x4 |
Max Virtual Switches | 4 | 4096 |
Max Snapshots per VM | 32 | 255 |
VM Share Links per Host | 1 | 16 |
Remote Replication Plan | Not Included | Included |
Remote Storage Migration | Not Included | Included |
Run VM on Remote Host | Not Included | Included |
High Availability | Not Included | Included |
Live Migration | Not Included | Included |
Overall, it is going to be a case of whether you are coming into the subject of virtual machines as a completely fresh start, coming from a moderately experienced background or are looking for a system to integrate into your already well established VMware or Microsoft VM environment. QNAP and Virtualization station provides a huge array of self-hosted VM deployment options, connecting with numerous 3rd party download centers to easily pull a VM image onto their system, restore an existing VM image, convert VMs into QNAP supported images and then allows you to integrate a greater deal of hardware resources towards them (GPU card, KVM, etc). They are certainly supporting those bigger VM platforms out there and allow backups, snapshots, faster restoration and making big moves into that SaaS and reducing downtime practices that businesses want, but this is where the Synology Virtual Machine Manager tools shine. With a grander focus on those Hyper-V/VMware VSphere established systems and presenting themselves as a failure and support system, they make their integration a great deal easier for companies to choose. They still take a big advantage by allowing a VM live backup to be stitched over to Synology Virtual Machine Manager as a viable recovery and restoration option, which is likely going to be the clincher for many.
Why Choose Synology NAS? – Synology Virtual Machine Manager is VERY intuative, Cloud VM-to-Local VM Migration & Restoration
Why Choose QNAP NAS? – QNAP Virtualization Station supports more OS/Formats, 3 Click VM download & Install, Dedicated VM tools for different VM Images and has Better Hardware Configuration Options Overall
It’s been a very, VERY long road but we can finally look at just how Synology DSM and QNAP QTS for NAS (as well as all the hardware and services in between) compare. There has been a long-running theme all the way through that where Synology has focused on FIRST-PARTY (i.e. Synology-brand) software and hardware priority, then supporting THIRD-PARTY services/hardware when they haven’t got a viable alternative in-house – to mixed degrees of popularity. Whereas QNAP has been a much more level playing field where they have released their own innovative hardware/software (occasionally a little too quickly) and sung its praises, but also tried to keep customization and flexibility for 3rd parties as open as possible and shouting loud-and-proud about that too – which can be a tad overwhelming for the less tech-savvy. Both brands have done an incredible job evolving their platforms as much as they have in 2023/2024, especially when Microsoft, Google and Amazon are pouring BILLIONS into the SaaS (and PaaS and IaaS – Platform and Infrastructure as a Service) in order to create entirely streamable ecosystems for businesses, with NAS brands like Synology and QNAP not only integrating with them but also thriving alongside them as a local/bare-metal failsafe.
These are all very lofty ideas and ones that most home or small business users will likely have little time for right now (aside from where NAS fits in with their Google/Office 365 office tools like documents, email and spreadsheets at a pinch) and for those users, who the NAS stands on its own two feet is what is going to matter most. Synology is earning its position in the market as the complete 1st party software and hardware package in 2023/2024, with a genuinely groundbreaking range of available services, but still managing to make NAS accessible for all in DSM. That said, the trends we are seeing in those sub-enterprise services that are slowly receding in support of popular 3rd party hardware, software and services, making using a Synology NAS alongside your own existing setup in a frictionless way cannot be ignored and leading some to think Synology is shifting their industry position towards something higher.
QNAP NAS on the other hand, although maybe trying to cover too many bases at once, is still trying to cover as much as it can to appear to its audience. Their support of considerably more 3rd party platforms/software/services, even when they have their own software available, is certainly admirable and aside from rather aggressive pricing on their QVR Pro surveillance platform, are still the better choice for those who want a much more adaptable and customizable platform. Its a pretty understandable fact that most people who buy a NAS will be arriving with an existing collection of software in their daily workflow (Office 365 for docs, Gmail for their email, Plex for their media, Chromebook for their commute, Skype/Whatsapp for their communication, TB3 for their editing, etc) and it has to be said that QNAP keeps a more open platform to adapt a NAS into this mix than Synology – occasionally less intuitively and not without a little setup-friction, but certainly to more customizable results.
Unsurprisingly, I am going to tell you that both Synology and QNAP NAS are good NAS brands and have earned their place at the top of the industry (whilst both making their own respective moves to integrate into the next tier – ie SaaS providers, Hyperscale environments and Boundless cloud storage), but there is no denying that no one brand has managed to do EVERYTHING to perfection. So, if in double, below is how I would recommend QNAP and Synology NAS to you, for each user case scenario and I hope this guide and my recommendations help you with your next big data storage purchase.
![]() Why Choose Synology NAS? Better Surveillance Software in ‘Surveillance Station’ Whole NAS System Backup (apps, paths, accounts, everything) Synology Drive supports file pinning/Streaming on both Mac and Windows More Intuitive and User-Friendly Design Better Security History (PSIRT, PWN2OWN participation, Bountry Program for years) EXCELLENT 1st Party Alternative Apps to Existing 3rd Party Tools (including Synology Chat, Mail, Office, Drive, Calendar and more) Greater Support/Migration with VMware & Hyper-V Better Redundant System Options (SHA) Greater Support on Amazon Home Hardware Synology Hybrid RAID for flexibility in Media Upgrades BTRFS on Most systems Longer Warranty Available on More Systems First-Party SSD and HDDs Available Typically Quieter Operation If you are thinking of buying a Synology NAS, please use the links below. It costs you nothing extra and results in a small return fee to Eddie and me here at NASComapres, which goes 100% into making more content – Thank you! |
![]() Why Choose QNAP NAS? Better 1st Party/Hosting Virtual Machines Significantly more flexible in encryption of folders, volumes, targets, etc Better Plex Media Server NAS More Adaptable and Customizable Wider Support of Surveillance using AI Recognition EXCELLENT KVM Support More Camera Licenses ZFS or EXT4 File System Choice on many systems now 2.5Gbe Network Interfaces at 1Gbe Cost Allows NVMe SSD Storage Pools and Volumes in all supported QNAP NAS Support of QTier for intelligent Data storage for Access AI Module Upgrade option with Google Coral / TPU / NPU Upgrade PCIe Gen 4 Systems (both M.2 NVMe and PCIe Upgrades in the QM2 Series) Greater 1st and 3rd Party Hardware Upgrade Compatibility (including Graphics Cards, WiFi 6 and Thunderbolt) If you are thinking of buying a QNAP NAS, please use the links below. It costs you nothing extra and results in a small return fee to Eddie and me here at NASComapres, which goes 100% into making more content – Thank you! |
Choosing the right data storage solution for your needs can be very intimidating and it’s never too late to ask for help. With options ranging from NAS to DAS, Thunderbolt to SAS and connecting everything up so you can access all your lovely data at the touch of a button can be a lot simpler than you think. If you want some tips, guidance or help with everything from compatibility to suitability of a solution for you, why not drop me a message below and I will get back to you as soon as possible with what you should go for, its suitability and the best place to get it. This service is designed without profit in mind and in order to help you with your data storage needs, so I will try to answer your questions as soon as possible.
