Tag Archives: DSM

Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) 6.0 Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
1

Introduction

It has been about six months since Synology launched the Beta program for the new DiskStation Manager (DSM) 6.0 and we’re so very close to an official release. Today I’m taking a closer look at just this new operating system and will show you the new improvements and features.

This review is a little special for me as my NAS reviews normally focus a lot more on the hardware side of things as well as the performance. It isn’t that I don’t show the user interface and features, but there isn’t room to dive as deep into the system as there is today where I’m focusing on the operating system and apps alone.

There are a lot of new great enhancements in DSM 6.0 and one of the best is one that you’ll barely notice as a normal user because it’s going on behind the curtains. The new OS has been upgraded to a 64-bit architecture on compatible models. This will not only allow for a better overall performance by utilizing the modern CPUs a lot better, it also supports over 4GB memory allocation for one single process to deploy large scale applications.

Synology also took some of the previous built-in features and modularized them into packages instead. This ensures better system maintenance and update flexibility. The Modularization in DSM 6.0 includes Storage Analyzer, Hyper Backup, PHP, Web Station and Text Editor, Log Center with basic built-in functions in DSM and extensive functions via package download, WebDAV, and Snapshot Replication.

DSM 6.0 brings a lot of enhancements for both home users and enterprises alike. The High Availability Manager server is now able to handle split-brain errors a lot better and it doesn’t require a full data replication anymore to get back up and running. This can save you from valuable downtime and thereby profit loss. It also comes with improved upgrade efficiency and cluster binding, and best of all, it also supports Docker DSM

Backup and replication got new features too and some things got moved around to accommodate the new add-on packages. Any existing setups will automatically be moved to the new locations upon upgrading, so that’s not something you need to worry about. CSP support got added to the security features in order to prevent XSS attacks while TLS and SSL profiles can be adjusted according to your browser capability and settings. Another nifty new security feature is that you can add and manage you most frequently used devices as trusted devices that don’t need a verification code every time you log in.

There are several new and pretty awesome features in DSM 6.0 beta, where on of them is the Docker DSM. Businesses can create a multi-tenant environment with flexible resource control and secure isolation. All Docker DSMs run independently from each other and provide additional features such as live migration. Synology’s multi-version backup provides snapshot and replication to one or more remote sites, up to every 5 minutes, and block-level incremental backup and cross-version deduplication is also included. You’re well covered here.

The SSD cache feature allows you to use up to 12 SSDs now, but that amount is naturally for the big enterprise models and the home-use NAS don’t come that kind of drive-bay amount. When SSD cache is enabled on a volume with advanced iSCSI LUNs, the performance can be improved up to 30%. You can now use different SSD models to create an SSD cache.

This is truly an upgrade that worth the shift from 5.x to 6.0 with the amount of features added, and I’ve only mentioned some of them up until now. The search feature won’t just search file and directory names now, it can also search the files actual content as well as meta tags to find just the thing you’re looking for. You can use 802.1X network authentication for wired networks and organize your firewall rules into different profiles.

There’s also a new Spreadsheet feature with co-editing, historical versions, tag, and file sharing link as part of Note Station. Offline editing, one-click email clipping, and instant table-chart conversion is also part of the deal. Apple Watch users can now enjoy the Note Station even more as it is now compatible with the Watch. Owners of an Apple Watch can now check notes directly on their wrist, or create new notes via voice input.

MailPlus server comes with active-active architecture, load balancing, and content filters and allows you to have a great mail solution running right from your own location. The clients are browser- and mobile-based and feature physical mailbox, virtual labels, auto-filter, and sticker.

Cloud Station Server and Cloud Sync now provide users with flexible synchronization of files within specified subfolders in addition to shared folders. Small file syncing has now become over 8 times faster than before which is great as those small files often come in big groups. Synology also revamped the Video station for this new version. It now supports offline transcoding, on-screen buttons, and Windows 10. DS Audio got Apple Watch support now too, to allow users to select songs, playlists, and broadcasts directly.

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Synology Releases Affordable yet Powerful DS416j 4-Bay NAS

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Synology has released quite a few new NAS lately and we’ve also reviewed multiple of them, but they got more waiting for customers that want to enter the world of NAS or upgrade their current solution. The newest member of the Synology family is the DS416j, a powerful yet affordable 4-bay NAS.

