“I had a blast” testing the Synology DiskStation DS220+

MyBroadband lately acquired Synology DiskStation DS220+ network-attached storage (NAS) models and requested our readers to strive them out.

The purpose was to get a number of viewpoints from real-world customers.

We due to this fact discovered MyBroadband readers who had robust technical data and had been eager about utilizing these models, and requested them for sincere suggestions.

Abridged variations of those opinions will be learn beneath.

Ryan

The DiskStation DS220+ is extremely simple to assemble and it took me lower than 10 minutes to insert each drives and hook the NAS as much as my PC and router.

The drive bays will be accessed and eliminated with out the use of any further instruments, with simply a screwdriver required to suit the arduous drives.

While Synology does have a record of arduous drives that it recommends you employ, I opted to simply use two spare drives I had mendacity round and deliberate to alter them out in case I bumped into any hiccups.

However, it seems this was pointless and upon booting up the gadget I used to be given the choice to format them, in addition to a graph displaying how ‘wholesome’ the units are and the way they’re working.

It is throughout this preliminary setup course of that it turns into clear how highly effective this little NAS is, as you might be given a vary of choices to entry it outdoors of the house in addition to a number of distinctive format choices, together with one for Linux customers.

You are additionally capable of setup password-locked accounts, permitting you to share the gadget with roommates and relations with none concern of your treasured knowledge being by accident deleted.

Power person

While I anticipated to spend a while looking up how packages on a NAS work by a wiki, Synology helpfully directs customers to a number of essential options by a devoted desktop.

This contains a assist part which walks customers by file sharing and the best way to entry media recordsdata by their house networks. The desktop additionally has Synology’s equal of an “app retailer” permitting customers to put in programmes by the click on of the button.

After I setup the NAS for sharing on my house community, I used to be capable of rapidly setup my Plex Account and start the technique of phasing out my present media PC. I additionally setup an anti-virus and automated backup software program for my work laptop computer, all with a couple of clicks.

I’m genuinely impressed with how simple the DiskStation DS220+ was to assemble and setup, with a a lot wider vary of options on provide than I anticipated. A NAS has now gone from a nice-to-have to a necessity, and the DiskStation successfully changed my media PC in a night. I’m trying ahead to exploring the different options which are obtainable — together with the skill to entry content material outdoors of my house.

Click here to read the full review.


Kevin

Setting up the NAS was simple, because of the brief and easy set up information which began with three bullet factors printed on the outdoors of the field.

Inside the Synology field was the DS220+ together with a vary of cables, together with energy and community.

Alongside this sat the set up information, which was brief and really useful (the excellent mixture).

It exhibits you the best way to open the entrance of the NAS and set up your arduous drive, after which guides you thru connecting the unit to your private home router.

Invoking the “newbie” a part of my newbie techie title, I chosen the fast set up choices and left the default file system settings in place — bar the customized NAS unit title, password, and shared folders which you might be required to create.

I then ran a arduous drive and safety test.

Shared folders

The first process was to make the 1TB of recent space for storing obtainable to my media PC and different units in the home.

For each Windows and Mac, that is quite simple and the “Help” part in the Synology browser interface to your NAS is beneficial right here.

For my media PC and my gaming PC — a Windows 10 laptop computer and Windows 10 desktop, respectively — I went to File Explorer, This PC, after which chosen the Map Network Drive choice.

You then enter the title of your NAS unit, together with the title of the shared folder on it which you desire to the PC to entry.

Access is granted after you enter your NAS username and password, and you need to use the shared folders on the NAS as you’ll a folder in your PC’s native arduous drive or SSD.

After setting this up, I used to be operating 1TB of shared storage which may very well be accessed by all PCs in the home, and instantly began transferring my media recordsdata to it.

Media server

We have a Samsung TV in the lounge which runs a native Netflix app, and related to this TV through HDMI is our “media PC”.

When there may be nothing good to look at on Netflix my associate desires to make use of the media PC.