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Good news for anyone that is waiting to see (and test) the latest improvements in Synology’s Diskstation Manager software, as there are strong indications that we will be seeing a DSM 7.2 Beta launched soon. Thanks to updates on the brand’s official download pages, we can see that developer tools have been made available. These toolkits are supplied in order for devs to adapt and update their existing tools to remain compatible with any changes in the synology DSM software. Full details on when the beta will be launched (though Synology did state in their Synology 2023 and Beyond event that they were looking at the end of Q4 2022 to Q1 2023 for the DSM 7.2 beta) is still yet to be confirmed, but they would not make toolkits for developers unless the rollout for the platform is going to be relatively soon. Currently, there are entries in the Synology download section in two areas (at the time of writing) for DSM 7.2-63134 tools:
Synology has often rolled out the latest significant updates to their premium software platform in beta long before full release, in order to identify any weaknesses or improvements that can be made to it – something that only massive ‘in the field, real-world testing’ can provide. So, given the likelihood that we will see DSM 7.2 arriving very soon, let’s discuss whether you should wait for a full release or go ahead and install the beta to test it out (and what is the process and risks of doing so?).
Testing a beta of ANY software is going to be for everyone and in the case of DSM, we are talking about installing an incomplete and comparatively untested software platform on your data storage! Needless to say, this is NOT recommended unless one/all of the following applies to you and your setup:
Those points are quite broad, but ultimately cover that if you are using your Synology NAS in a way whereby losing access to your system, data or applications is a dealbreaker (and your workflow cannot take on board a drop in service), then you should NOT install a Beta of DSM. Instead, you should await the release of a complete/final version – often referred to as the ‘Release Candidate’ (the version intended by the brand to be a full release of the software). There is still no confirmation when a virtual version of DSM 7.2 (using a license for vDSM on your NAS) will be available at the same time as the full download, but unless you are happy to accept the possibility of needing to re-initialize your NAS (unlikely, but possible), do not install the beta. Additionally, it is often the case that a significant DSM update CANNOT BE REVERSED. This is technically not true, but the process of reverting to a previous version of DSM is NOT easy and requires time/effort spent in SSH and inputting commands that, if done wrong, could brick your NAS. So, in summary, make sure you only install the DSM 7.2 Beta when it arrives if you have nothing to lose or have your data/configs all neatly backed up!
When the Synology DSM 7.2 Beta does arrive, we are still unsure which features Synology detailed in their 2023 event last year will be available at launch. We detailed the improvements and new services in this article, but do not be surprised if these roll out more granularly as the beta rolls on. Most of these features and updates were discussed in a YouTube video featuring myself and Luka over on BlackVOID towards the end of last year HERE, otherwise here is the list of features you can expect in DSM 7.2 within the beta or when the RC version arrives:
A long-term request by Synology NAS users for a few years, the ability to encrypt your NAS beyond the current ‘folder’ level in DSM. It is a little odd that Synology has not provided Disk, Volume or Pool level encryption in the system storage manager. The ability to encrypt the full volume means that you can be a great deal broader in your protection from your storage getting intercepted outside of your own authorized use. Prior to this, encrypted upto the folder/shared-folder level meant that you would likely need to maintain multiple key files/codes, as well as result in more work as your structured your system. Volume-level encryption hugely simplifies this, as well as allowing a larger container of storage to encrypt within.
Another HUGELY requested feature is parity in the Mac OS Support in Synology Active Backup that is currently available for the Windows Client. Up until now, Mac users that wanted to create a system-wide (OS level) backup relied on Apple Time Machine. This is still a solid and user-friendly option, but not hugely storage efficient, is tougher to browse through images than Synology AB and also does not play as nice with remote backups as it does with local backups (ie it supports network backups, but even then quite regimentally and does not correlate/manage those particular backups as well as using a Synology client and Synology NAS running Active Backup). Equally, Synology AB and Mac OS client app should allow viable and easier remote Mac image recovery options in a way currently not available.
NAS to NAS backups are NOT a new thing, but are more often than not either on a file/folder level (i.e using Hyper Backup) or, in the case of 3rd party general/linux servers, a big block of data that cannot effectively be viewed or managed natively. Improved Active Backup NAS to NAS support means that the same level of system/OS level backup image backup that is afforded to Windows PCs, VMs and More in Active Backup Suite can now be made with another Synology NAS server. Till now, the best options you had for NAS-to-NAS backups were Hyper Backup Folder level backups, Snapshot replication to send snapshot images on a schedule/sync/retention configuration, Backup your NAS image to Synology C2 Cloud (which can be synced elsewhere) and a few different file level sync/backup tools between servers. As Active Backup grows in popularity with Synology NAS users, including it in your 3-2-1 system-wide backup strategy makes alot of sense and for those that are already running a periodic/scheduled NAS to NAS backup, this makes even more sense than current file/folder level backups.
Synology already has a very competent Active Directory management tool in ‘Synology Directory Server’, which turns your Synology NAS into a domain controller (DC) to manage users, devices, groups, and domain policies in a breeze. However, support of Microsoft AD is coming to Synology Drive. For the unaware, Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that runs on Microsoft Windows systems (i.e Windows Server). The main function of Active Directory from the client side is to enable administrators to manage permissions and control access to network resources. In Active Directory, data is stored as objects, which include users, groups, applications, and devices, and these objects are categorized according to their name and attributes. Then you have AD DS (Active Directory Domain Services) are a core component of Active Directory and provide the primary mechanism for authenticating users and determining which network resources they can access. AD DS also provides additional features such as Single Sign-On (SSO), security certificates, LDAP, and access rights management.
Write Once, Read Many (WORM) has been around in the world of data storage for a considerable length of time and allows a file to be accessed by many, many users without the original file being in any way changed or corrupted – a real issue if a file/database is being accessed by many users and changes inadvertently occur which overwrite the file or changes being made by others (file/media editors tackle this in other means, such as via using shadow editing or non-linear editing). WORM (Write Once, Read Many) is used to avoid modification of saved data. With increasingly stringent regulations on how information is stored, many countries require government agencies, financial institutions, and healthcare providers to comply with strict data archiving regulations. Many of these require storage systems to not tamper with archived data. This has led to WORM becoming increasingly common in commercial setups. Good examples are photos, contracts, financial reports, emails, employee information, and other important documents. They should not be modified once stored. In some professional fields, massive data needs to be analyzed, and huge amounts of real-time data need to be recorded and tracked. WORM technology is ideal for protecting these records so that they will not be overwritten and can be saved as a reference for future use.