Synology’s DS416j is equipped with an Armada 388 Dual Core processor with 1.3GHz and it comes with 512 MB DDR3 memory. The Armada 388 should deliver plenty of power for this NAS and it also comes with built-in hardware encryption engine. Thanks to the choice of hardware, the DS416j is capable of serving you files with 112.82 MB/s when reading and 101.2 MB/s when writing. Encryption naturally takes some resources, but the DS416j is still capable of a performance around 50MB/s when reading and 37MB/s when writing. That is an increase of 58% in encrypted file transfers compared to its predecessor model.

The DS416j NAS comes with adjustable LED indicators for status, network, and all four hard disk drives. You can switch between four levels of brightness and also put them on a schedule where you turn them off when they aren’t needed. You get a single Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 connection as well as a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 port on the rear of the unit. It sadly doesn’t have a front USB port, but we also have to remember that this is a budget device and it most likely won’t be the deal breaker for anyone.

Naturally Synology added their well known and great operating system DSM that will provide you will all the features you want and a lot more on top of that. You get easy cross-platform file sharing and synchronizing, download features, apps for playback and streaming of all sorts of media to DLNA and smart devices, as well as comprehensive backup solutions.

Synology targets home and personal users who seeks to get a massive storage capacity where they can build their own personal cloud or serve as a multimedia server. At the same time it targets those who either don’t have a big budget or just don’t want to spend a lot on their next NAS. Four-bay NAS units tend to be quite expensive, but the DS416j comes with a recommended retail price of just £220, and that already includes the VAT.

Synology Announces DiskStation Manager 6.0 Beta

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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It has been a little while since Synology released the last major update for their award-winning NAS operating system, but now it is here, t least in its beta form. Synology officially announced the beta release of their DiskStation Manager, or DSM for short, as version 6.0 beta. The new system architecture will be much more efficient thanks to the upgrade to 64-bit architecture on compatible models as well as modularisation of a greater number of applications.

There are several new and pretty awesome features in DSM 6.0 beta, where on of them is the Docker DSM. Businesses can create a multi-tenant environment with flexible resource control and secured isolation. All Docker DSMs run independently from each other and provide additional features such as live migration. Synology’s multi-version backup provides snapshot and replication to one or more remote sites, up to every 5 minutes, and block-level incremental backup and cross-version deduplication is also included. You’re well covered here.

There’s also a new Spreadsheet feature with co-editing, historical versions, tag, and file sharing link as part of Note Station. Offline editing, one-click email clipping, and instant table-chart conversion is also part of the deal. Apple Watch users can now enjoy the Note Station even more as it is now compatible with the Watch. Owners of an Apple Watch can now check notes directly on their wrist, or create new notes via voice input.

MailPlus server comes with active-active architecture, load balancing, and content filters and allows you to have a great mail solution running right from your own location. The clients are browser- and mobile-based and feature physical mailbox, virtual labels, auto-filter, and sticker.

Cloud Station Server and Cloud Sync now provide users with flexible synchronization of files within specified subfolders in addition to shared folders. Small file syncing has now become over 8 times faster than before which is great as those small files often come in big groups. Synology also revamped the Video station for this new version. It now supports offline transcoding, on-screen buttons, and Windows 10. DS Audio got Apple Watch support now too, to allow users to select songs, playlists, and broadcasts directly.

These are just a few of the things that Synology’s DSM 6.0 beta has to offer. You can also check out the new mini-site, release notes, or just go ahead and download it if you can’t wait any longer.

Supported models:

  • 16-series: RS18016xs+, RS2416(RP)+
  • 15-series: RC18015xs+, RS815(RP)+, RS815, DS3615xs, DS2415+, DS2015xs, DS1815+, DS1515+, DS1515, DS715, DS415+, DS415play, DS215+, DS215j, DS115, DS115j
  • 14-series: RS3614xs+, RS3614(RP)xs, RS2414(RP)+, RS814(RP)+, RS814, RS214, DS414, DS414j, DS414slim, DS214+, DS214, DS214play, DS214se, DS114
  • 13-series: RS10613xs+, RS3413xs+, DS2413+, DS1813+, DS1513+, DS713+, DS413, DS413j, DS213+, DS213, DS213air, DS213j
  • 12-series: RS3412(RP)xs, RS2212(RP)+, RS812(RP)+, RS812, RS212, DS3612xs, DS1812+, DS1512+, DS712+, DS412+, DS212+, DS212, DS212j, DS112+, DS112, DS112j
  • 11-series: RS3411(RP)xs, RS2211(RP)+, RS411, DS3611xs, DS2411+, DS1511+, DS411+II, DS411+, DS411, DS411j, DS411slim, DS211+, DS211, DS211j, DS111

