There is too much information around us, which is terrible to lose. This applies to work, family archives and other information that must be copied somewhere just in case. I myself often catch myself thinking that I am worried about my data, which may be lost, and therefore I have already managed to overlap with a large number of backup hard drives, to which I periodically copy intermediate results of my work and home archive of photos and videos. I recently switched to a simpler copy method that does everything by itself. I only had to set up the system once and I could forget about its work. Finally, you can abandon the inconvenient backup method.
Synology DS920 + NAS Review
The system in question is called NAS. This stands for Network Attached Storage, and the device itself is a file-level storage server.
The Synology DS920 + , which I have been using for several weeks, is a backup and sync tool. It is suitable for backing up and synchronizing files in home networks and small offices. It can also be used to create your own cloud storage.
Interestingly, the device I use works great in infrastructure if you’re an Apple fan. You can sync media with any iOS or Mac OS device, stream videos from storage to AppleTV , share your iTunes library, and even use the device to expand TimeMachine’s capabilities.
How many drives can be installed in the NAS
In the basic version, the Synology DS920 + supports the installation of four drives, but if this is not enough, then using the dedicated DX517 unit, you can scale the system up to nine. Not everyone will find this useful at home, but it does provide room for growth if needed. The maximum storage capacity is 144TB , which is more than enough even for video editing studios.
I opted for two 14TB IRONWOLF NAS HDDs from Seagate . I am sure that everyone has their favorite versions of drives, but I always opt for these drives. It just so happened that I bought a Seagate Barracuda for my first serious computer in the mid-2000s, they did not let me down and I began to trust this manufacturer.
What Can You Connect to Synology DS920 +
On the front of the Synology DS920 +, there are four drive trays, a power button with an indicator, a USB 3.0 connector, and indicator and drive indicators. On the back side you can see two fan cooling system , two Gigabit RJ-45 connector, eSATA port, power connector, reset button and slot for Kensington security lock. At the bottom, there are two built-in M.2 SSD slots, allowing you to take full advantage of Synology’s SSD cache.
Everything looks very harmonious and stylish, but the backup storage is primarily made for safety. That is why there is a Kensington socket on the back panel so that no one can take the device away. In front, so as not to carry the disks away, there is a blocking of their trays (keys included).
Power Synology DS920 +
Many people mistakenly believe that such systems work on the principle of connecting multiple drives via USB to a computer. In fact, this is not the case, and the NAS is its own computer. He needs computing power, including for internal applications and data processing. Therefore, the Synology DS920 + is powered by a 2.0GHz quad-core processor (upgradeable to 2.7GHz)
An important feature of the Synology DS920 + is its ability to work with Apple devices. All branded applications are released for Mac OS, and some applications from the AppStore allow you to use it even more fully. For example, by installing Synology Moments, you can back up your iPhone photos and videos so you don’t have to pay for a lot of cloud storage.
If you store any videos on the NAS, you can easily play them on Apple TV using your smartphone. You just need to select the file and send it via AirPlay to the set-top box with 5.1 sound saved. This will be convenient if you do not want to store video files on your smartphone or computer, but want to view them in the usual way.
Synology NAS interface
The management interface of the Synology DS920 + is simple yet functional. Everything is laid out in its place and even a minimal idea of how the storage works is enough to understand it. If it still does not work, then there are various guides on the manufacturer’s website and just tips on the net.
Backup and Expand MacBook Memory
In addition, you can set up TimeMachine backups so that what is saved there is automatically transferred to the NAS. And even if this is already a backup, why not duplicate the data again?
Many people buy MacBook Pros and iMacs with smaller amounts of memory. All due to the fact that it is for the memory that Apple takes a lot of money. Sometimes it costs several tens of thousands of rubles to increase the storage to normal values. She chooses very fast drives for her computers and therefore the price is justified, but such speeds are not always needed, for example, for the downloaded season of her favorite series. In this case, the NAS will be an excellent solution that will expand the memory of an already expensive laptop.
Do I need to buy a NAS
These are all in addition to the basic NAS functionality. In addition to the very cool work with Apple, Synology DS920 + allows you to perform other basic functions of such systems. Among them: access to storage from anywhere in the world, collaboration, secure file storage, backing up and copying data from connected devices.
If you are not indifferent to the data that is stored on your computer or mobile device, stop risking it already. Replace the hard drive that needs to be constantly connected to your computer with a complete end-to-end solution.
Yes, such a device is not cheap. Without discs, its cost is approximately 50,000 rubles. But imagine how much you will save if instead of the MacBook Pro with 1TB of storage, you buy a more modest version. And you will also stop paying several hundred rubles every month for cloud storage to backup your phone. Putting it all together, the cost of a good, reliable NAS doesn’t seem so high. If you still don’t need a 4-disc model, there are simpler versions. For example, Synology DS220 + with two drives .