The support of WORM in the Synology storage infrastructure will allow loving for files for a predetermined time, as well as configuration into two separate types – Compliance and Enterprise. Compliance issues ZERO write/edit/change, even by IT admins for the pre-defined period of time. Enterprise is similar, however, it DOES allow IT admin(s) to make changes and/or adapt the WORM access. Also, grace periods can be set in for files going into WORM configurations, which allow a period of time to pass before locks are engaged. This change along with several others that are to be implemented in DSM 7.2 are slated for Q1 of 2023 (Jan-March). In short, in WORM enabled folders data is protected from manipulation by not being able to change or delete it for a specified period of time. Immutable data backups can also be carried out via Hyper Backup for further protection and retention down the line too.
SMB is not new, but updates to Drive and SMB support also see changes with Synology DSM 7.2, with cross-protocol file locking between SMB shares and Drive, ensuring that files in use cannot be edited or overwritten across them. In addition, with SMB multichannel transfer, all network connections available between servers and clients can be used to increase the performance of SMB file transfer, regardless of traditional conflicts that would prevent them being bound/crossed together conventionally
Synology has provided their Office application in the DSM application list for quite a long time, serving as an in-house alternative to using 3rd party office doc tools such as Google Docs and Microsoft office. This combined with the Synology Drive application results in you being able to open all of your office format docs (text, spreadsheets, PDFs, etc) from within the Synology ecosystem, where your data lives. However, there is always room for improvement and we are told that new features such as document watermarks, improved revision recognition on docs exported over and an increase in support of file format/layouts from Microsoft Word etc.
Synology highlighted their massive HD6500 and then discussed HUGE scale out cluster storage. The new scale-out clusters are also scheduled to appear in 2023 and provide faster file and object storage. This should allow server combinations of HD6500s servers that scale upto that of 12 petabytes to operate with a write speed of up to 60 GB/s (60,000MB/s).
Additionally, Synology is improving the management of large-scale backups from a single portal point, via a new platform/service they are calling ‘Synology Backup Cloud’ (name almost certainly will change!) that will cover the operations of Active Backup, Hyper Backup and C2 Backup operations. Synology is aiming for this tool to provide the IT admin with a single easy window to manage, remote control and monitoring of all aspects of data backup.
Not a lot was said on this feature, but expect its development to be a little slower than most as, much like Active Insight, this is very much an enterprise site tool and likely at a premium.
The Synology C2 Identity application that was introduced with Synology DSM 7 at launch is also going to see updates in its supported authentication methods and client tech. These will include Windows Hello and Apple Face ID/Touch ID, as well as in connection with the upcoming C2 identity user portal, employees using managed devices can be automatically signed in with SAML.
The benefits of Synology Drive when it comes to larger teams of users being able to access the same folder(s) of data in order to collaborate on projects are already well documented. However, what if a client system that has access to a synced drive folder gets hijacked? Or at a moment’s notice, you need to suspend access to the share from a specific client machine AND want to ensure that no locally sync’d/download copy is still there? Well, soon Synology Drive will be receiving an update to allow exactly that includes the ability to delete data remotely and is intended to minimize security risks by removing synchronized folders from stolen Windows and macOS systems.
That just about covers it. There were further improvements that were featured in Synology Secure sign-in and C2 Password services to improve the range of supported authentication methods, as well as improvements to their Synology C2 cloud platform access and implementation. However, as these are more to do with the individual services/applications, I will save this for the inevitable Synology DSM 7.2 Beta preview and included services. So, what do you think of the planned improvements coming to DSM 7.2? Would you have liked to have seen further updates to the more ‘everyman’ services, i.e upgrades to Synology Photos AI recognition to match that of Synology Moments? Or a little more parity between Windows and Mac OS compatibility? Let’s discuss it below. We pool the comments on this article and the videos that are featured in it to keep all the relevant comments in one place, so take a look and see if your POV is the same as everyone else’s.
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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
If you have been looking at buying a Synology or QNAP NAS drive in 2023 for use as a Plex Media Server, then chances are you are doing this because you are sick of paying for a bunch of online streaming services OR you have an enormous physical library of discs that you own in your home that you want to watch conveniently on an Amazon FireTV, Roku Box or home Console, disc free! It’s not a big ask, is it! Do you remember when watching movies and boxsets from your sofa was easy? You owned a few hundred DVDs or Blurays, you popped in the disc for what you wanted to watch, then you watched it. It had a few extra steps that Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video and Disney+, BUT you owned what you watched and you were in control of what you wanted to see. The dominance of subscription streaming services was unquestionable and for a while, it genuinely felt like it was the best option for ease of access to a huge library of multimedia that you only really wanted to watch once or twice anyway – all for just $5-10 per service. However, it got complicated. We went from 3-5 media streaming services, to suddenly HUNDREDS, with Films/Boxsets appairing on exclusive platforms (in some cases actual tv seasons being divided across different services too). This also led to TV shows being available/featured on a streaming service considerably shorter, due to the show-owner realising that timed exclusivity and switching streamingly platforms is much more lucrative in the long run. So, the streaming services STOPPED being so convenient, stopped being such good value – with most households now having/needing 3-4 different subscription services (so, in most cases Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and the cable TV/Sky provider service) and spending $400-500 a year, and not owning a single piece of media or having control of when things are not available. Add to that the rather bias search abilities of these platforms pushing ‘suggested’ content and you cannot help but pine for those simple days of sitting on the sofa and watching that DVD. It is for this reason that many have made the jump over to Plex Media Server. To find out more about what Plex, a Plex Media Server NAS are and what they do, watch the video below:
A free service that allows you to stream the media YOU own, but still features slick graphics, user-friendly GUI, descriptions, trailers, thumbnails, reviews and more. Today I want to discuss the best three NAS drives for use as a Plex Media Server. There are literally thousands of different NAS devices on the market that can be used for Plex (it is a fairly low resource demanding tool in its smallest form) but the extent to how much you will use it, the number of users you want to share with, the volume of media and the quality of the content (e.g 4K, 1080p, etc) make a HUGE difference to which NAS you should choose for your Plex Media server. So my five PLEX NAS recommendations for 2023 are based on the best Budget 1080p Plex NAS, the best 4K Plex NAS and finally, the Best EVERYTHING Plex NAS for 2023. Let’s begin.