Oh, and don’t forget: Synology also rewards beta testers that provide valuable feedback. Three winners will be selected during each beta stage and they each win a Synology DS215j NAS. The winners will be chosen based on the significance of issues discovered and reported, time spent cooperating with Synology’s Support Team in solving the issues, as well as helpfulness of recommendations for making DSM 6.0 even better.

Synology DiskStation DS715 2-Bay Value NAS Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

It has been a while since I had the pleasure to review a Synology NAS which makes it even more of a pleasure to take the brand new Synology DiskStation DS715 2-bay NAS for a spin. And while it does look ordinary on the first glance, I can tell you it isn’t.

The DS715 is an expandable NAS server, equipped with a powerful quad-core processor with hardware encryption engine and the ability to expand up to 7 drives thanks to the optional expansion unit. You can’t just expand it with extra bays, you can also connect it with Synology’s High Availability (SHA) technology that combines active and passive servers into one cluster.

The DS715 looks to be a perfect balance between performance, features, and value – so let us take a closer look at it.

The Synology DS715 is built around the Annapurna Labs Alpine AL-314 quad-core processor with 1.4GHz. We’ve previously seen a great performance from just this chip in the DS1515 NAS. The CPU has both hardware encryption engine and floating point unit.

The DS715 comes with 2GB DDR3 memory and the drive bays support hot swapping as it has to be. The unit is rated for 16TB raw capacity on its own, but that limitation only exists based on the drives currently available. Nothing should block you from using 10TB or bigger drives ones they become available.

If that still isn’t enough for you, then you’ll just expand the NAS with the DX513 five-bay expansion unit. It gives additional storage on the fly while being supported as if they were internal drives. You can easily expand your overall raw capacity to 56TB with 8TB drives.

The two Gigabit Ethernet ports ensure the connectivity to your network. You can set seven modes of failover and link aggregation depending on your switching setup and need for redundancy and increased throughput. 802.3ad dynamic setup is just one of the available, but probably the most important of the modes.

The addition of an eSATA port is something I love to see and it is my personal preferred method of connecting external storage. It is also the method of connecting the aforementioned DX513 expansion unit. The two USB 3.0 ports allows you to connect other storage drives, printers, or cameras.

The drive trays are tool and screwless, at least for 3.5-inch drives. If you wish to use the NAS with 2.5-inch drives, then you’ll need the included screws to mount them. Otherwise you just pull off the sides on the tray, place the hard disk inside and put them back. All done. Slide the trays back into your NAS and get started. Plug and Play.

Synology’s operating system is called DiskStationa Manager (DSM) and it is now in version 5.2. It is a really robust system that is easy to use and one that brings plenty of features. It also has built-in NVR server, capable of hosting up to 30 IP cameras (900 FPS @ 720p). Two camera licenses are included and more will have to be purchased separately.

Windows AD, LDAP, and Domain Trust allow for seamless account integration with the rest of your equipment and also feature user home folders and Windows ACL. It doesn’t really matter how you want to connect it, you can.

The DS715 also comes with support for Synology Central Management System (CMS). CMS offers both flexibility and convenience for administrators, allowing them to manage all systems from a single point.

File sharing works with all major system, may it be Linux, Windows, or Mac OS. Included protocols are FTP, SMB2, AFP, NFS and WebDAV among others.

The Cloud Station allows for easy backup from all your system to the DS715 NAS and it also supports Rsync, backup to external drives, other NAS devices, or public cloud offerings.

A minor thing, but one that I love, is that Synology included two RJ45 LAN cables with this unit. An LAN cable doesn’t cost much and it is really annoying to get a unit as cool as this and then have to head out again to get an LAN cable so you can setup your link aggregation. Not so here, everything you need to get started, except the hard drives, is included.

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Synology Encourages Users to Update Their NAS

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Synology is encouraging users of their NAS devices to upgrade to the latest DiskStation Manager 5.2, as well as their installed apps, to address security concerns associated with Photo Station as well as other vulnerabilities.

