Catch problems early with scheduled tests and actionable alerts so you can replace drives before data is at risk.

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Overview

Drive health monitoring combines automated tests, attribute tracking, and alerts so you can act before failures impact uptime.

Schedule tests and checks

Use a simple schedule that fits your maintenance windows.

  • Weekly short S M A R T tests outside work hours
  • Monthly extended S M A R T tests with email alerts enabled
  • Quarterly review of logs and attributes

Key S.M.A.R.T attributes to watch

These attributes often change before a failure.

Attribute Description Action
Reallocated Sector Count (5) Bad sectors remapped by the drive Replace if the count grows
Reported Uncorrectable Errors (187) Errors that could not be corrected Investigate cabling and replace if persistent
Command Timeout (188) Timeouts during operations Check power and cables, monitor trend
Current Pending Sector (197) Unstable sectors awaiting remap Run extended test and consider replacement
Uncorrectable Sector Count (198) Sectors that could not be corrected Replace the drive
Temperature Sustained high temperature reduces life Improve airflow and keep within vendor guidance

Alerts and thresholds

Set alerts so you know when to act.

  • Enable email notifications for S M A R T failures and bad sector warnings
  • Set temperature alerts and adjust fan profiles if supported
  • Review test results after each extended test

Replacement guidelines

Replace proactively when risk increases.

  • Growing reallocated or pending sector counts
  • Repeat uncorrectable errors in logs
  • Abnormal noises, overheating, or frequent timeouts

Records and RMA

Good records speed up warranty claims and audits.

  • Keep logs, screenshots, and test results
  • Record serial numbers and install dates
  • Store purchase invoices and warranty terms

FAQs

Quick answers for common monitoring questions.

  • Are vendor tools required
  • DSM S M A R T tools are sufficient for most sites
  • Should I use SSDs for critical data
  • Use SSDs where low latency is required and monitor endurance
  • Do I need RAID if I have good monitoring
  • Yes, monitoring does not replace redundancy and backups

Need technical support or more detailed guidance? Please contact Synology via our Synology Support – Australia page. It includes ticket, Live Chat, warranty and downloads links.

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