NAS by stefan @ 2013-01-14
The DS413j NAS from Synology is mostly aimed for homes and small offices in need of high storage space, without the need of breaking the bank to get it. The product comes with an older chassis version and runs the latest version of the highly praised DSM, which means that it comes with a lot of features and its interface is really intuitive, easy to use.
At first I would like to thank Synology for offering a sample of their DS413j NAS Server for testing and reviewing.
"Founded in 2000, Synology is a young and energetic company dedicated to developing high-performance, reliable, versatile, and environmentally-friendly Network Attached Storage (NAS) products. Our goal is to deliver user-friendly solutions and solid customer service to satisfy the needs of businesses, home offices, individual users and families."
Build Your Own Cloud
With Synology DS413j, you can centralize and share up to 16TB of data and files with coworkers and friends. If you find this way of managing files useful, you can have your own cloud by using Cloud Station to access and sync files across different computers. There is no need to configure a router to remote access the DS413j, by using Synology’s ezCloud, you can easily extend coverage to the Internet.
Manage your files on your Synology DS413j with File Station which provides easy file navigation on your DiskStation, allowing you to copy, move, delete, rename, upload, or download files without boundaries.
If you are always on the move, Synology provides a handy app, DS file for iPhone®, iPad® and Android™ users. Anything stored on Synology DS413j can now be accessed remotely using DS file via the Internet.
Flexible Storage Management
The Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) automatically builds an optimal RAID volume with data protection based on the hard drives installed, eliminating the need to have hard drives of identical size, while still offering a manual setup option for advanced users.
Multiple Volumes on RAID allows you to create more than one volume on a RAID structure, providing a flexible and efficient way to manage your storage across all available hard drives. When the need arises to expand the volumes, simply allocate more storage space on the UI, and DSM does the rest for you without any service disruption.
Versatile Multimedia Center for Home
With the built-in media server on the DS413j, you can stream digital multimedia content from a Synology DiskStation to a media device such as a stereo system, Sony™ PlayStation® 3 and Microsoft® XBox 360. You can also stream videos and music to a DLNA®/UPnP® compatible TV set so you can enjoy your favorite movies or TV shows that are stored on your DiskStation. Your living room just got better.
For fully digitized music listening experience from the comfort of your couch, by connecting DS413j to a home stereo system and using DS audio App for iPad, iPhone and Android, users can control music playback with simplicity.
Share your Memories to Friends
Photo Station simplifies photo, video, and blog sharing to the public. Features such as theme personalization, blog, and user privilege settings make Photo Station your state-of-the-art lifestyle sharing center on the Internet. Photo Station syncs the album automatically to Facebook, so it is now even more closely intertwined with your social life.
Your 24x7 Download Server
Download Station functions as a 24x7 BT, FTP, HTTP, eMule, and NZB download center without a PC. The eMule & BT search engine allows search-n-download capability without installing additional desktop applications.
RSS feed feature will bring the latest updates directly to you. You can subscribe to multiple RSS feeds that list the information of all your favorite downloads, and your download experience is entirely automated.
Back up All Your Important Files
The Synology DS413j offers a centralized backup target to all your PC/Mac® computers in the house. PC Users can back up their data to the Synology DS413j using the free Synology Data Replicator software, while Mac OS X® users enjoy native Apple® Time Machine® integration. A web-based backup wizard is provided for backing up data in the Synology DS413j to another Synology DiskStation or to an external hard drive via USB connection.
Hassle-free System Installation
Web Assistant is a web-based utility to make every DiskStation as easy to install as possible. Installation is done inside your existing web browser by setting up all vital system components in few simple steps. Combined with a quick start widget, users can simultaneously tour the DSM operating system and set it up to use right away.
Peace of Mind with Data Encryption
The Synology DS413j is equipped with an encryption engine which offloads the encryption calculation task away from the main CPU, helping to improve file transfer speeds of the DiskStation.
Data protection is an important matter for businesses of all sizes. High-end features previously available only on enterprise level hardware are now accessible via Synology DS413j to small and medium-sized businesses. DS413j provides share-level AES 256-bit encryption to aid in the prevention of unauthorized access attempts to the hard drives.
