The 7 greatest NAS of 2022: Prime network-attached storage

Specs:

• Value per bay: $150
• Drive bays: 5
• Max capability: 90TB
• Max w/growth units: 270TB
• RAM: 8GB DDR4 (32GB max)
• 1GB Ethernet ports: 4
• 10GB Improve: with Gen3 x2 improve
• USB 3.2 ports: 2
• eSATA ports: 2
• M.2 slots: 2

By far, the standout function of any Synology NAS is the corporate’s distinctive DiskStation Supervisor (DSM) software program. Whereas the Synology {hardware} is on-par with many different NAS choices, it is when that {hardware} is mixed with the DSM software program that Synology’s choices turn out to be best-in-class.

Additionally: We check the Synology DiskStation DS1817+ RAID

Synology’s DS1522+ ships with built-in enterprise-grade knowledge software program and help for dozens of purposes, OS and SaaS providers. That includes 5 laborious drive bays by default and expandable as much as 15 bays complete, the DS1522+ is a compact and economical NAS resolution with loads of room to increase because the consumer’s knowledge storage wants develop.

Operating DiskStation Supervisor 7.1, DS1522+ comes full with Synology’s suite of enterprise backup options. This contains Lively Backup for Enterprise which permits customers to backup Home windows PCs, VMs, SaaS purposes like Microsoft 365 and extra. All licenses and subscriptions are free. Lively Backup for Enterprise has various helpful options baked in, together with the flexibility to revive by chance deleted immediately or destroyed knowledge.

Additionally included is Synology’s Hyper Backup software program which lets you backup your complete NAS or particular information and folders to most main cloud service suppliers. This versatile and free backup software program provides the consumer enterprise-grade instruments in an easy-to-understand format. This makes organising a correct 3-2-1 backup setting a breeze, it doesn’t matter what gadgets or what number of you’re liable for.

The DS1522+ can be an authorized storage gadgets for VMware and is suitable with most main virtualization platforms, together with Home windows Server, Microsoft’s Hyper-V and Citrix. Along with being ideally suited for traditional iSCSI storage, DS1621+ additionally comes with Synology’s Snapshot Replication software program which provides customers the flexibility to Snapshot particular LUNs or shared folders and replicate them to an offsite Synology machine.

Execs:

• The wonderful DSM UI
• Good value per bay
• Glorious apps

Cons:

• No native 2.5GB Ethernet ports
• No HDMI ports
• No SSD-only fashions

Specs:

• Value per bay: $137
• Drive bays: 4
• Max capability: 72TB
• RAM: 4GB (as much as 8GB)
• 2.5GB Ethernet ports: 2
• USB 3.2 ports: 2
• HDMI: HDMI 2.0, real-time transcoding
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 600 processors
• PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots: 1x PCle Gen 2 x 2 slot
• M.2 slots: Optionally available by way of a PCle adapter

Do not consider this field as only a NAS. As an alternative, consider it as a server with RAID and NAS capabilities. This isn’t only a file server. It may very nicely be geared up as a small departmental bare-metal VM or container server. And for those who use it at house, it may be the hub of your media middle.

Additionally: We check the QNAP TVS-473 RAID

The collection of purposes QNAP provides is nothing in need of ridonculous. Not solely can you put in the standard NAS suspects, however you may run a Chrome browser and even set up a full Ubuntu on prime of the NAS capabilities. 

QNAP QTS setting retains getting higher and higher. Plus, this NAS continues a comparatively distinctive QNAP custom of providing NAS bins that may function full media middle machines, full with HDMI output. However this will additionally carry out as a professional machine, with the supply of PCIe extensibility

So the place does this slot in our total pantheon of suggestions? Put merely, it is an equipment server. However not only a file or internet server. This may serve up containers and VMs, making it fairly presumably the core of a small enterprise or division.