It is worth remembering that although there are ALOT of different Plex NAS drives available to buy, they are by no means created equal! With numerous super-budget brands popping up online, it can be tempting to consider these alongside the premium NAS brands. However, all too often they offer solutions righty seem ‘too good to be true’ and then are gone from the web before your warranty even gets cold! So, whether you are looking at the three best Plex solutions that I am recommending below OR are looking at another Plex NAS you saw on offer/recommended elsewhere – the best NAS system ALWAYS include the following software and services:
So, make sure that if you are looking at a NAS solution that is NOT recommended below, that it includes all of the above. As these are some of the clearest areas that brands all too often cut orders to produce cheaper by ultimately inferior NAS servers for home and business. So, let’s discuss the very best Plex NAS to buy now in 2022/2023.
0-88TB, 4-Bays, 2x PCIe Gen 3×1 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel Celeron N5105 CPU, 4-16GB Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 1x PCIe Gen 3×2 Slot, 1 HDMI 2.0 4K 60FPS, 3-5yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $550
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
What I said in my review April ’22:
The TS-464 comfortably arrives with the best hardware in its tier of the NAS market and that is something that QNAP has always been quite good at. Even if you rewind just 5 years, the level of hardware scalability and ease of upgradability that the TS-464 provides is frankly incredible and, fast forward to 2022, is still pretty unmatched. A Desktop 4-Bay NAS (eg Prosumer RAID 5 storage) has always been the next confident step for users who are tired of their hands being tied by subscription cloud services from Google, OneDrive and DropBox, who are looking for their own competent, flexible and fully-featured private server. In the TS-464 NAS, you find a system that is unquestionable the best hardware for your money you can possibly get right now. In software, things are a little less straightforward. QTS 5, although massively software and service-rich, arrives as a complete operating system in your web browser with multiple mobile/desktop clients and hundreds of applications and apps that can be installed at the touch of a button – which can all too often be something of a steep learning curve for many.
Lacking the slightly chewable, user-friendly nature of many of their rivals, QNAP and its software/service still have a tendency to be a bit of an information overload that can quickly intimidate the novice. However, for those that are looking for a system that is completely customizable in how/when/where you want data presented to you, as well as a wide degree of 3rd party support, QNAP and QTS 5 still manages to provide a huge degree of brand-unique service that are simply not available elsewhere. Just be prepared to invest your time wisely in its setup and more time ensuring the system is perfect for your needs.
0-48TB, 2-Bays, Fanless Design, Intel Celeron N5105 CPU, 8GB Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 2x HDMI 2.0 4K 60FPS, KVM Support, 3-5yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $549
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
What I said in my review April ’22:
I think it would be fair to say that QNAP has quite a few different NAS ranges in their portfolio. From hefty enterprise rackmounts and thunderbolt machines, to compact prosumer desktops and modest entry-level systems, the majority of their solutions all seemingly share the same physically architecture – a desktop or rackmount enclosure that has changed really only aesthetically in the last 10-15 years. However, QNAP’s Silent NAS series (started back in 2014/2015) has always been a very different beast and even in its earliest iterations was breaking the rules of what we thought a NAS is supposed to look like and (more importantly) sound like. The QNAP HS-264 is the latest release in the HS NAS series of devices (previously HS-251+ and HS-453DX) that has the bold claim to be ‘silent’! Now, of course, that is not strictly true. It IS a fanless NAS that is designed in a horizontal profile to promote increased heat dissipation into a unit heatsink system (that is how the use of a fan is avoided) along with the physical spreading of the system also dispersing vibration much better. This results in a reported active noise level with traditional NAS hard drives under 8TB to produce a lower rating than other 2-Bay systems in idle/standby (can’t switch off HDD spin and actuator noise). Plus, QNAP state that using SSDs results in the system being genuinely silent. Now for those that want their own NAS service for multimedia, plan on working in close proximity with the system or have a small office where this system will be working hard 24×7 in – the thought of a silent NAS is dream come true. However, hold your horse, just because the HS-264 is going to be quieter than the average NAS/bear, doesn’t mean it is automatically a ‘good NAS’.
Overall you cannot say that QNAP has not been a pinch more mature and sensible (perhaps to a fault) in the design and architecture of the HS-264 NAS. Living slightly in the shadow of the more bandwidth equipped but more expensive HS-453DX, the HS-264 is still a solid entry in the QNAP x64 series and if you are looking for a truly silent NAS that includes all the tools and services that a modern NAS system should feature, the HS-264 is unquestionably a great NAS system. As long as you factor in the noise of HDDs in 2022 (an often overlooked detail I would add), the HS-264 NAS is a system that focuses it’s abilities and power internally, which being by far the most ‘power and heat’ aware system that the brand has ever released in this series. Concerns about QNAP and recent ransomware attacks are always going to dog the brand for a while yet, but nevertheless, that does not undercut the achievement in hardware and design that this system provides. Perhaps if QNAP could have released a modernized version of the HS-453DX, buyers would be fully satisfied, but in it’s absence, the HS-264 and what it brings to the table ticks most of the important hardware boxes for me.
0-88TB, 4-Bays, 4x PCIe Gen 3×1 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel N5105 CPU 4-Core Integrated Gfx, 4-16GB DDR4 Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 1x HDMI 2.0b, PCIe Upgrade Slot, 3-5yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $579
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
What I said in my review Nov’22:
The Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 NAS is a respectable piece of kit! Indeed, the hardware here is almost faultless! Unless you are particularly noise sensitive (and therefore the metal chassis adding a few dBa to the ambient sound), there is almost nothing I can fault here on the devices hardware. The scaling up of practically all hardware over the Gen 1 Lockerstor, such as Better CPU, Better Memory that goes higher, HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.2 Gen 2, a 10GbE upgrade option and THOSE FOUR M. 2 NVMe SSD SLOTS – you simply cannot fault how much is getting included here at the price point vs it’s competitors. The software is a little less compelling, with a smaller range of 1st party applications on offer, more of a reliance on 3rd party services and the absence of a few AAA+ features that are present on other devices in the market (AI services, Cloud Bolt on live synchronization, 1st Party SaaS native sync with Google Workspace/Office365, etc).
That said, ADM does run very well, is clear and still quite user-friendly. The addition of choice of file systems EXT4 or BTRFS, flexibility on the use of those M.2 NVMe SSD bays and the Asustor HDMI portal still bring fantastic flexibility to the Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 NAS too. Ultimately, this is a system that is clearly making big waves on it’s hardware more than it’s software, but as long as you keep your feet on the ground and appreciate that this system is more of a 70/30 purchase of hardware vs software, you will come to respect and rely on this Asustor NAS as the backbone of your data storage setup.
