DSM is a highly regarded piece of software and is considered to give Synology a huge advantage over other NAS suppliers. Most NAS systems are controlled using static web pages and as such are rather clunky to use. In contrast, although accessed within a browser, DSM provides an experience much like using a regular computer, complete with a Desktop, multiple windows plus a drag-and-drop interface. Synology were the first to do this and although other manufacturers such as QNAP and Netgear have been playing catch-up, Synology remain ahead of the curve.
DSM 5 features a new interface. The fashion these days is for simplified, cleaner look, as seen in Apple's iOS 7 and Microsoft's Windows 8 and DSM 5 is very much within this vogue. But it is more than a pretty face - a lot of effort has gone into making it easier to install, configure and manage the system.
As it is still early days, it's probably inappropriate to run through all the changes in detail, particularly as things are still subject to change. But one very useful new capability is the so-called "hybrid" cloud. Most people will be familiar with public cloud services such as Dropbox, SkyDrive and Google Drive. Synology have Cloud Station, which provides a totally private cloud solution. But DSM 5 supports both, offering the best of both worlds plus providing a means to backup key data from the DiskStation to Dropbox, Google Drive and Baidu (the latter is a sort of Chinese equivalent to Google). This is a very exciting development indeed.
We will provide more information on DSM 5 as the official launch date approaches.