Synology Buying Guide

Step 1: Assess Your Use Case

Home Users: Backup photos, stream 4K movies, or host a personal cloud.

Small Businesses: Centralize file sharing, run virtual machines, or deploy surveillance systems.

Enterprises: High-availability storage, massive scalability, and ransomware protection.

Step 2: Determine Storage Capacity

Light Use (1-4 TB): 1-2 users, documents, and photos.

Medium Use (4-20 TB): Families, small teams, or 4K media libraries.

Heavy Use (20+ TB): Large businesses, video editors, or surveillance systems.

Step 3: Understand Synology NAS Model Numbers

DS = DiskStation (desktop/tower form factor).
9 = Series class (indicates performance tier and scalability).
23 = Release year (indicates the model was released in 2023).
+ = Suffix (indicates high-performance tier with upgradable RAM and advanced features). Example: DS224+
play = Optimised for 4K/Plex Streaming Example: DS423play
j = Budget-friendly (basic specs) Example: DS223j
RP = Dual power supplies (enterprise). Example: (RS1221RP+)
X = 10GbE networking included. Example: DS3622xs+

Step 4: Choose the Right Drive Type

HDDs (Hard Disk Drives): Affordable, high-capacity storage for general use.
SSDs (Solid State Drives): Faster performance, ideal for high-speed applications like virtualization or databases.
Hybrid Setup: Combine SSDs for caching and HDDs for bulk storage.

Step 5: Plan Your RAID Configuration

RAID 1: Mirroring for data redundancy (2 drives).
RAID 5: Balance of performance and redundancy (3+ drives).
RAID 10: High performance and redundancy (4+ drives).
SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID): Flexible and user-friendly, ideal for mixed drive sizes.

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Step 6: Evaluate Network Requirements

1GbE: Suitable for home users or small offices.
10GbE: Necessary for high-speed data transfer in businesses or media editing.
Link Aggregation: Combine multiple 1GbE ports for improved bandwidth.

Step 7: Check NAS-Specific Software and Features

DSM (DiskStation Manager): Synology’s intuitive operating system for NAS management.
Backup Solutions: Active Backup for Business, Hyper Backup, or Cloud Sync.
Media Streaming: Plex, Video Station, or Audio Station support.
Surveillance: Synology Surveillance Station for IP cameras.
Virtualization: Run virtual machines with VMM (Virtual Machine Manager).
Btrfs File System: Advanced data protection with snapshots and checksums.

Step 8: Consider NAS Expandability

Drive Bays: Choose a NAS with enough bays for current and future needs (e.g., 2-bay, 4-bay, 8-bay).
Expansion Units: Some models support additional storage via expansion units (e.g., DX517).
Upgradability: Look for models with upgradable RAM or SSD cache slots.

Step 9: Set a Budget

Entry-Level: 200−200−500 (e.g., DS223j, DS224+).
Mid-Range: 500−500−1,000 (e.g., DS923+, DS423play).
High-End: $1,000+ (e.g., DS3622xs+, RS1221RP+).

Step 10: Read Reviews and Compare NAS Models

Check user reviews and professional comparisons for real-world performance insights.
Use Synology’s official website to compare specs and features.

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Information

Digital Life (Bee Series)

Surveillance

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