Execs:

• HDMI opens plenty of media middle doorways
• Very quick Ethernet
• Monumental app choice

Cons:

• Another QNAP machines will be configured with a LOT extra RAM
• No M.2 slot

Specs:

• Value per bay: $134
• Drive bays: 6
• M.2 SSD slots: 4
• Max capability: 120TB + M.2 capability
• RAM: 8GB
• 2.5G Ethernet ports: 2
• USB 3.0 ports: Twin 3.2Gen 2×1
• PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots: Help PCIe 3.0 on M.2 SSD
• HDMI: HDMI 2.0b

ASUSTOR was based in 2011 by an funding from ASUS, the world’s fifth largest PC vendor by unit gross sales, in keeping with Gartner. 

This Lockerstor mannequin bridges worlds in various methods. First, by offering six laborious drive bays in addition to help for 4 M.2 sticks, it is attainable to do some very attention-grabbing efficiency tiering work, each mechanically and manually. Second, just like the QNAP, the Lockerstor has HDMI output, presumably shifting this from the server closet to the household room.

The inner 8GB RAM is respectable, and we have been impressed with the two.5G Ethernet port. Nevertheless, bear in mind that many switches and routers do not help 2.5GB, so that you simply may be restricted to the efficiency of a typical 1GB Ethernet feed.

The Lockerstor 6 makes use of the ADM 4.0 working system. ADM has greater than 200 App Central purposes, together with numerous instruments, enterprise purposes, workplace purposes and digital house leisure.

General, the ASUSTOR Lockerstor 6 is a stable providing with a compelling price-per-bay. We have seen availability fluctuates, particularly with present provide chain points, however at this value, it is comprehensible why some resellers are having issue protecting it in inventory.

Execs:

• So many M.2 slots
• Constructed-in HDMI
• Affordable RAM capability

Cons:

• ADM software program is sufficient, however not nice
• Clients report gradual tech help
• No block-level encryption

Specs:

• Value per bay: $89
• Drive bays: 2
• Max capability: 36TB
• RAM: 1GB
• 1G Ethernet ports: 1
• USB 3.2 ports: 2

Western Digital has a reasonably broad collection of NAS gadgets, however we realized we hadn’t supplied you with a lower-cost entry-level unit. At underneath $200 (with out drives), the EX2 can add appreciable worth to your community, offer you some fault tolerance, and assist defend your knowledge.

App help wasn’t as complete as a few of the different distributors we’re spotlighting right here, but when that is your first NAS otherwise you’re simply getting began sharing and defending information on your house community, it is a nice go-to start line.

We had some points 5 years in the past with an early WD RAID machine, however all indications are that the corporate greatest recognized for its community drives has overcome any early reliability points. The truth is, the largest criticism we discovered amongst consumer opinions was that this isn’t an exterior laborious drive, because the reviewer thought it was, however was as a substitute a full-function NAS. It’s, in actual fact, a really good full-function NAS and will get our nod as greatest entry-level NAS for 2022.

Execs:

• Cheap, reasonably priced
• Strong efficiency
• Streams video with out glitches

Cons:

• It isn’t an exterior laborious drive (ya assume?)
• Restricted app choice
• No HDMI port (it might make a really perfect, low-cost media server)

Specs:

• Value per bay: $125
• Drive bays: 4
• Max capability: 80TB
• RAM: 4GB
• 2.5G Ethernet ports: 2
• USB 3.2 ports: 2
• HDMI port: 1
• M.2 slots: 2

Our expertise with TerraMaster is a stable providing at a budget-friendly value. We discovered the consumer interface to be clear and nicely achieved and the general utilization expertise to be stable. Now, to be clear, this isn’t a QNAP or Synology, however these gadgets are significantly costlier.

This time, TerraMaster is upping its sport. As an alternative of a finances machine, it is a efficiency machine, however at a mid-tier value. It is bought two high-speed Ethernet ports, an HDMI port that permits you to flip this right into a media middle server, and TerraMaster’s clear UI. General, a really stable providing for higher-stress hundreds at an approachable value.