0-88TB, 4-Bays, 2x Gen 3 x1 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel N5105 Celeron CPU Quad-Core Integrated Gfx CPU, 4-16GB Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 3yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $500
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
What I said in my review May’22:
Terramaster still continues to be the most affordable fully-featured provider of the whole NAS market and although a number of their solutions have always felt a little rough around the edges, you always got the impression that you were getting a good deal for the hardware that was available from QNAP and Synology. Now in 2022/2023, the same continues to be true but in the F4-423 NAS’ case, you are actually getting some pretty top tier (for the Home/Prosumer) market at a price tag that is really tough to argue with. Terramaster has clearly been watching their bigger competitors and cherry-picked the features that people have been asking for (2.5GbE, USB 3.2 Gen 2, M.2 NVMe SSD bays, etc) for this new generation.
In terms of software, things are a little less convincing and although TOS 5 (currently in Beta at the time of writing) still continues to evolve into something genuinely fully featured and impressive, TOS 4 that the F4-423 includes at launch is usable (if unexciting) platform that provides the base level services that a new NAS user would want, but lacks killer apps that their competitors are offering right now (File Streaming, AI photo recognition, Surveillance, etc). Most of these ARE included in TOS5, but until it arrives much later in 2022 in a full release, the F4-423 feels like a powerful NAS that doesn’t have the software to show off its strengths yet. If you are reading this later in 2022 or 2023, this might well be irrelevant though, as the brand rolls out their bit firmware update to ALL Terramster NAS devices. Overall, I definitely CAN recommend the F4-423 NAS for its hardware, for Plex Media server or as an affordable multi-tier backup solution, but if you are looking for a NAS for more tailored data access or in a much more fully-featured package – hold out a little longer till TOS 5 gets released first.
0-176TB, 8-Bays, 2x PCIe 4 M.2 NVMe 2280, PCIe Gen 4×16 Upgrade Slot, Intel Core 12th Gen i5/i7/i9 CPU, 16-64GB DDR4 Memory, 2.5Gbe Port, 10Gb x2 Prots (Intel i9 Version), KVM, ZFS or EXT4 Setup, 3-5yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $2000-2500-3000
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
What I said in my review Dec ’22:
The QNAP TVS-h874 NAS is easily one of the most hardware-capable desktop NAS systems that I have ever seen (as you would expect for £2500+) and has clearly been designed with phenomenal future proofing in mind! If you are concerned about the longevity of this NAS, this hardware architecture will still be top tier 5 years from now, with the added support of PCIe 4 meaning that high capacity and performing micro upgrades throughout its life also ensuring it remains relevant long after. It’s price tag clearly moves this purchase out of the home and squarely into the business market (though likely those that take their media seriously will add it to the cart) and the TVS-h874 will function as a solid solution for Video editing (even at 8K), high frequency and performing VMs, large scale AI powered Surveillance setup, hybrid cloud/on-prem alternative to Office 365/Google Workspace services and as the center point for all your data storage operations. Crucially though, it is that the hardware on offer here will be able to do ALL of these at the same time, therefore maximising the investment for most businesses that want to move aware from their cloud dependant ops. In terms of software,t things are a little less absolute, with QTS and QuTS still getting a little busy at times, with a steeper learning curve than its big rival DSM from Synology. That said, die-hard fans of ZFS (Zettabyte File System) will adore the inclusion of benefits in RAID handling, management and recovery that are exclusive to that platform, whilst enjoying the wide range of applications and service benefits in QuTS that are often restricted to Linux platforms.
8K PLEX TESTS – QNAP TVS-h874 | 4K PLEX TESTS – QNAP TVS-h874 |
The slightly conveluded approach to release hardware that does complicate the selection process (different CPUs in the Intel 12th Gen family changing the rest of the system architecture) is something that I hoped this brand would graduate from (for the sake of simplicity), but for many, this level of choice in hardware and budget will be welcome. As is QNAP’s position on the support of 3rd party hardware (drives, PCIe upgrades, etc) and software, something that we have seen a worrying trend in the last few years against elsewhere in the industry but some other brands, to err towards 1st party/proprietary compatibility more and more. There are still lingering doubts by some on the security of NAS, with ransomware attacks on the rise and ALL brands and ALL platforms being targetted (NAS, Cloud ,etc), finding a middle ground between ease of use and depth of security being a tricky tie rope walk indeed. The TVS-h874 arrives with a wide range of Day 1 tools, further rigid defaults in QTS/QuTS in 2022/2023, considerable security settings to configure and multiple system scan tools for recommendations & preventative measures available. The QNAP TVS-h874 is probably the most powerful desktop/tower NAS drive I have ever reviewed and if you are looking for a system that can legitimately do anything server-side, but you are also willing to put in the time to configure it correctly – you will genuinely be hard pushed to find a better system in 2022, 2023 and likely 2024 at this price point and scale.
And there you have it. Those are the three best Plex NAS drives available right now at the end of 2022 and going into 2023. thought it is always worth remembering that these systems typically have a refresh (i.e manufacturers release a new version/follow-up) every 2-3 years on average. Therefore although these systems are all still great Plex NAS drives, they might have been upgraded in a newer released version, or recently released alternative Plex’s may have arrived on the scene that provides better pricing, value or features. If you are in doubt about whether to buy a Plex solution from my recommendations, want to check if a newer system has been released recently OR are simply looking for some free expert advice, then use the free advice section below over. Just enter in a few details of your setup, storage requirements and (in the case of buying a new solution) your budget – then me and Eddie the Web guy can help you with your question. This is a completely free service, is NOT provided with profit in mind and is manned by two humans (no bots, no automated replies, etc). Assistance might take an extra day or two (the service gets a lot of visitors) but we do try to answer every message. If you want to support this service, you can find out how to donate HERE. Otherwise, you can still jsut message us for free advice anyway!
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When Synology first revealed that they were already in the final stages of rolling out the latest update to their popular software platform, DSM version 7.2, many of us were quite surprised about the strong focus on enterprise features and appliances being the focus point. Synology has been increasingly shifting gears on its platform toward more business and enterprise-scale users in the last few years and though DSM 7.2 updates did include a few more home, prosumer and SMB improvements, the bulk of the updates that are coming in this new revision are ones to further bolster their business single ecosystem even further! The following article covers everything we learnt about intended software and service updates for the Synology DSM Platform. How many of these end up as DSM 7.2 implementations and how many end up being rolled into individual application updates on their own (and therefore accessible in DSM 7.1 currently) is yet to be seen. Improvements in featured services such as Synology Active Backup, Drive and Surveillance Station may well arrive independently. Here is everything we learnt about future software updates and DSM 7.2. Apologies for the delay in this article. There have been recent hardware reveals in the last couple of weeks (DS723+, DS923+, WRX560 to name just a few) and a larger article that covers the planned 2023 hardware, software and DSM. You can learn about everything that was revealed at the Synology 2023 and Beyond event HERE on the blog.
