Comments on: Synology NAS Servers: Why They’re Safe Choices and How to Start with One

By: Dong Ngo

Dong Ngo — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:52:21 +0000

In reply to EricM. You might have had a lemon, Eric. As mentioned, these servers can last.

By: EricM

EricM — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:10:55 +0000

Though I agree with your review on the superb functionalities of the Synology NAS, one thing to look at is the durability and quality of Synology’s after sales support. For me, both are very bad based on my personal experience with them. They have models that becomes EOL after a few years and would not even support the availability of hardware part replacements. Synology also uses some proprietary electronic parts that makes it difficult to repair and forces you to purchase a new unit. Lastly, customer service is very bad. Reported issues prolong for months without any sense of firm direction on solving the NAS problem. I believe it may be because they are already very big and that makes most companies arrogant already. I would not be surprise if after several years a company like that may go down by some new competition (similar cases with Nokia, Motorola who became arrogant on customers and never did any improvement anymore with regards to customer satisfaction).

By: Dong Ngo

Dong Ngo — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:33:24 +0000

In reply to julianmaples2@gmail.com.

You need to try it yourself, Julian. Get a Synology and you’ll know what I meant. Or just take my word for it.

Don’t go looking for specificity and bias confirmation. And then expect others to explain things for you in a way that fits your needs and narrative.

In a way, there’s no comparison between QNAP (and any NAS platform you’ve experienced) and Synology.

By: julianmaples2@gmail.com

julianmaples2@gmail.com — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:04:17 +0000

I have been using a consumer entry level Qnap NAS for about four years as an external HD. I have found it reliable and capable of being accessed easily over the net. However I have recently tried its email back up program and run into the problem very correctly summed up by Dong in his comment,

“Of all the mesh brands, QNAP[‘s ..] NAS operating system, QTS, is bloated and disorganized. Most apps are half-baked and unreliable.”

My entry level machine’s CPU is, Qnap have acknowledged, simply not up to using these apps and runs at 100% all the time. So I am disengaging the email back up program.

I do not see that Dong mentions an email back up program for Synology? If he does recomend one, which Synology NAS would he recommend is powerful enough to run it?

If not for Synology, which email back program elsewhere would Dong recommend?

Many thanks

By: Dong Ngo

Dong Ngo — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:36:54 +0000

In reply to Mike.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 14:28:12 +0000

Thank you for this really first class article. I’m so sick and tired of people who don’t know what the hell they are talking about posting YouTube videos. Two screens into this article and I knew it was worth STUDY rather than SCAN.

Again, thanks for the excellent work.

By: Dong Ngo

Dong Ngo — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 18:46:02 +0000

In reply to Pete. The 3 are similar specs-wise, Pete. I'd go with the DS923+ if NVMe as storage is needed -- and it's great, read the review for more. Otherwise, the DS1522+ is of the same specs and more bays -- it might get NVMe as storage at some point though don't quote me on it. Or you can use the DS1621+ and have a separate SATA SSD volume. In any case, don't use NVMe cache it won't help in most cases. Good luck!

By: Pete

Pete — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 18:30:19 +0000

Hi Dong,
Thanks for the article. I have a DS1512+ that seems a bit slow with things like NABnzdb, Radarr, etc., and I’m thinking of upgrading. Looking at the DS923+, 1522+, and 1621+ (I recall having 4 disks and an SSD for cache. Figure I can disable cache before moving disks so that the DS923+ is an option). I don’t envision storage capacity issues, so the 923+ should be enough. Would the 923+ and 1522+ be about the same except for capacity (Figure I would eventually upgrade memory, so I’m not worried about the difference in out-of-box memory)?

Would you have a suggestion on the 1621+ vs. the 923+/1522+? I see the processors are different…
Thanks

By: Samir

Samir — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 00:13:44 +0000

I’ve always wondered what the model numbers meant–and now I know! Thank you Dong!

So it seems some of my older units are from 2013 and 2015–and you know what, they’re still awesome on dsm 6 for just being storage, easily maxing out gigabit even with a single drive. I’m typically using enterprise or near enterprise drives, WD Gold, HGST, Seagate Exos, or WD Red Plus/Pro/whatever it is today. I also have units from QNAP, Netgear and even a Lenovo and the Synologies seem to max out gigabit with the least effort.

By: Dong Ngo

Dong Ngo — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 21:18:11 +0000

In reply to William. I noted that in this post, William, and the review of the DS923+. You can still use any drive with Synology, they are just not supported if something happens and got get a passive warning -- the drive health check still works, by the way. But yes, Synology has slowly going the Apple route in hardware control. Not a good thing.