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Synology With New NAS and OS With Docker and Virtual DSM

DSM 6.0 supporting Apple Watch

Synology, Inc.‘s annual conference, the Synology 2016, take place on September 22 in Sydney, Australia, along with 16 other countries, in which the NAS vendor will unveil its future plans and a range of technologies and product updates.

Highlights include the DiskStation Manager (DSM) 6.0 OS for business and home applications, Synology’s first step into the networking world – Router RT1900ac – and the DS716+ NAS servers.

We look forward to meeting our users and sharing with them what’s next for the company and for our technologies in this annual conference. This is also an important opportunity for us to receive face-to-face feedback and know more about our users’ needs, in order to offer even better products and services,” said Mike Chen, sales director, Synology.

We’ve seen the cloud becoming mature as a platform, so this year by utilizing Synology’s strength in software-hardware integration, we brings breakthroughs to a lot of aspects which businesses follow closely, such as cloud applications, virtualization, data protection, and DR. This will allow them to adopt more effective and comprehensive IT deployment strategies,” he explained.

DSM 6.0 – forward-looking NAS OS with upgraded architecture
Through an upgrade of hardware and software architecture, DSM 6.0 presents users with a secure, advanced, and future-proof platform.

Highlights include:

  • Rolled up OS architecture: supporting 64-bit architecture, DSM 6.0 breaks through the limit of 4G RAM and improves system performance. The modularization of originally built-in applications also delivers higher system reliability and flexibility when adopting updates.
  • Petabyte-level shared folder: the Synology PetaSpace technology allows users to create a shared folder with petabyte capacity on multiple volumes, serving as the solution to manage and archive cold data.
  • Accessibility features: striving to provide smooth, intuitive experience to all users, Synology offers support for NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) screen reader to visually impaired people.
  • Enhanced security: Synology adopts the Qualys Vulnerability Management solution, ensuring all potential issues are rectified before a new DSM update is made available to the public.

DSM 6.0 – multiple breakthroughs in business applications
Based on the current trends of IT deployment, DSM 6.0 brings businesses the solutions they require.

Highlights include:
Cloud synchronization, data protection, and DR

  • Extensive data synchronization with Cloud Station: the Cloud Station suite offers cross-platform, cross-device data syncing tools. Synology’s own developed Intelliversioning algorithm filters and keeps only the most important historical versions of each file. The block-level and cross-version deduplication, exclusive to Synology’s backup feature, can provide the most effective and efficient recovery points. The newly released Cloud Station Backup package introduces a lightweight, painless concept of how PCs can be backed up.
  • Snapshot-based replication enables local and remote recovery: the snapshot and replication technology that comes with the Btrfs file system reduces the impact of massive reading/writing on HDDs and high bandwidth consumption caused by traditional backup. Snapshots can be taken as frequent as every five minutes. Failover is done through one-click migration, so businesses can achieve uninterrupted data protection and immediate DR.
  • Cloud Sync package adds support for several business-grade cloud services: not only can users now set up multiple syncing tasks within a single account, but also upload the same sets of files to multiple public clouds. This makes sure that no matter what happens, data will always be available.

Virtualization technologies to optimize IT resources

  • Lightweight Docker DSM: by running multiple DSM instances as Docker containers on one single NAS, IT administrators can create an multi-tenant environment and flexibly allocate computing resources to them. It also increases the overall system reliability, as all Docker DSMs run independently and do not interfere with each other.
  • Virtual DSM: in addition to Docker DSM’s advantages above, Virtual DSM offers live migration capability, allowing businesses to migrate DSM services to another host without any downtime, which will contribute to better reliability and flexibility for deployment and maintenance.

Cloud applications expanded to boost productivity

  • New active-active webmail solution, MailPlus: the newly designed MailPlus service allows businesses to enjoy the benefits of cross-platform support and comprehensive management features, while keeping control over their data privacy. Furthermore, MailPlus Server provides an active-active high-available framework that can guarantee uninterrupted service and maintain high productivity for enterprise users.
  • SpreadSheet makes collaboration easier than ever: SpreadSheet offers comprehensive collaboration, tag, and privilege management features. To solve the commonly found issue of accidentally deleting data, it can even keep unlimited historical versions so users can easily restore a previous version themselves.
  • Business applications in Note Station: the Presentation feature has evolved and is able to convert raw data to more readable charts. A new Chrome extension makes offline editing possible, freeing users from the limitations of their devices and the Internet.
  • Full content search in File Station: File Station can now index up to 700 common file formats, including the metadata of multimedia files. A quick search will identify the exact document, music, video or photo you need immediately.