Synology detailed numerous planned improvements that are arriving in the latest revision of DSM throughout the presentation. The good news is that people will not have to wait too long for DSM 7.2 to arrive, with the release stated as ‘early 2023’, with further clarification alongside other details to point towards Q1 2023 (Jan-March). This includes a great many smaller quality-of-life improvements, but some bigger ones in storage management and access. Several of the newer individual client software updates will likely be tied to DSM 7.2 and/or arrive in a beta format by the end of the year.
A long-term request by Synology NAS users for a few years, the ability to encrypt your NAS beyond the current ‘folder’ level in DSM. It is a little odd that Synology has not provided Disk, Volume or Pool level encryption in the system storage manager. The ability to encrypt the full volume means that you can be a great deal broader in your protection from your storage getting intercepted outside of your own authorized use. Prior to this, encrypted upto the folder/shared-folder level meant that you would likely need to maintain multiple key files/codes, as well as result in more work as your structured your system. Volume-level encryption hugely simplifies this, as well as allowing a larger container of storage to encrypt within.
Another HUGELY requested feature is parity in the Mac OS Support in Synology Active Backup that is currently available for the Windows Client. Up until now, Mac users that wanted to create a system-wide (OS level) backup relied on Apple Time Machine. This is still a solid and user-friendly option, but not hugely storage efficient, is tougher to browse through images than Synology AB and also does not play as nice with remote backups as it does with local backups (ie it supports network backups, but even then quite regimentally and does not correlate/manage those particular backups as well as using a Synology client and Synology NAS running Active Backup). Equally, Synology AB and Mac OS client app should allow viable and easier remote Mac image recovery options in a way currently not available.
NAS to NAS backups are NOT a new thing, but are more often than not either on a file/folder level (i.e using Hyper Backup) or, in the case of 3rd party general/linux servers, a big block of data that cannot effectively be viewed or managed natively. Improved Active Backup NAS to NAS support means that the same level of system/OS level backup image backup that is afforded to Windows PCs, VMs and More in Active Backup Suite can now be made with another Synology NAS server. Till now, the best options you had for NAS-to-NAS backups were Hyper Backup Folder level backups, Snapshot replication to send snapshot images on a schedule/sync/retention configuration, Backup your NAS image to Synology C2 Cloud (which can be synced elsewhere) and a few different file level sync/backup tools between servers. As Active Backup grows in popularity with Synology NAS users, including it in your 3-2-1 system-wide backup strategy makes alot of sense and for those that are already running a periodic/scheduled NAS to NAS backup, this makes even more sense than current file/folder level backups.
Synology already has a very competent Active Directory management tool in ‘Synology Directory Server’, which turns your Synology NAS into a domain controller (DC) to manage users, devices, groups, and domain policies in a breeze. However, support of Microsoft AD is coming to Synology Drive. For the unaware, Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that runs on Microsoft Windows systems (i.e Windows Server). The main function of Active Directory from the client side is to enable administrators to manage permissions and control access to network resources. In Active Directory, data is stored as objects, which include users, groups, applications, and devices, and these objects are categorized according to their name and attributes. Then you have AD DS (Active Directory Domain Services) are a core component of Active Directory and provide the primary mechanism for authenticating users and determining which network resources they can access. AD DS also provides additional features such as Single Sign-On (SSO), security certificates, LDAP, and access rights management.
Write Once, Read Many (WORM) has been around in the world of data storage for a considerable length of time and allows a file to be accessed by many, many users without the original file being in any way changed or corrupted – a real issue if a file/database is being accessed by many users and changes inadvertently occur which overwrite the file or changes being made by others (file/media editors tackle this in other means, such as via using shadow editing or non-linear editing). WORM (Write Once, Read Many) is used to avoid modification of saved data. With increasingly stringent regulations on how information is stored, many countries require government agencies, financial institutions, and healthcare providers to comply with strict data archiving regulations. Many of these require storage systems to not tamper with archived data. This has led to WORM becoming increasingly common in commercial setups. Good examples are photos, contracts, financial reports, emails, employee information, and other important documents. They should not be modified once stored. In some professional fields, massive data needs to be analyzed, and huge amounts of real-time data need to be recorded and tracked. WORM technology is ideal for protecting these records so that they will not be overwritten and can be saved as a reference for future use.
The support of WORM in the Synology storage infrastructure will allow loving for files for a predetermined time, as well as configuration into two separate types – Compliance and Enterprise. Compliance issues ZERO write/edit/change, even by IT admins for the pre-defined period of time. Enterprise is similar, however, it DOES allow IT admin(s) to make changes and/or adapt the WORM access. Also, grace periods can be set in for files going into WORM configurations, which allow a period of time to pass before locks are engaged. This change along with several others that are to be implemented in DSM 7.2 are slated for Q1 of 2023 (Jan-March). In short, in WORM enabled folders data is protected from manipulation by not being able to change or delete it for a specified period of time. Immutable data backups can also be carried out via Hyper Backup for further protection and retention down the line too.
SMB is not new, but updates to Drive and SMB support also see changes with Synology DSM 7.2, with cross-protocol file locking between SMB shares and Drive, ensuring that files in use cannot be edited or overwritten across them. In addition, with SMB multichannel transfer, all network connections available between servers and clients can be used to increase the performance of SMB file transfer, regardless of traditional conflicts that would prevent them being bound/crossed together conventionally
Synology has provided their Office application in the DSM application list for quite a long time, serving as an in-house alternative to using 3rd party office doc tools such as Google Docs and Microsoft office. This combined with the Synology Drive application results in you being able to open all of your office format docs (text, spreadsheets, PDFs, etc) from within the Synology ecosystem, where your data lives. However, there is always room for improvement and we are told that new features such as document watermarks, improved revision recognition on docs exported over and an increase in support of file format/layouts from Microsoft Word etc.
Click to view slideshow.Synology highlighted their massive HD6500 and then discussed HUGE scale out cluster storage. The new scale-out clusters are also scheduled to appear in 2023 and provide faster file and object storage. This should allow server combinations of HD6500s servers that scale upto that of 12 petabytes to operate with a write speed of up to 60 GB/s (60,000MB/s).
Additionally, Synology is improving the management of large-scale backups from a single portal point, via a new platform/service they are calling ‘Synology Backup Cloud’ (name almost certainly will change!) that will cover the operations of Active Backup, Hyper Backup and C2 Backup operations. Synology is aiming for this tool to provide the IT admin with a single easy window to manage, remote control and monitoring of all aspects of data backup.