Synology worked closely with technical experts to identify and resolve the issues before it affected customers, and they succeeded. Back on May 12th they released DSM 5.2 with added security enhancements and the company released another update with more safeguards on May 21. But not everyone has updated and those who haven’t are at risk.

Synology Technical Marketing Manager Franklin Hua said, “To date, we haven’t seen suspicious activity reported by our customers. Still, we’re encouraging them to update their OS and add-on packages immediately – if they haven’t done so, already. Security updates can easily be applied within the DSM for the latest security releases for the OS. For greater convenience, automatic updates can be enabled to allow the DSM to update itself – in the background – without user intervention.”

On May 25 an independent consulting firm identified the possible vulnerabilities in Photo Station, but Synology was already on top of things and it was fixed before the article even ran.

It is great to see companies take security as serious as Synology does. Don’t be a fool, upgrade your headless units regularly or enable automatic updating if it exists, as it does in DSM.

Synology also has their Product Security Advisory where you can read more about the above-mentioned issues.

Synology Release the Final Version of DSM 5.2

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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After a beta run, Synology has released the latest update to their award-winning NAS operating system DiskStation Manager (DSM) version 5.2. The new version of the system brings a list of fixes but also a list of useful features and improvements on the already great system. Among the improvements are improved security, better network management, and the refined Note Station.

Security is an important factor and Synology gives provides a duality of this with AppArmor and SMB3 encryption for your local network. The AppArmor supports package profiles and can defend against potential security threats while the integration of SMB3 encryption allows DiskStation users a secure file transfer between their Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 systems and their NAS.

The Cloud Station also got an upgrade with a more beautiful and flexible system. You now have the ability to customize the maximum number of file versions according to shared folder, get a totally redesigned system tray menu, and an overall improved and optimized system requiring fewer system resources. You can also sync between your DiskStation and the public cloud and it’s never been easier than now. You can set bidirectional or one-way sync for greater flexibility, encrypt data before sending it to the public cloud services, and you got the choice of Amazon S3, regional services (SFR, hicloud, Megafon Disk, Yandex Disk), or WebDAV cloud storage sites.

The network connections also been improved and the DiskStations now supports ALB Link Aggregation and failover without the need for a costly switch and the hassle of setting up your 802.3ad, which can be a very tricky situation. You simply get more options for a better throughput and speed using your current hardware.

Synology also added the Web Clipper extension for Chrome which allows users to quickly and easily save interesting web content to their Note Station for later reference. The comprehensive task management features will let you organize to-do lists according to different notes, priority, and due dates. This is a feature that really can make your everyday life easier, just as the NAS in itself did when you got it.

The new SSO Server transforms your DiskStation into a Single Sign-On server, helping to streamline the authentication process when logging into various DSM services. In addition, the software containerization solution Docker is available on select Synology NAS models, allowing for the deployment of more packages, such as Redmine, GitLab, and LXQT.

Synology users should be able to download the new Operating System directly from the NAS dashboard and those who participated in the beta program should also check if they are among the reward winners.

Synology Releases RS815 and DS1515 Value-Series 5-Bay NAS’

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Synology launched two new NAS devices today and the first of them is the DS1515, a powerful and expandable 5-bay NAS for small and medium-sized businesses – or users who just want a little more than a normal SOHO device. It doesn’t just pack a quad-core processor, but also comes with four gigabit ethernet ports featuring failover and link aggregation for outstanding performance, it also features hardware-based encryption engine and blasting fast speeds.

“Growing SMBs expect a storage solution that is versatile and scalable for their future needs while minimising the initial investment. The DS1515 is engineered to address such needs, and provides the performance, reliability, and scalability to manage, protect, and share data,” said Jonathan Wang, Product Manager at Synology Inc.

The DS1515 can achieve 421 MB/s writing and 403 MB/s reading when using a RAID 5 configuration in a Windows environment, and even with encryption turned on, it still performs impressive speeds of up to 296 MB/s reading and 150 MB/s writing. It also supports the SSD read/write cache support that will boost the throughput considerable while minimising the overall costs per gigabyte of storage. The two eSATA ports allow you to scale the DS1515 for up to 15 drives with the use of the DX513 expansion units, with 6TB drives that would be 90TB raw capacity.

The new Synology DiskStation DS1515 is shipping globally now and should be available in your area very shortly.

