To find out more about DSM, go here.
Synology have released the latest version of DSM, the operating system for their extensive line of network attached storage (NAS) units. It features a brand-new look with the sort of clean, minimalist approach taken by Microsoft with Windows 8 and Apple with iO7. Whilst much of the changes are really refinements and improvements to existing functionality, there are some new features as well. For instance, Cloud Sync enables the DiskStation to synchronise information with popular cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive, which can provide a useful offsite backup facility for key data. Also, QuickConnect - Synology's method for providing easy remote access to the DiskStation without too much technical knowledge and configuration - has been significantly improved.
To find out more about DSM, go here. Three NAS boxes suitable for small business for under £600 The briefing was not particularly detailed: the business owner said "We have 6 employees in the company and we're prepared to spend £100 a head for a server", but it was a start. So, off we went to take a look at 3 NAS solutions that cost no more than £600. At this price, NAS (Networked Attached Storage) is by far the best option for a small business or organisation. It is possible - just about - to buy a small Windows file server (say a HP Microserver, for example) at this price, but compared to a NAS it is considerably more complex and will require a great deal more care and attention. During the course of its lifetime, the cost of ownership will be a lot higher and there will be far more problems and heartaches. In contrast, once setup a NAS box is largely a matter of "fire and forget".
For a small business, the consumer-grade NAS boxes such as Buffalo, Netgear, Iomega etc just don't cut it. They are limited in performance, functionality and redundancy facilities. Instead, it is necessary to step up a notch and go with the likes of Synology and QNAP - companies that only make NAS equipment. To that shortlist we would also add the Western Digital DX4000; as the recommended retail price for the DX4000 is £799 that's a bit of a tall order, but by judicious shopping around it is possible to obtain one for the magic figure of £600. As this level, the build quality is noticeably a notch above the lower priced domestic units. The cases use metal and strong plastics. All these three are solidly made; the QNAP TS-419P II perhaps edges just in front with its metal case and metal caddies for the hard drives. All three candidates can take four hard drives. These fit into removeable caddies and in each case are 'hot swap', meaning a failed drive can be replaced without stopping the system. All three use standard 3.5" HDDs, but the caddies in the QNAP can also use 2.5" HDDs, or a mixture of the two. So once again, QNAP edges it in terms of flexibility. Once difference between the Synology, QNAP and Western Digital is that the first two come without any drives. This gives more flexibility, but it means that the drives have to be purchased separately, installed and then setup. This is not hugely difficult, but will discourage some people. Both models cost around £400; a 2TB WD Red drive (specially designed for NAS usage) is around £100. Buying a pair brings the cost to about £600, and enables the NAS to operate with 2TB of RAID-1 or 'mirrored' storage. The WD Sentinel is aimed at the buyer who wants a system that is largely ready-to-go. As such, it comes with a pair of 2TB drives already installed. In the model we looked at these were enterprise-grade WD Black drives. So, the Western Digital wins this round. Low cost NAS units have anaemic processors and small amounts of memory (RAM), but these three boxes are far better equipped. The QNAP has a 2GHz Marvell (ARM) processor and 512MB RAM; the Western Digital has an Intel Atom dual-core 1.8GHz processor and 2GB RAM; the Synology has a dual-core 1.07 GHz ARM processor and 1GB RAM. On the face of it, the Western Digital has the most raw power, but this doesn't mean very much as the quality of the software also determines overall performance. Therefore, this specification is not particularly important. Redundancy - the ability to cope with a component failure - is a consideration at this level. The Synology has a single power supply and a single network (Ethernet) port; the QNAP also has a single power supply but two network ports - these can be configured in 'failover' mode or aggregate mode for increased performance. The WD Sentinel has dual Ethernet ports and the ability to use two power supplies, albeit only one is provided as standard (a second one costs about £50). So, the Western Digital wins and the Synology is at the bottom of the pile. The final topic is software. The QNAP uses its own Turbo NAS operating system; underneath the hood this is a customised version of Linux, with what can best described as a web interface with some coverflow features, similar to iTunes. It is comprehensive as well as functional. Synology use DSM (Disk Station Manager); this is also Linux-based and accessed from a browser, but looks and behaves like a desktop operating system (it is sometimes compared to Mac OS X). The WD DX4000 is a bit of an oddity, as it uses Windows Storage Server 2008. This will seem very familiar to anyone use to Windows, and has a friendly front-end grafted on to make the networking facilities more accessible. Both DSM and Turbo NAS have a relatively large number of add-on packages to provide additional functionality (such as anti-virus, cloud computing, customer management software, email etc). Synology has the most, QNAP comes second and WD is a distant third. In terms of software, Synology is head and shoulders above the other