Not a lot was said on this feature, but expect its development to be a little slower than most as, much like Active Insight, this is very much an enterprise site tool and likely at a premium.
The Synology C2 Identity application that was introduced with Synology DSM 7 at launch is also going to see updates in its supported authentication methods and client tech. These will include Windows Hello and Apple Face ID/Touch ID, as well as in connection with the upcoming C2 identity user portal, employees using managed devices can be automatically signed in with SAML.
The benefits of Synology Drive when it comes to larger teams of users being able to access the same folder(s) of data in order to collaborate on projects are already well documented. However, what if a client system that has access to a synced drive folder gets hijacked? Or at a moment’s notice, you need to suspend access to the share from a specific client machine AND want to ensure that no locally sync’d/download copy is still there? Well, soon Synology Drive will be receiving an update to allow exactly that includes the ability to delete data remotely and is intended to minimize security risks by removing synchronized folders from stolen Windows and macOS systems.
That just about covers it. There were further improvements that were featured in Synology Secure sign-in and C2 Password services to improve the range of supported authentication methods, as well as improvements to their Synology C2 cloud platform access and implementation. However, as these are more to do with the individual services/applications, I will save this for the inevitable Synology DSM 7.2 Beta preview and included services. So, what do you think of the planned improvements coming to DSM 7.2? Would you have liked to have seen further updates to the more ‘everyman’ services, i.e upgrades to Synology Photos AI recognition to match that of Synology Moments? Or a little more parity between Windows and Mac OS compatibility? Let’s discuss it below. We pool the comments on this article and the videos that are featured in it to keep all the relevant comments in one place, so take a look and see if your POV is the same as everyone else’s.
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When it comes to the value of a Synology NAS product, I think it would be fair to say that the bulk of the $$$ that you pay goes towards the software – Diskstation Manager (DSM). With an enormous range of 1st party services, features and client applications, DSM ensures that a Synology NAS (regardless of scale) is a complete hardware and software solution! The DSM platform has received numerous updates over the years, but few were as big or as polished as DSM 7. Recently at the Synology 2023 and Beyond global streaming event, Synology revealed a number of the planned features that are arriving in the DSM 7.2 software update, intended for 2023. Although typically sub revision updates like 7.0>7.1>7.2 might ordinarily be considered minor updates in most software, in the Synology DSM platform however these tend to include pretty large-scale improvements, new applications, improved service capabilities, a larger supported hardware client base and even a few extra up and coming beta services available to be tried out (under strict ‘tests’ status!). These were revealed alongside a number of new innovations coming to individual applications and services, further increasing security and data integrity (with a real buzz on immutable data, data that cannot and/or should not be changed). Finally, there was a few featured improvements highlighted for several areas of their surveillance platform that included the new cameras (already mentioned HERE) and improvements configuring Surveillance Station via DS Cam. Let’s go through everything new we learned at Synology 2023 and Beyond.
The following is everything we learnt about intended software and services updates for the Synology Platform. How many of these end up as DSM 7.2 implementations and how many end up being rolled into individual application updates on their own (and therefore accessible in DSM 7.1 currently) is yet to be seen. Improvements in featured services such as Synology Active Backup, Drive and Surveillance Station may well arrive independently. Here is everything we learnt about future software updates and DSM 7.2:
Synology detailed numerous planned improvements that are arriving in the latest revision of DSM throughout the presentation. The good news is that people will not have to wait too long for DSM 7.2 to arrive, with the release stated as ‘early 2023’, with further clarification alongside other details to point towards Q1 2023 (Jan-March). This includes a great many smaller quality-of-life improvements, but some bigger ones in storage management and access. Several of the newer individual client software updates will likely be tied to DSM 7.2 and/or arrive in a beta format by the end of the year.
A long-term request by Synology NAS users for a few years, the ability to encrypt your NAS beyond the current ‘folder’ level in DSM. It is a little odd that Synology has not provided Disk, Volume or Pool level encryption in the system storage manager. The ability to encrypt the full volume means that you can be a great deal broader in your protection from your storage getting intercepted outside of your own authorized use. Prior to this, encrypted upto the folder/shared-folder level meant that you would likely need to maintain multiple key files/codes, as well as result in more work as your structured your system. Volume-level encryption hugely simplifies this, as well as allowing a larger container of storage to encrypt within.
Another HUGELY requested feature is parity in the Mac OS Support in Synology Active Backup that is currently available for the Windows Client. Up until now, Mac users that wanted to create a system-wide (OS level) backup relied on Apple Time Machine. This is still a solid and user-friendly option, but not hugely storage efficient, is tougher to browse through images than Synology AB and also does not play as nice with remote backups as it does with local backups (ie it supports network backups, but even then quite regimentally and does not correlate/manage those particular backups as well as using a Synology client and Synology NAS running Active Backup). Equally, Synology AB and Mac OS client app should allow viable and easier remote Mac image recovery options in a way currently not available.
NAS to NAS backups are NOT a new thing, but are more often than not either on a file/folder level (i.e using Hyper Backup) or, in the case of 3rd party general/linux servers, a big block of data that cannot effectively be viewed or managed natively. Improved Active Backup NAS to NAS support means that the same level of system/OS level backup image backup that is afforded to Windows PCs, VMs and More in Active Backup Suite can now be made with another Synology NAS server. Till now, the best options you had for NAS-to-NAS backups were Hyper Backup Folder level backups, Snapshot replication to send snapshot images on a schedule/sync/retention configuration, Backup your NAS image to Synology C2 Cloud (which can be synced elsewhere) and a few different file level sync/backup tools between servers. As Active Backup grows in popularity with Synology NAS users, including it in your 3-2-1 system-wide backup strategy makes alot of sense and for those that are already running a periodic/scheduled NAS to NAS backup, this makes even more sense than current file/folder level backups.
Note – My Full Review of the Synology WRX560 Router is now LIVE and you can watch it HERE on YouTube and read it HERE on the Blog.
Yes, Synology is working on a new WiFi 6 and 2.5G router – The Synology RT3000ax (also known as the WRX560). Before I go any further though,a little bit of background. I think it would be safe to say that Synology has been quite successful in their range of prosumer routers. When they first introduced the RT1900ac 6 years ago, it was seen as something of an experiment to see if they could bring the same level of software, design and experience that they had learned in network attached storage to one of the most common devices in all our homes and offices worldwide. Fast forward to now and they are on the 3rd Generation (technically, a little bit of overlap) and we have seen both the standard of Synology Router and the functionality of Synology Router Manager (SRM) evolve considerably – with the router arm of their portfolio getting stronger all the time. This brings us to the newly revealed WRX560 router, a more compact 802.11ax router that seems destined to serve as the refresh for the MR2200ac or (more likely) the RT2600ac at some point in the future.
