14 DAY TRIAL // Network-attached storage devices have different specifications depending on their target customers, and Synology has just launched two that cater to the needs of homes and small businesses, respectively.
We'll take a look at the business-centric model, called DS214+, because it is the more technologically-endowed model.
First off, the DS214+ boasts two bays (tool-less drive caddies with locks), as well as the dual-NIC design, which allows for higher throughput and failover than normal via link aggregation (LAG, not to be confused with latency lag).
According to Synology, this leads to read speed of over 200 MB/s and write speed of over 150 MB/s on a good day.
The NAS is run by an ARM processor and 1 GB of RAM, and also happens to benefit from encrypted network backup (Rsync, HTTPS, and VPN connections) and File Station folder link sharing (sharing without custom permissions).
And devices running Android, Windows Phone and iOS should be able to remotely access the newcomer, not just PCs. It's allowed by the DiskStation Manager (DSM 4.3) OS.
The other NAS, for homes, is the DS214 single-role edition (DS214se), which is colored white instead of black and shares many of the specs of the DS214+.
It looks like it lacks the dual-NIC design though, and manages only 100 MB/s read. It can still stream video easily, though, and is good for remote access, file sharing and backup just as easily.
Here, Synology did give a price: $159.99 / €159.99. You'll have to buy the HDDs separately though (4TB max capacity as far as we can see, leading to total of 8 TB when both bays are occupied).
"The DS214se is an ideal solution for users who want backup, remote access, and the benefit of Synology's DSM with its rich ecosystem" said Thadd Weil, public relations manager at Synology America Corp.
"It's an advanced storage utility, that brings the private cloud down to our most affordable level ever."
