WD or Synology NAS?

Thinking of getting a small NAS.
Will be primarily for data storage rather than streaming etc.
All my RAW photos will be on it and accessed through Lightroom on occasion.

I initially looked at the 2x 2Tb Synology DS216j after suggestion of drive redundancy, but I've also seen the WD EX2 Ultra in the same format and capacity and it is quite a bit cheaper.

Both use 'Red' drives and also seem to support Amazon S3 for backup to cloud which I am also looking at.

For what I need it for I am not sure which would be OK. Just me accessing it, although possibly from multiple PCs, but want some sort of user based security.
Also for the cloud backup, the ability to select what gets sent, rather than the whole lot as some does not need a cloud backup.

I use Synology and backup my photos to Amazon prime unlimited. You just create a folder on the NAS and make it the target for the cloud backup tool configured for Amazon. Then any time you drop a photo in that folder, it is automatically uploaded.
Its simple to setup and works very well, although I drop my photos down before I go to bed to let the upload overnight.
I use WD reds.
Lots of security to pick, i.e user account access and I also have a FTP site running, which is SSL based and the access account has a complex password. All normal stuff and very good. Maybe in the future we will see two factor added or it might be available now, i just have not checked recently.

Does the backup tool need a running PC to back up the network drive?

No it doesn't, a Synology is a PC in it's own right.

Go with Synology, they are expensive, but worth it

Sorry to drag this one back up but still making a decision!
Now looking at the WD EX2 Ultra, as the 4Tb version is £70 less than the Synology DS216j and for me I really cannot find any benefit.
I just want file sharing and backup to cloud or external drive and they both use the same WD Red drives.

Which leads to my next question, if I backup the NAS to an external USB drive for offsite, any ideas how the files are stored?
Is it literally just a replica of the files, or does it put them in a compressed format?

Decided that cloud backup might get a bit expensive!

No it stores them as normal uncompressed data as if you were viewing them on your PC.

As per others have mentioned get a Synology and don't look back, one of the best purchases I have ever made. Install Plex media server (Google Search it) on it and you will be laughing. Remote access is excellent on Synology also.

sorry to jump in but I am considering a NAS too in order to remove the 4 drives in raid from my PC because they take up lots of space, causes issues with all the wiring and heat and I cant stand the noise anymore!

Does anybody know if I swap them over to a synology nas, would I loose the data on them or would it recognize them as RAID 5?

It will need to format them first.

To expand on the above, you will need to format them as the Synology NAS uses its own format for data storage.

To ajf - as others have recommended, get the Synology. The NAS interface is second to none so getting the most from it is very easy indeed. You seem to be focussing too much on the hardware (the drives) rather than how easy it is to setup and maintain your backup.

Just to throw an alternative into the mix. I'd recommend a QNAP NAS over a Synology, you get a better hardware spec for the money. I switched from Synology to QNAP last year and QNAP software is just as easy to work with and capable as Synology, and the system performance across the board is a jump up from a Synology at the same point in the range.

Does the QNAP offer the dynamic adding of drives to increase capacity?

Been thinking about getting a NAS and starting with 3 drives, then adding a 4th when the need arises. As far as I am aware Synology does this, so just curious if that is their USP or if it is something that the others offer as well.

Edit: to clariffy, was thinking of adding 3 5TB drives in Raid5 (capacity of 10TB), then adding a 4th driver to boost capacity to 15TB.

Bluecube said:

To expand on the above, you will need to format them as the Synology NAS uses its own format for data storage.

To ajf - as others have recommended, get the Synology. The NAS interface is second to none so getting the most from it is very easy indeed. You seem to be focussing too much on the hardware (the drives) rather than how easy it is to setup and maintain your backup.

Click to expand...

I thought that was optional? You could either go for raid 5 or their hybrid raid which allows different hard drive sizes? I had assumed, or hoped, raid 5 was just raid 5?

Steviepunk said:

Does the QNAP offer the dynamic adding of drives to increase capacity?

Been thinking about getting a NAS and starting with 3 drives, then adding a 4th when the need arises. As far as I am aware Synology does this, so just curious if that is their USP or if it is something that the others offer as well.

Edit: to clariffy, was thinking of adding 3 5TB drives in Raid5 (capacity of 10TB), then adding a 4th driver to boost capacity to 15TB.

Click to expand...

From reviews i have read, yes QNAP allows that.

Thanks for the help.
I've gone with the Synology DS216j in the end with 2 x 3Tb WD Reds in RAID 1.
Lots of features, but just set up the basic shared folder with permissions for now as that is my main use for it.
Copying 700Gb over now! Seems to be going quite well, around 75Mb/sec so not quite max for gigabit but fine.

Need to look at the backup options for it next....

Steviepunk said:

Does the QNAP offer the dynamic adding of drives to increase capacity?

Been thinking about getting a NAS and starting with 3 drives, then adding a 4th when the need arises. As far as I am aware Synology does this, so just curious if that is their USP or if it is something that the others offer as well.

Edit: to clariffy, was thinking of adding 3 5TB drives in Raid5 (capacity of 10TB), then adding a 4th driver to boost capacity to 15TB.

Click to expand...

Yes it does, I've done that myself.