I’ve to cease what I’m doing, go to the lounge, activate the laptop computer and the fan stand, swap the TV to HDMI, and unlock the PC’s person account which is password protected.

The assist menu in the NAS dashboard supplied a answer right here, and recommended I strive the Synology Media Server bundle.

After putting in the bundle, default picture, music, and video folders are created on the NAS. The media recordsdata in these folders are then obtainable to look at on “DMA units”.

The assist menu said that DLNA/UPnP and DMA units embody the likes of sensible TVs that are related to the native community which the NAS is operating on.

On high of this, the Media Server menu has an choice which lets you see DMA units which can be found in your community – with our Samsung TV listed.

Accessing the collection on the TV was then simple.

I ran a number of movies in .avi format and so they labored completely — and my associate was pleased with the technique of the best way to entry the content material.

More exploring forward

The steps above took about three hours in whole to execute, and there may be a lot extra I can be exploring with the NAS.

Plex is offered, which I wish to take a look at, and I’m additionally eager to check out automated file backups to the NAS from native PCs.

The DS220+ can also be a 2-bay NAS, and the obtainable slot is begging for one more arduous drive to be put in.

Time to begin saving for that 16TB unit.

Click here to read the full review.


Stuey74

The supply arrives and like a child on Christmas day I unpack the field, test I’ve the said contents, seize 2×2TB drives that I had mendacity round and put all of it collectively.

Assign the gadget some static IP’s and obtain the Synology Assistant software program. Really excited that there’s a Linux desktop model, a little disillusioned that after discovering the gadget instantly all the join button does is open a net GUI.

The guided set up of the Synology DSM (DiskStation Manager) software program is simple, in lower than 5 minutes I used to be up and operating and logged into the principal display.

First job, set-up the drives, once more a guided train to create storage swimming pools, volumes, RAID ranges, file techniques and shared folders.

I additionally let the system do a test on the drives, not likely vital however a good concept if you’re undecided what situation your drives are in.

This ran in the background for about 4 hours, growing the CPU and reminiscence utilization barely. The drives are accessible throughout this however entry occasions are elevated.

After the disk checking is full it’s time to truly use the NAS. In this occasion I’m utilizing this as purely storage.

Mounted to my server I run rsync on a few image folders, test I can get to the SMB shares, begin copying some massive media recordsdata and sit again and watch.

On the management display there may be a good system well being widget displaying CPU community site visitors and reminiscence utilization.

CPU utilization jumps round a little, the 2GB reminiscence operating at round 14% utilised and community pace tracks at between 80 MB/s to 90 MB/s.

My subsequent process was to plug in exterior storage, on this case a 4 bay chassis.

Immediately picked up the drives however they had an unsupported recordsdata system, xfs.

Quick and straightforward to format to both ext4 or FAT32, set-up a folder on every drive and right away obtainable to the shares on the distant desktops.

This makes including further exterior storage a breeze and permits the Synology DSM to configure and share exterior drives by a easy GUI.

So for my first few days of utilizing the DS220+ I’m very pleased with its primary operate of storage. I’ll proceed to discover what’s on provide however my outdated NAS is unquestionably now redundant.

I’ll see if shifting my bigger 6TB drives from a devoted server to the NAS and operating varied media operations is a viable various to the server at a later stage.

What I appreciated:

  • Very simple to unbox, add drives and plug in
  • Easy guided set-up of DSM
  • Looks very good
  • Set-up of drives, folders, shares is intuitive and shouldn’t be too tough for a non technical particular person

What I didn’t like:

Not actually something I didn’t like, besides the entrance cowl pulls off, would favor a correct door and the choice so as to add RAM, a good choice however maybe provide the further RAM as a greater specced gadget.

I’ve appeared round and there doesn’t appear to be inventory of the RAM at the second, priced at round R1500 when obtainable.