The second new NAS from Synology is the 19″ RackStation RS815, a scalable and compact 1U 4-bay NAS. The RS815 is very short with its 12″ depth, 37% shorter than its predecessor. It comes with a dual-core 1.33GHz MARVELL processor with floating point unit and 1GB RAM.

“More and more small businesses need a compact server that can handle a variety of workloads,” said Jonathan Wang, Product Manager at Synology Inc. “With RS815, we want to demonstrate how uncompromising performance and functionality are achievable even within a small footprint.”

The MARVELL Armada XP MV78230 processor coupled with the dual Gigabit ethernet ports can provide great speeds that exceed 216MB/s read and 121MB/s write speeds. With failover and link aggregation you’re covered whether you want higher bandwidth or extra security and you can also extend this unit. The 19″ RX415 expansion unit connects through the eSATA port and provides another four drive bays.

The Synology RackStation RS815 is also shipping globally now and should arrive at your local reseller shortly.

Both new NAS devices are powered by the award-winning DiskStation Manager (DSM) that provides all the features and functionality you could want from a NAS. They also both come with USB 3.0 ports for easy and fast storage expansion as well as backup jobs.

Synology Getting Ready to Enter the Router Market

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Synology is well known for their NAS devices, but now it looks like they’re expanding their area into the router section. Routers aren’t that much different from features that already exists in the NAS software, so it is something that seems like a smart move and one that only requires slightly different hardware.

The new Synology router is dubbed the RT1900ac and is expected to launch later this year. The final specifications and abilities haven’t been set yet, but we do get the basic information, such as high-speed IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless network based on a Dual Band setup on 2.4GHz and 5GHz with 3×3 MIMO streams and up to 1.9Gbps.

The web-interface is called ‘fresh and intuitive’ for both beginners and IT experts and will most likely resemble what we know from Synology’s DSM OS. The router isn’t just a normal router, it will of course offer you all the NAS specific functions directly in your router as well as running add-on features in the same way the NAS do. This is a great step for routers that currently are very limited and not very good.

Thanks to Synology for providing us with this information

Synology DS1515+ 5-Bay SMB NAS Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

NAS devices are the perfect addition to pretty much any company, but small and mediums businesses more than anyone else. It’s a cost-effective and versatile solution to keep all your data centralized with easy to use backup mechanisms, just to name one function. Today I’m taking a closer look at the Synology DS1515+ that is a perfect NAS for any Small or Medium Business (SMB) setup with its features, functions, and performance.

The DS1515+ is a 5-bay SMB NAS, and that 5th bay comes with more benefits than most people think of right away. A four-bay unit is pretty much what we consider standard these days with its possibilities of RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10. The 5th bay gives us the added safety of being able to have another hot-spare drive in our system for automatic recovery in case one of the other drives should fail. Or you could just use it for extra storage, the choice is really yours.

Synology’s DS1515+ is a premium device in its class, offering 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports that support failover and link aggregation to maximize the transfer speeds and reliability. Having four LAN ports also allow for more users to access the device at once, without the risk of package bottlenecks.

It also comes with four USB 3.0 ports to connect external storage for backups or for the added storage capacity. The USB ports also bring along added functionality for a wide array of other devices such as printers, scanners (requires 3rd party add-ons) and surveillance cameras. The two eSATA ports on the rear allow for the Synology DX513 expansion units to be used to increase the storage even further, but normal eSATA enclosures and drives work just as great when connected through them.

The front of the NAS is kept very simple and doesn’t feature much besides the drive bays, LEDs, and power button. There are no front USB connectors like we see so often on NAS devices, but they are probably more a thing for home users and not businesses. The device will be setup and will more or less have to do the rest by itself – and spoiler alert: it does.

The built-in power supply comes with an inward plug to make sure the power is safely connected, but also to allow you to move it closer to a wall or other objects without interference. This feature is mainly for a secure power connection as the fans will need room to push the hot air out and your network cables most likely prevents you from moving it closer to the wall anyway.

We see the two easy removable outtake fans in the image above. Fresh air will be pulled in through openings between the drive bays and the sides where the Synology logo acts as air vents. A clever use for the branding and it looks good every time.

The DS1515+ NAS stands firmly on its four big rubber feet that should absorb any vibrations that might occur from the spinning hard drives. The drive bays can all be locked to prevent accidental opening as well as tampering with the setup. Of course, the drive bays aren’t just hot-swap able, they’re also tool-less for 3.5-inch drives. This makes the installation and setup quite a bit easier. The NAS also supports the use of 2.5-inch drives, but they will have to be mounted in the caddies with screws.