two. So, what is the overall verdict then? Each of these NAS units is well made and provides superb capabilities for any small business, meaning any is a good choice. If they could somehow be merged into one box - Synology's software, QNAP's hardware and Western Digital's packaging and overall attention to detail - it would be awesome. As it is, the customer preferred the Synology, but ended up purchasing a Synology 412+, which has a more powerful 2GHz dual-core processor and twin network interfaces, albeit at an extra £100. The idea of Cloud Computing is now well established amongst many computer users. Definitions of what constitutes Cloud Computing vary, but for most people it is above providing storage in the internet - a safe place where data and backups can be stored. Closely related to this is the idea of syncronisation and replications; as in, store something on the cloud and it is available to all your devices. Or in very simple language: it is liking having a big USB memory stick somewhere in the sky. The most popular cloud services for individuals and small businesses are Apple's iCloud, Microsoft's SkyDrive, Google Drive, Amazon S3 and Dropbox. In one sense, they are much of a muchness as they all do pretty much the same thing, with the amount of storage space and how much (if anything) you have to pay for it. All of these services are Public Clouds; that is, they are available to members of the public and are operated by commerical companies looking for customers amongst the general public. There are numerous advantages in using a public cloud. For a start, they are provided by enormous organisations that have the funding and expertise to provide a safe, reliable service that is always available. Also, there are considerable volumes of scale: with tens of millions of customers, they are able to provide a low cost service (as mentioned above, it can even be free). But, there are some disadvantages with public clouds. First, there is the question of trust: just how safe is your data? This doesn't just mean safe from prying eyes (hackers), it also means safe from the provider of the service. Some cloud operators, for instance Microsoft and Google, state in their terms and conditions that they reserve the right to look at and use your data. Now, you might expect that they need to take reasonable precautions to guard against the storage of material that is clearly illegal (terrorist manuals, pirated software and movies, certain types of pornography), and to provide controlled access to the security services under proper safeguards. But do you really want them trawling through your accounts or customer database or other documents to build up a profile of you and your business? Do you want one of your photographs subsequently appearing in an advertisement somewhere without your knowledge? Or to be bombarded with advertisements based on what they have determined to be your interests? All of these eventualities are catered for in the T&C of some of the big players. Secondly, what if the cloud provider changes the rules? That is, you might be very happy with the way their system operates in terms of pricing, performance, device availability and user interface. But one day you might find that they have changed things, that the system operates differently and that certain facilities have been withdrawn or your operating system is no longer supported (example: Apple's iCloud used to work with Windows XP. It no longer does so). It is unlikely that any of the big names will suddenly cease trading, but what if one of them decides that it no longer wants to be in the cloud business - what happens to your data then? Thirdly, although most cloud providers give some free storage, it may not be enough for you and the cost of additional space may be more than you are prepared to pay. For instance, Apple provide 5GB of storage for free (actually enough for a lot of people) but if you need more - say 50GB - then it is £70 a year. The answer to all of these questions is: a Private Cloud. This is one that you run yourself, one that is totally under your control (Your cloud. Your rules). As the data stays with you, you can feel secure that it is safe from prying eyes. And you can use it as much as you want, without any additional charges. Suddenly need 100GB rather than 5GB? No problem. Now, you might think that setting up a private cloud is something well beyond the capabilities of the average person or small business and, a few years ago, this was certainly the case. However, most modern NAS (Networked Attached Storage) boxes have the capability built-in. It's simply a matter of ticking a few boxes and answering one or two questions and you are up and running. Even consumer grade NAS boxes - the ones that sell for little more than £100 in the likes of PC World, Comet and Maplin have this capability. On prosumer (professional consumer) or small business NAS from the likes of Synology and QNAP, these private cloud facilities are every bit as sophisticated as what you get from Microsoft and Google et al, but without the limitations of price and capacity. Are there any pitfalls to be wary of? Yes. Because your NAS is connected to the internet then potentially it is susceptible to the activities of hackers, although realistically it is not much different than having, say, your normal computer connected and your probably don't worry too much about that. However, you should have a router with a decent firewall, avail yourself of any security features offered by the NAS box, plus use proper passwords on your accounts and change them from time to time. We would normally recommend prosumer equipment, for example Billion routers and Synology NAS |
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