With a new and intriguing design (definitely looks like what the most recent star wars trilogy did to stormtrooper helmets, but ok) and borrowed elements of the recently released RT6600ax router, the WRX560 would appear to be designed to be in a tier of their router portfolio serving as the middle-ground (when the OTT RT6600ax seems a bit pie in the sky).
Synology already has a very competent Active Directory management tool in ‘Synology Directory Server’, which turns your Synology NAS into a domain controller (DC) to manage users, devices, groups, and domain policies in a breeze. However, support of Microsoft AD is coming to Synology Drive. For the unaware, Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that runs on Microsoft Windows systems (i.e Windows Server). The main function of Active Directory from the client side is to enable administrators to manage permissions and control access to network resources. In Active Directory, data is stored as objects, which include users, groups, applications, and devices, and these objects are categorized according to their name and attributes. Then you have AD DS (Active Directory Domain Services) are a core component of Active Directory and provide the primary mechanism for authenticating users and determining which network resources they can access. AD DS also provides additional features such as Single Sign-On (SSO), security certificates, LDAP, and access rights management.
Write Once, Read Many (WORM) has been around in the world of data storage for a considerable length of time and allows a file to be accessed by many, many users without the original file being in any way changed or corrupted – a real issue if a file/database is being accessed by many users and changes inadvertently occur which overwrite the file or changes being made by others (file/media editors tackle this in other means, such as via using shadow editing or non-linear editing). WORM (Write Once, Read Many) is used to avoid modification of saved data. With increasingly stringent regulations on how information is stored, many countries require government agencies, financial institutions, and healthcare providers to comply with strict data archiving regulations. Many of these require storage systems to not tamper with archived data. This has led to WORM becoming increasingly common in commercial setups. Good examples are photos, contracts, financial reports, emails, employee information, and other important documents. They should not be modified once stored. In some professional fields, massive data needs to be analyzed, and huge amounts of real-time data need to be recorded and tracked. WORM technology is ideal for protecting these records so that they will not be overwritten and can be saved as a reference for future use.
The support of WORM in the Synology storage infrastructure will allow loving for files for a predetermined time, as well as configuration into two separate types – Compliance and Enterprise. Compliance issues ZERO write/edit/change, even by IT admins for the pre-defined period of time. Enterprise is similar, however, it DOES allow IT admin(s) to make changes and/or adapt the WORM access. Also, grace periods can be set in for files going into WORM configurations, which allow a period of time to pass before locks are engaged. This change along with several others that are to be implemented in DSM 7.2 are slated for Q1 of 2023 (Jan-March). In short, in WORM enabled folders data is protected from manipulation by not being able to change or delete it for a specified period of time. Immutable data backups can also be carried out via Hyper Backup for further protection and retention down the line too.
SMB is not new, but updates to Drive and SMB support also see changes with Synology DSM 7.2, with cross-protocol file locking between SMB shares and Drive, ensuring that files in use cannot be edited or overwritten across them. In addition, with SMB multichannel transfer, all network connections available between servers and clients can be used to increase the performance of SMB file transfer, regardless of traditional conflicts that would prevent them being bound/crossed together conventionally
Synology has provided their Office application in the DSM application list for quite a long time, serving as an in-house alternative to using 3rd party office doc tools such as Google Docs and Microsoft office. This combined with the Synology Drive application results in you being able to open all of your office format docs (text, spreadsheets, PDFs, etc) from within the Synology ecosystem, where your data lives. However, there is always room for improvement and we are told that new features such as document watermarks, improved revision recognition on docs exported over and an increase in support of file format/layouts from Microsoft Word etc.
Click to view slideshow.Synology highlighted their massive HD6500 and then discussed HUGE scale out cluster storage. The new scale-out clusters are also scheduled to appear in 2023 and provide faster file and object storage. This should allow server combinations of HD6500s servers that scale upto that of 12 petabytes to operate with a write speed of up to 60 GB/s (60,000MB/s).
Additionally, Synology is improving the management of large scale backups from a single portal point, via a new platform/service they are calling ‘Synology Backup Cloud’ (name almost certainly will change!) that will cover the operations of Active Backup, Hyper Backup and C2 Backup operations. Synology is aiming for this tool to provide the IT admin with a single easy window to manage, remote control and monitoring of all aspects of data backup.
Not a lot was said on this feature, but expect its development to be a little slower than most as, much like Active Insight, this is very much an enterprise site tool and likely at a premium.
The Synology C2 Identity application that was introduced with Synology DSM 7 at launch is also going to see updates in its supported authentication methods and client tech. These will include Windows Hello and Apple Face ID/Touch ID, as well as in connection with the upcoming C2 identity user portal, employees using managed devices can be automatically signed in with SAML.
The benefits of Synology Drive when it comes to larger teams of users being able to access the same folder(s) of data in order to collaborate on projects is already well documented. However, what if a client system that has access to a synced drive folder gets hijacked? Or at a moment’s notice, you need to suspend access to the share fro a specific client machine AND want to ensure that no locally sync’d/download copy is still there? Well, soon Synology Drive will be receiving an update to allow exactly that includes the ability to delete data remotely and is intended to minimize security risks by removing synchronized folders from stolen Windows and macOS systems.
Yes, that is right! Synology has revealed (at their Synology Enterprise Data Management Annual Conference Event in Taiwan) that they plan on releasing a new range of Surveillance PoE cameras to be used in conjunction with their excellent CCTV/NVR software, Surveillance Station. These are the Synology BC500 compact Bullet camera and the Synology TC500 Dome camera. Although not a vast amount of information was revealed on these new cameras, it is worth highlighting that this makes Synology the FIRST commercial NAS brand to release their own range of cameras. To put that into perspective, although IP Cameras (Web cameras, internet cameras, etc) have been supported and compatible with Synology NAS systems for years (thousands of models and brands), this is the first time they have directly produced a camera that they are personally recommending for use with their systems and software.
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This is something that alot of users have been asking/demanding for quite a long time. Here is the hardware that was revealed:
You can learn more about the Synology BC500 Bullet Camera and TC500 Turret Camera in our video below:
Synology is also working on releasing a new VisualStation device, the VS750HD partner device for surveillance coverage and monitoring in larger environments. That is a device with which you can monitor up to 75 streams and they state up to two monitors can be connected (still TBC)
This article will likely see a few updates as the week goes on! Subscribe to updates in the box below to get alerts when we add more!
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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