Inside the Synology DS1515+, we find a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom C2538 processor with Floating point unit and Hardware AES-NI encryption. There is plenty of power in this device to make sure that transfer speeds and performance aren’t affected, even when encryption is enabled. It comes with 2GB DDR3 1600MHz memory, but is upgradeable to 6GB without too much hassle.

The SSD cache function can speed up your transfer speeds significant and allow much faster access to hot files. You’ll easily be able to max out all four LAN ports without too much trouble. The downside is that it requires two SSDs and thereby two drive bays, but it makes a lot of sense when the expansion units are used. Another feature that administrators will love is the easy integration into almost any environment with VMware, Citrix, and Hyper-V support. It also offers the Central Management System to easy manage all the Synology devices on your network from one location.

Personal and commercial cloud integration is just as easy as anything else with the Synology DS1515+, a NAS that doesn’t seem to leave many wishes open.

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Synology Releases DiskStation Manager 5.1 OS

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Synology has just released their DiskStation Manager (DSM) version 5.1, the latest version of Synology’s NAS operating system. After about 6 weeks of public beta testing and user feedback, Synology was ready to roll out the update without the beta tag.

I’ve tested the DSM 5.1beta myself and it is awesome. Synology have added a lot of new features and improvements, enough that many other companies would have gone up a whole number on the version to 6.0 instead of just a fraction and going from 5.0 to 5.1.

Synology have added a lot of improved security features such as the Security Advisor that analyzes your settings and will let you know if you got any weak points. Another added feature is the AppArmor that checks for malicious programs and blocks them from accessing unauthorized resources as well as the introduction of digital signatures on packages, to check against tampering.

Having a private cloud-service is great, but sometimes you’ll want to sync with public offerings as well. Synology now supports OneDrive, Box, hubiC, Azure, SFT and hicloud. Additionally, the new explore feature in Glacier Backup allows you to browse and retrieve single files from Amazing Glacier.

While speaking of online functions, DSM 5.1 also has a built-in Proxy Server to increase security and speed up your local internet browsing by  caching and filtering as well as authentication options. The File Station also allows for remote FTP and WebDAV connections and the new CardDav server allows you to synchronize all your contacts across compatible devices.

Another noteworthy new feature is the Note Station and DS Note. A web-based note system stored on your own NAS that allows you to have a synchronized location for all your notes and access them from all devices either via the web or one Synology’s apps. Video Station, Photo Station and Audio Station also got upgrades and updates on the functionality and their mobile apps.

Enterprises can look forward to the NFS Full File Clone and NFS Reserve Space to dramatically boost virtual machine storage performance. SSD reading cache is supported all the way down to one disk that increases the cost efficiency of your storage device.

Synology DiskStation Manager 5.1 is available for download now and of course it’s a free upgrade for anyone. The new DSM version is compatible with DiskStation and RackStation x11 or newer. If you’d like to test it before you apply it to your own NAS, you can head over to the official page and try out the live demo, or just download it right away.

Thanks to Synology for providing us with this information

Image courtesy of Synology

Synology NAS OS Vulnerable to CryptoLocker [updated]

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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The operating system run on Synology’s NAS devices, called DiskStation Manager (DSM), is reportedly vulnerable to a CryptoLocker hack. This particular version has been dubbed SynoLocker and is holding the infected NAS devices for ransom.

The nature of how the systems get infected is still unclear, but when infected, the malware encrypts parts of the data until you pay 0.6 Bitcoins (about £208 at current rate). Decryption is promised upon payment, but there is no guarantee it will happen and that you won’t be infected again.

The company believes it to be limited to devices still running non-updated versions of DSM 4.3, they are however still investigating if the vulnerability also could infect the newer version 5.0, just in case.

While a press release is being prepared, Synology gave this emergency statement:

You may have heard by now that DSM is undergoing a CryptoLocker hack called SynoLocker – as of yesterday (08/03/14). It’s a BitCoin Mining hack that encrypts portions of data, and ransoms the decryption key for .6 BitCoin ($350). So far, it looks like the matter is localized to non-updated versions of DSM 4.3, but we are actively working on, and researching the issue to see if it also effects DSM 5.0 as well.