DSM 6.0 – a connected multiscreen world for home
Following the market closely and drawing from its prowess in software development, Synology’s mobile applications and digital streaming features have long been applauded by users. In DSM 6.0, Synology supports Apple Watch, extending the multiscreen experience even further.

  • First to support Apple Watch, heading on to the world of wearable devices: in observing users’ habits, DSM 6.0 becomes the first to support Apple Watch with its DS note and DS audio mobile apps. Users can use simple gestures or voice control to quickly check or create notes, or enjoy their favorite music in all kinds of occasions.
  • Video Station – refreshingly new, strikingly intuitive: the completely redesigned Video Station adopts the popular on-screen button layout, making navigation smoother and more intuitive. New support for offline transcoding and Windows 10 enables users to switch between different devices and platforms, all the same time enjoying uninterrupted watching experience.

Synology Router RT1900ac – unparalleled user experience

Synology Router RT1900ac

With a solid foundation in the NAS industry, Synology takes its first step into the networking world, not only bringing users a stable, high performance, and smart networking center, but also making sure that users will have the same seamless and intuitive Synology experience from network configuration to connecting multiple devices.

Highlights include:

  • User interface: the Synology Router Manager (SRM) OS, combined with the DS router mobile app, brings users an unparalleled interface and navigating experience.
  • Performance: provides up to 1,900Mb/s combined transfer speeds and supports beamforming which can maximize Wi-Fi signal for specific devices.
  • Advanced network management: includes application-based traffic control and DNS-based, customizable web filters.
  • Synology add-ons: supports several popular Synology packages such as VPN Server, Radius Server, and Download Station. Connect the router with an external storage device and it immediately turns into a personal cloud.

New DS716+ NAS server
Making its first appearance, the DS716+ NAS server is designed for businesses and professional users.

synology DS716+

Highlights include:

  • Featuring Intel’s next-generation processor: the 14nm Intel Braswell quad-core processor reduces power consumption by 40%.
  • Real-time video transcoding: able to transcode 4K video on the fly.
  • Scalability: can be expanded to 7 HDDs by connecting DX513 expansion unit
  • Performance: compared with its predecessor, DS716+’s R/W performance increases at least 160% for AES-256 bit encrypted data transfer.

Comments

Behind this deluge of new products, privately-held Synology is active to increase its market share.

But the Taiwanese manufacturer refused to reveal annual revenue during a press conference in Paris. The only tiny information there was the presentation of a vague chart from 2Q15 CONTEXT storage panel (see below), showing the market share in revenue of NAS, in France only, where Synology is the leader with around 50% in front of two firms (WD and Netgear according to Rosiel Lee, GM of the French subsidiary in charge of France, Benelux, Italy, Spain and Portugal.) That's all.

synology context

It's even difficult to believe in this percentage. We can admit that the firm leads the NAS business in number of units, even in the world, but in revenue, companies like EMC or NetApp are clearly ahead.

The most recent figures we got was $70 million to $100 million in 2011 for the global company's revenue from Derren Lu who was CEO of Synology until January 2012. Note that this number concerns only diskless NAS, as Synology, like some other competitors, only sells boxes without HDDs or SSDs, just publishing a list of certified storage devices.

Currently Synology, apparently profitable, employs 500 people, 70% being engineers in a country particularly strong since decades in NAS (Qnap, Thecus, Asustor, etc.) and RAIDs, probably because there are many specialists of Intel and Microsoft technologies in Taiwan.

Main other NAS competitors are in USA including Netgear, WD, Seagate/La Cie, Drobo, Connected Data, and a good one in Japan (Buffalo).

Since its inception 15 years ago, Synology claimed to have sold 3.2 million NAS with actually a large portfolio of 37 different models included 7 extension units and surveillance devices (NVR) where the company entered in 2009. The highest capacity offered is 1PB on multiple volumes to manage and archive cold data.

In this market, what makes the difference is more the software than the hardware just evolving by following the most recent processors and interfaces. Linux-based software DSM, free of charge, is the key OS of Synology, now with the version 6.0 in beta and to be definitively released next March, following version 5.0 launched in March 2016. A representative of Synology said that one million DSM are download per month and the company rests on a large community to test its early versions.

What's really unexpected is the entrance of the NAS maker into wifi routers that the company said to "entirely designed and manufactured." There was formerly a Synology NAS with embedded wifi but finally abandoned. The new router is supposed to be available in 4Q15 at around $150.

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