Packing:
The device comes in an appropriately sized cardboard packaging. You can open well and allows a tool-free access to all parts included.
Scope of supply:
In addition to the NAS enclosure is still the external power supply in a box, a (short) cable with IEC connector, an Ethernet cable, the necessary screws for mounting the hard drives and a Quick Start Guide.
Assembly:
The housing itself is not screwed factory, but can be easily postponed. Then the two drive bays come to light. The screw holes are damped with rubber to prevent vibrations.
The hard drives can push each directly to their place, where they engage in the plug and can be attached to the side to four screw points.
Are the media or mounted, the housing can be pushed together again and are sealed with the enclosed screws.
Commissioning:
LAN infect, infect current turn.
After a few minutes there is a beep that indicates that the device is ready for configuration. If you open via the IP or find.synology.com the configuration wizard until the operating system installation is one available. This can be done automatically or manually. The automated process is working fine.
After a few minutes the Box restarts and is ready for use after booting, so users can be set up. Also offers a to the pits to download a basic set of apps. Can you make, but you do not. One should think about whether you really need.
After logging on to the surface followed by a short briefing and then it'll go.
Configuration:
The configuration is simple and does not differ from the other models of Synology.
You can create users, set quotas, create shares, enable and disable protocols, use Time Machine ...
Everything on a clear surface. Who does not know this and would like to test, Synology offers a live demo. Just the search engine of choice with 'Synology demo' feed and off you go.
Performance:
Finally the essence of speed.
Per Gigabit cabling reported the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test in the first test with 1 GB file size with a WD Red drive 5400 83mbyte / s write and 86mbyte / s read.
For the first test absolutely OK, I think.
(The fact that the throughput suffers when it comes to small files or if the Share is encrypted, it should be clear.)
Volume:
The case fan is barely audible because it is drowned out by the noise of the hard disk (s) in use. Under my desk the unit will not interfere.
What can the appliance still?
There are a variety of services and extensions that can be used with the NAS. That media server are integrated and you can configure an external access the internet when required, will be well known. Less well known perhaps is the ability to teach connected printers AirPrint to print from i-devices.
Conclusion:
For the price a very good offer. Good workmanship, good to administer, faster data throughput - very suitable as a family or small office NAS.
Supplement in 03/2015
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After a few months of use here an update of the information:
First, to speed:
I originally reported a throughput of ~ 80MB / s, I am pleased to be able to increase this value at the maximum. If you work alone on the storage and transfers large files, both reading and writing may well reach three-digit values. So far I could observe data rates to about 115MB / s.
Software of the NAS:
The Betriebssoftwre the NAS is very stable and is regularly supplied with updates. The automatic installation can be controlled in several stages: Of course you can turn it off. Furthermore, however, it is also possible to distinguish whether security updates to be installed and whether that should also apply to other updates, however.
The NAS logs if necessary when: It is possible to deposit credentials to an SMTP server over which the NAS to a contact receives email when necessary. This happens for example when an update is available. Depending on how it reports only or announces that it will install it in 15 minutes if you do not break off this beforehand. In addition, you can post a regular status report on the state of the NAS.
Backups:
Those who do not hope in giving the illusion that a panel composite of two plates is an adequate backup, which gets an easy-to-use solution to secure the NAS, with. In the Control Panel of the NAS can create backup jobs. Either the entire storages or only selected shares. Also, the target is variable. So it is possible on a network destination (whether local or remote does not matter) to back up or to use an ans NAS connected directly via USB drive for it.
Updated Conclusion: Still very good Geät with great price / performance ratio. Well suited for applications with few concurrent users and adequately fast with very good software.