In the interim, we are asking people to take the following precautions:
A. Close all open ports for external access as soon as possible, and/or unplug your Disk/RackStation from your router
B. Update DSM to the latest version
C. Backup your data as soon as possible
D. Synology will provide further information as soon as it is available.

If your NAS has been infected:
A. Do not trust/ignore any email from unauthorized/non-genuine Synology email. Synology email always has the “synology.com” address suffix.
B. Do a hard shutdown of your Disk/RackStation to prevent any further issues. This entails a long-press of your unit’s power button, until a long beep has been heard. The unit will shut itself down safely from that point.
C. Contact Synology Support as soon as possible at, http://www.synology.com/en-global/support/knowledge_base

[UPDATE 16:50 GMT]

Since we originally posted this, we’ve recieved an official statement from Synology via email. The problem is more limited then first thought and only affects a few software version. As also initial suggested, those with up-to-date system can feel safe from this threat.

Synology are fully dedicated to investigating this issue and possible solutions. Based on their current observations, this issue only affects Synology NAS servers running some older versions of DSM (DSM 4.3-3810 or earlier), by exploiting a security vulnerability that was fixed and patched in December, 2013. At present, we have not observed this vulnerability in DSM 5.0.

For NAS servers running DSM 4.3-3810 or earlier, and if users encounter any of the below symptoms, synology recommends they shut down their system and contact the technical support team.

  • When attempting to log in to DSM, a screen appears informing users that data has been encrypted and a fee is required to unlock data.
  • A process called “synosync” is running in Resource Monitor.
  • DSM 4.3-3810 or earlier is installed, but the system says the latest version is installed at Control Panel > DSM Update.

For users who have not encountered any of the symptoms stated above, we highly recommend downloading and installing DSM 5.0, or any version below:

  • For DSM 4.3, please install DSM 4.3-3827 or later
  • For DSM 4.1 or DSM 4.2, please install DSM 4.2-3243 or later
  • For DSM 4.0, please install DSM 4.0-2259 or later

It is easy to update the Disk Station Manager OS by going to Control Panel and then navigating to the DSM Update. Users can also manually download and install the latest version from Synology’s Download Center. If you notice any strange behaviour or suspect your Synology NAS has been affected by the above issue, you’re also encouraged to contact Synology at security@synology.com where a dedicated team will look into each case.

Thank you TechPowerUp for providing us with this information

Image courtesy of Synology

Synology DS414j 4-Bay NAS Review

Posted on by Chris Hadley
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Introduction

Throughout the Synology product range each other models available can come in one of three variations the first of these is the standard series and this has no indicator after the name giving us a model name such as DS414. The second option, which is indicated by plus after the model number indicates that this is a performance system offering the best features that Synology have to offer, whilst the third option indicated by a ‘j’ indicates that a model is geared for the entry-level user whose focus is more on getting the largest capacity as possible was not worried about performance either things too much. Typically, ‘j’ series systems have tended to come with a single core processor and by doing so this has kept the price point down, which for the entry-level user is more important than performance.

All is about to change however, the system that we are looking at today – the DS414j – is Synology’s first system to offer a dual core processor on an entry-level-based system. in addition to a dual core processor we also see for the first time USB 3.0 been featured and once we take the latest version of DSM into account solution for users in a small office and home office environment as well as home-media enthusiasts who want a centralised and highly accessible storage solution for an affordable price.

This is not all although, as we have seen over the last few months there has been more of a demand for cloud based storage solutions and when we look at systems like Western Digital’s My Cloud, EX2 and EX4, which are directly aimed for cloud users, it is easy to see why, in general, the home based user is moving over to this form storage. Where the DS414j differs however, is that its primary role is as a local storage device and then secondly it offers the cloud features; rather than the opposite way round.

Aside from a typical feature set which we would expect from a Synology NAS, we also find support for 5TB drives allowing for up to 20 TB of raw storage, along with read and write speeds of around 100MB/s and 80MB/s respectively. Rounding all of this up into a package that is set to retail for around $390 in US and £260 in the UK, it looks like Synology may have just hit the proverbial nail on the head for the home or entry-level user.

Like most Synology systems, the DS414j comes in a brown monochrome box and aside from a power adapter, CAT5e patch lead and a quick setup guide, we have three sets of screws one each for 3.5 inch and 2.5 inch drives, with the third set the locking each drive trays into place once installed into the system.

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