I might most likely do that, regardless that my preliminary testing didn’t require it, once I begin to use it greater than I think it could come in useful. Also simply because there may be an growth slot (which is handy to get too, no main disassembly required).

Click here to read the full review.


Devo1

I had a blast up to now testing a gadget that I’ve solely heard of earlier than.

My understanding of how a NAS (community hooked up storage) works is rising each single time I discover increasingly of the capabilities that this highly effective gadget has to supply.

Impression up to now

  • Hardware set up was a breeze.
  • Installation of the DSM by the assistant may be very simple.
  • Volume creation and Shared Folder creation was additionally very simple.
  • The DS220+ DSM interface pace will not be too unhealthy.
  • The gadget itself may be very quiet. I can hardly hear the fan.

There are way more superior options packed into the gadget that individuals in the IT business will even make the most of like VPN connection setups, superior folder encryption, safe key administration, static IP addresses and port forwarding, cloud sync backup options and superior RAID setup options to simply title a few.

I’ll, with a while, familiarize myself with increasingly of the capabilities and functions the Synology DS220+ DiskStation have to supply.

What I appreciated / execs:

  • Easy {hardware} and software program set up
  • Some of the cell functions may be very helpful.
  • Excellent Software. The DSM interface is person pleasant and completely categorized.
  • Runs very cool and silent (apart from when a drive fails, lol).
  • Video and Audio Transcoding will get a massive thumbs up from me.
  • DLNA/UPnP compliant.
  • Automated raid administration system (SHR) is simple to make use of while you shouldn’t have RAID data.
  • The 2GB reminiscence will be upgraded utilizing the further reminiscence slot if wanted.
  • Wake on Lan is a helpful operate if you do not need to run your NAS 24/7.
  • Push Notifications to provide you with a warning on safety breaches or system failures.
  • 2 Bay for the win! No extra dropping treasured images, recordsdata, and media.
  • I discover it very simple to entry the NAS from anyplace utilizing QuickJoin.
  • Sharing of media through a hyperlink to my family and friends.

What I didn’t like / cons:

Wow, that is a tough one, as I like virtually all the pieces about this DS220+

  • Surveillance Station: you may solely add 2 cameras totally free.
  • The Schuko plug I had to bodily pound into my energy socket I had obtainable.
  • Too many cell functions that you must obtain, every with just one or two capabilities. One cell utility (just like the DSM interface) could be superior.
  • Some of the cell functions timed-out when making an attempt to log in (solely occurred a couple of times, particularly with DS File).

Click here to read the full review.

synology


McGuywer

It by no means even crossed my thoughts to think about getting a NAS. I simply didn’t suppose I might have any use for it.

Unboxing and including a drive was a breeze. Everything that’s wanted is included in the field, even two LAN cables for the hyperlink aggregation.

All parts neatly wrapped in plastic and are of top of the range.

A pleasant function was that DSM checks if there may be any new updates and if these updates have an effect on any points you may need had.

Thinking that that is solely a NAS, I used to be pleasantly shocked once I opened the Package Centre to search out a lot of further options and functions.

These embody a DNS server, mail server, SQL server and even Node.js server. Tomcat and Docker can also be there.

The latter is the one which I received actually enthusiastic about. I wished to switch my Pi-hole occasion and transfer it from the cloud to a native machine.

Running a 400watt desktop laptop 24/7 for DNS queries appeared a bit extreme so that’s the reason I made a decision to maneuver it to the Synology NAS.

Pros:

  • High Quality/Durable construct
  • Extremely fairly
  • Low energy consumption
  • Easy to make use of interface
  • Contents in field contains all the pieces that’s wanted besides drives
  • Link Aggregation
  • Third Party Applications

Cons:

  • Celeron processor
  • Only two drive bays
  • Closed Operating System
  • Price
  • Need to format drives upon including

Thank you to MyBroadband and Synology for permitting me the pleasure of reviewing this excellent piece of {hardware}.

Click here to read the full review.

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