Execs:

Cons:

• A bit costlier that TerraMasters earlier choices
• Fewer apps than Synology and QNAP
• Some customers report reliability points

Specs:

• Value per bay: $125
• Drive bays: 5
• Max capability: 50TB
• RAM: 2GB DDR3
• 1GB Ethernet ports: 2
• Inner mSATA slots: 1

It is sort of odd that Drobo hasn’t up to date its one NAS storage array since 2017, however that goes to Drobo’s fundamental focus as a direct-attached storage resolution. Despite the fact that it has been round for some time, the Drobo 5N2 has to enter our record of the perfect NAS gadgets, mainly as a result of its RAID performance is simply so good.

Additionally: We check the Drobo 5N2 RAID

Let’s make clear the place this machine matches: In order for you a server with plenty of apps and options, the Drobo is completely not for you. However if you need brain-dead straightforward RAID that retains your drives secure and obtainable in your LAN, and you do not actually care about a lot else, the 5N2 is a win. The Drobo justifiably gained my best-in-show award for RAID efficiency, which was flawless in my testing. It additionally landed on the very backside for community options, so that you win some, and also you lose some. Go forward and browse and watch my full evaluation for the in-depth particulars.

Another factor: this machine seems to be actually laborious to seek out. We’re leaving it in our information as a result of it’s very distinctive amongst NAS gadgets by way of ease of administration, but it surely’s not clear whether or not or when you can get ahold of 1. It may very well be the final of a breed, which implies you may need to take into consideration whether or not you actually need to make investments slightly in complexity or simply have a really equipment NAS.

Execs:

• The blinkenlights (critically)
• Drobo’s super-easy RAID administration
• For those who like Drobo, you want Drobo

Cons:

• Only a few apps
• Outdated, so very outdated
• Critically, Drobo, this deserves an replace

Specs:

• Value per bay: $465
• Drive bays: 2
• Max capability: 32TB
• RAM: 2GB DDR4 (expandable to 6GB)
• 1GB Ethernet ports: 2
• USB 3.2 ports: 1
• USB 2.0 ports: 1 (for peripheral machine connections)

Face it. Irrespective of the place you’re employed or what you do, in the future, the #&@! goes to hit the fan. It would not matter if it is earthquakes or hurricanes (two issues my house workplace needed to dwell by) or another type of catastrophe; it is probably that your drives will likely be in danger, no less than a part of the time.

Now, let’s be clear: We by no means suggest you retailer all of your knowledge in a single place. The truth is, the 3-2-1 backup technique we suggest includes storing three copies of your knowledge, utilizing no less than two various kinds of storage mechanisms and no less than one copy of which is saved off-site. However restoring from off-site will be tough and time-consuming, and cloud backups get very costly as your knowledge utilization goes up. It isn’t a nasty concept to have a sturdy storage resolution in-house.

Additionally: We check the ioSafe 1515+ battle-hardened RAID

That is the place ioSafe is available in. ioSafe builds NAS bins inside bins which might be, primarily, safes. They’re hearth and water-proof. Additionally they weigh a ton and are rock stable, so (particularly for those who connect them to a ground or closet with an obtainable bracket), you may stop them from strolling away. As a bonus, the ioSafe machines use Synology’s DSM software program, making them very straightforward to make use of.

I exploit an ioSafe machine as a second backup to my fundamental Synology field. It comes on as soon as per week, accepts a backup, after which shuts off. That manner, even when my community is breached, the ioSafe is powered down apart from a number of hours every week. My drives are protected bodily and (largely) air-gapped from the web. You may implement this technique, as nicely.

I’ve a five-bay mannequin, however I’ve really useful a two-bay mannequin right here just because they’re fairly costly because of the added safety. Additionally, count on to pay $50 to $100 for transport as a result of these machines are very, very heavy.

Execs:

• Might survive hurricane or hearth
• In all probability would survive a nuke
• May survive a 2-year-old
• Makes use of Synology’s nice UI

Cons:

• Fairly costly by comparability
• Considerably sluggish
• Very heavy, however that is comprehensible