Energy Efficient with Cool and Quiet Design
Synology DS413j is designed with energy efficiency in mind. Not only does it provide a larger fan and the smart airflow to keep the system running cool 24/7, its noise dampening design makes it really quiet (18.9 dB) compared to PC counterparts. The support of multiple scheduled power on/off and hard drive hibernation can further reduce power consumption and operation cost.
All Synology products are produced with RoHS compliant parts and packed with recyclable packing materials. Synology acknowledges the responsibility as a global citizen to continually work to reduce the environmental impact of every product produced.
The budget friendly oriented 4-drive NAS from Synology with the DS413j code name is shipped inside a medium-sized box with a handle, for easy manipulation:
On the box laterals we will see different pictograms representing the services that can be ran by the device, but also a network solution:
Also here we will find a summary of the product hardware components and package contents:
After removing the top box cover, we will find some more instructions:
The box contents are split the same way as we have seen with the other Synology NASes:
The power lead is packed separately from the rest of the bundle:
Besides the power lead we have already mentioned, the product is also accompanied by documentation, screws, a power brick and a LAN cable:
The power brick is provided with a LED and is rated on the output 12V, 8.33A, the same type we have also seen with the DS412+ and DS413:
The installation CD gives us access to the manual in electronic format, an utility for searching the NAS on the web, but also the firmware (DSM) file; necessary screws are also provided for fixing on the trays both 2.5’’ and 3.5’’ drives, but also for securing the trays onto the chassis:
The NAS chassis is fully wrapped in a protective foam material bag:
The DS413j does not look alike any other NAS from Synology we have reviewed in the past, in fact it is based on an older chassis design:
On the front we can see ventilation grills, LEDs for Status, LAN activity and for each drive:
On both laterals we will find the debossed Synology logo; the top aluminum cover is fully removable:
On the bottom side of the unit we will find 4 small rubber feet and a central sticker with the product power rating:
The NAS is cooled by two silent 80mm fans:
On the bottom we will find the DC-IN port, one LAN port, two USB 2.0 ports and also a Reset button hole. Here we will also find the sticker with the product serial number and MAC:
Near the top right side screw, we’ll find a Kensington lock port:
Unlike the other models, the NAS opens from the back, by removing the four thumbscrews. Both fans are equipped with fan-guards:
Inside the bays we will find 4 grey plastic bays:
On the bottom we have the main unit motherboard; the central processor is covered by a small heatsink:
The motherboard is also provided with a connector in which the daughterboard with the SATA Data/Power connectors gets plugged in:
Here is how the unit does look with the top cover removed:
After the trays have been inserted into the bays, we can further secure them with the screws on the sides. However, after this operation has been completed, we can no longer say that we have hot swappable bays :) :
The grey plastic bays are not as advanced as we have seen with the previous models, meaning that they do not have a lock mechanism, there is no anti-vibration tape on the bottom and we do not have rubber rings on the laterals:
With the provided screws we can secure the 3.5’’ drive onto the tray:
By using a separate set of screws, we can install a 2.5’’ drive without any issues:
The latest DSM version can be found on the Synology website for download:
For flashing DSM, we will need the Synology Assistant application, found on the supplied disk or on the web. After the NAS has been detected on the network, we will also get other information from it:
The Assistant will first require the location of the downloaded DSM kit file:
Afterwards, we will have to enter up a new “admin” account password, and specify the NAS name throughout the network:
On the next step, we can specify the network settings for the NAS:
The Assistant will show us all the steps that will be performed for completing the setup, along with a progress bar:
After the initial setup has been completed, we can login straight to the web interface:
The login screen will require the username and password, so we will enter up the admin account credentials:
In order to be able to use the storage space on the installed drives, we will have to create one or more volumes:
A wizard will help us choose the important settings for creating a new volume:
After the volume has been created, we will get the details in the Storage Manager window:
Next, we will have to create shared folders on the volumes we have just created:
For each shared folder we can choose multiple settings:
Each user can have different read/write permissions:
After the folder has been created, we will be able to see it from any device on the network:
From the DSM interface, we can access functions like the Control Panel, a file browser, Storage Manager and more:
The Control Panel menu will allow us to customize most of the NAS functions regarding the File System, Network Services or Application Settings:
Here we will be able to define new users that will be able to login to the DSM GUI:
The QuickConnect function, also available here, will let us connect to our Home/Office NAS without configuring the router for this action:
Inside the Network menu, we will be able to customize further the LAN configuration of the Diskstation, work with the Network Interface or Tunnel function:
The DSM login screen can be also customized with new templates:
From the DSM Update screen, we can do an online check of the latest software version and can be downloaded if necessary. The update can be also applied manually if we have the latest software version available on our computer drive:
File Station app will allow us to move data from the computer to the NAS or the other way around. In order to see the computer drives, we need to have Java JRE installed:
Here are the file operations we can do with the app:
Another interesting section is the Package Center, which allows us to install other applications, from Synology or 3rd Party, which will enhance the product functionality:
The available applications will appear in the respective tab. In order to install one we only have to click on the green button and right away we will be greeted with a window that will ask if we want to start the service after the application has been installed. If we do not allow this, the application will stay on standby till it will be executed from the “Installed” tab:
Here is an example of some installed apps, with the activity status written in each box:
The DSM is also equipped with a Resource Monitor, from where we can see the current CPU usage, along with the memory, disk activity and network activity:
A list of running processes can be also seen in the next tab:
Additional information regarding the running system can be seen from the System Information app:
Here are the GUIs of the well-known DSM applications from Synology:
Cloud Station
Download Station
Media Server
Antivirus Essential
Audio Station
Photo Station 5 is one of the services that opens in a separate tab and has been optimized quite a bit regarding its performance. With the older DSM versions, the thumbnail creation was really slow, but now all the system resources are fully allocated to the app when the creation starts. The app interface has been preserved from before:
Inside the main tab, while the thumbnail creation procedure starts, we will be notified of the current status:
After the creation has been completed, we can look at each photo, with the thumbnail menu on the right and we can also start a slideshow:
CPU : Intel I7 3750K Retail @ 4.7GHz
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
Motherboard : ECS Z77H2-AX Black Extreme
RAM : GeIL EVO CORSA 16GB 2400MHz C11
Video : Sparkle GeForce GTX 560 Calibre
Power Supply : Cooler Master 850W
HDD : Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200.11
Case: Cooler Master ATCS840
To test the NAS performances, the DS413j was populated with a single OCZ Vertex 4 SSD, formatted with a single volume and the NAS was connected directly to the computer, to avoid any limitations by implying additional hardware like a router. The first simple test was performed by loading the test file onto a RAM drive and then it was copied to the NAS, at its shared folder. The speed was recorded with Total Commander:
The second test was to copy the same file back to the computer; for eliminating any HDD speed limitations, the file was copied back to the RAM drive:
For performing a more advanced test, the Intel NAS Performance Toolkit was used, for performing 5 different test runs. Here are the results:
The DS413j is a more budget-oriented NAS solution from Synology and can be had for about 150 Euros less than the DS413 which means 300 Euros. Synology is one of the top builders for this kind of solutions, but the decrease in price does not also mean lower quality materials. The product is built around an older chassis design, with two silent 80mm fans and the opening is now in the back.
To install each drive, we can easily remove each tray, use the included screws for securing the drive onto the bay, and then slide it back in. For additional security, we can also fix the trays to the chassis with the supplied screws. Thanks to the number of bays, we can install up to 4-4TB HDDs for receiving a total of 16TB storage space, more than enough for homes and small businesses.
The NAS operates with the latest DSM 4.1 version, which is really easy to use, as we have also seen with the other products from them. The OS is frequently updated by the manufacturer to ensure full stability and for features enhancement.
Regarding the NAS performances, there is a noticeable difference in speed between the DS413j and DS413. When writing a single large file to the NAS, we get speeds nearing 45MB/s but when reading the same file, we get close speeds to 100MB/s.
I would like to thank again to Synology for offering the sample for review.