Testfreaks has reviewed the Synology DS712+, the most powerful two bay NAS in the Synology line. This NAS also has the distinction of supporting Synology's 5 bay expansion box, allowing for up to 7 drives.
As with all Synology NAS servers, the diskstation manager software supports a full range of server features:
For the business user the Synology DiskStation DS712+ offers iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) support and being Virtualization Ready for use with VMware, Hyper-V, and Citrix. Other useful business applications include – FTP, PHP/MySQL, AFP, File Station, NFS, and WebDAV. While these features may not interest the home user they can be immensely usefully for businesses.
DiskStation Manager has been updated to version 4.0 with a 4.1 Beta being tested as we speak. Currently available in DSM 4.0 is the ability to install and run apps using the package center, setup your own private “cloud”, and set the drives to Synology Hybrid Raid (SHR) along with other features found in other high-end NAS servers.
The expansion device allows for a maximum of 28 TB to be in the NAS volume:
This eSATA port works with the expansion DX510 unit for those who want to really max out this NAS server. Seven total drives should be enough storage for most small to mid size businesses. Of course this addition also doubles the price of the unit as the DX510 retails for $499.
The review goes into great detail with many screen shots covering unboxing and setting up the DS712+. Of course, the review also contains the results of a number of speed tests, and this Synology is, naturally, a fast performer:
Overall the DiskStation DS712+ is the fastest NAS server that I reviewed. It was able to stream numerous formats and even transcode them. Even the system intensive MKV format is supported. Transferring files and folders seemed much faster than with the other networked connected devices.
Although a bit pricey for a two bay model, the expansion capabilities plus the sophisticated built in software make this NAS one to seriously consider if you want to start with a two bay NAS and expand later to up to 7 drives.
Related articles
- Synology Expansion Unit DX510 (nas-pro.com)
- Synology Releases the One Bay DS112+ NAS (nas-pro.com)
- Synology DS412+ Review (nas-pro.com)
( Leave a Comment )