NAS by stefan @ 2013-11-18
In this review we will take a look on the powerful TS-670 NAS server from QNAP, which sports a Intel Celeron G550 at 2.6Ghz, 2GB of DDR3 SODIMM, but also 4 LAN interfaces which support Link Aggregation. While these specifications would recommend the product to be utilized only in enterprise environments, the NAS does not lose the multimedia functions by providing all necessary interfaces in order to use it as an entertainment system.
At first I would like to thank QNAP for offering a sample of their TS-670 6-bay SMB NAS Server for testing and reviewing.
“QNAP Systems, Inc., as its brand promise "Quality Network Appliance Provider", aims to deliver comprehensive offerings of cutting edge network attached storage (NAS) and network video recorder (NVR) solutions featured with ease-of-use, robust operation, large storage capacity, and trustworthy reliability. QNAP integrates technologies and designs to bring forth quality products that effectively improve business efficiency on file sharing, virtualization applications, storage management and surveillance in the business environments, as well as enrich entertainment life for home users with the offering of a fun multimedia center experience. Headquartered in Taipei, QNAP delivers its solutions to the global market with nonstop innovation and passion.”
Simple, Secure, Scalable and Reliable Storage
QNAP TS-670, featuring the easy-to-use QTS 4.0 operating system, is a secure, scalable, and reliable NAS solution designed for mission-critical business applications and fast growing data storage needs. The TS-670 delivers high performance with persistent throughput, providing a comprehensive storage solution that includes the following features:
Sleek Linux kernel with multi-window and multi-tasking GUI
Advanced scale-up storage with flexible storage management
SSD caching to boost IOPS
Centralized data storage and file sharing
Comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery solutions
Military-grade data security
iSCSI/IP-SAN storage with VMware®, Citrix®, and Microsoft® Hyper-V® virtualization support
Private cloud with large storage capacity and Dropbox-style data synchronization
Additional SMB-ready features including VPN server, web server, RADIUS server, and more
Comprehensive surveillance solution with 24/7 security
IP surveillance storage for AXIS Camera Companion, Mobotix and other VMS
Business apps all in one place
The QTS 4.0 provides various applications to meet business needs such as storage management, file sharing, virtualization applications, and more. All of the services and applications frequently used in business environments are organized on the desktop for quick access.
Ultra-high performance
The TS-670 delivers ultra-high performance achieving speeds of up to 450MB/s read and up to 423MB/s write*. It is powered by a Dual-Core Intel® 2.6 GHz Processor and 2GB DDR3 RAM (expandable to 16GB with factory pre-configured options), and features 4 Gigabit LAN ports (two onboard LAN ports plus one dual-port GbE PCI-Express NIC) to maximize system bandwidth.
Flexible 10GbE network expansion
The pre-installed dual-port GbE PCI-E NIC can be replaced with an optional 10GbE adapter to deliver lightning-fast data throughput for IOPS demanding applications.
Seamless storage expansion with scale-up solution
The TS-670 supports online capacity expansion by connecting multiple QNAP RAID expansion enclosures to meet the needs of growing business data. With the QNAP scale-up solution, raw storage capacity can be expanded to hundreds of Terabytes gradually. It is especially useful for large data applications, such as data archiving, virtualization, TV broadcast storage, and surveillance video storage.
Intelligent Storage Manager
The TS-670 Storage Manager provides a secure and flexible way to manage volumes. This next-generation volume management offers powerful features such as storage pooling with multiple RAID group protection, thin provisioned volumes with Space Reclaim, block-level iSCSI LUN and online capacity expansion. The QTS Storage Manager neatly presents tools and options for managing system storage to simplify the process of NAS capacity expansion and QNAP RAID expansion enclosure management.
The Storage Manager provides enhanced features to secure important business data, including RAID Hot Spare and Global Hot Spare drives, SMART data migration, Time-Limited Error Recovery & Error Recovery Control, and advanced RAID read error recovery technology.
The SSD caching (minimum 4GB RAM required) can greatly boost IOPS performance of volumes to increase operational efficiency, especially for high- transaction workloads, and allows the best of both cost and performance by combining SSDs with HDDs.
Cross-platform file sharing, centralized data storage
The TS-670 supports SMB/CIFS, NFS, and AFP protocols for file sharing across Windows, Mac and Linux/UNIX networks. Data, logs and ISO image of CDs and DVDs can be centrally stored in the NAS and protected by an integrated antivirus solution. The Windows AD and LDAP services enable system administrators to configure user permissions by using existing Windows AD servers, LDAP servers or NAS build-in LDAP services.
Well-rounded backup solutions to secure data
QNAP Netbak Replicator supports real-time and scheduled data backup on Windows including Outlook email archiving. The USB port on the front panel of the TS-670 features a one-touch-copy function for you to instantly back up data on external drives to the TS-670 with just one click, or back up data on the TS-670 to the external drives alternatively. Apple Time Machine is also supported to provide Mac OS X users with an effortless solution to back up data to the TS-670. A wide range of third-party backup software such as Acronis True Image and Symantec Backup Exec are also supported.
Disaster recovery solutions bring peace of mind
The TS-670 offers various data recovery options. RTRR (Real-Time Remote Replication) supports real time or scheduled data backup to remote Turbo NAS or FTP servers and synchronizes files to remote folders from local folders with better backup efficiency and reduced backup time. The TS-670 also supports rsync protocol to back up data to remote servers on a scheduled basis. Data can also be backed up to and restored from a range of cloud storage services, including Amazon® S3, ElephantDrive®, Symform®, Dropbox® and Google® Drive.
Data security
In an open network environment, business data may be exposed in a potential hack. The TS-670 provides numerous security options, such as encrypted access, IP blocking, and other protective features. IT administrators can also control the access rights of each user to different folders, preventing unauthorized access to important files. The TS-670 is validated with military-grade FIPS 140-2 AES 256-bit encryption, preventing unauthorized users to access data even if the hard drives or entire system were stolen.
iSCSI/IP-SAN storage
The iSCSI feature provides businesses with an affordable IP-SAN (Storage Area Network) alternative. The QNAP IP-SAN is an excellent solution for IOPS-intensive (Input/Output Operations Per Second) applications such as databases and OLTP (On-Line Transaction Processing). With the optional 10GbE network interface card, the TS-670 offers high-speed 10GbE connectivity to eliminate I/O bottlenecks and boost the total throughput and IOPS.
Storage for comprehensive virtualization applications
The TS-670 is VMware® Ready™, Citrix® Ready™, compatible with Microsoft® Hyper-V™ certification and Windows Server 2012, enabling flexible deployment and management for virtualization needs. The TS-670 supports VMware VAAI and Microsoft ODX to increase performance by offloading ESXi server loading, and supports QNAP vSphere Client plug-in and QNAP SMI-S provider to provide enhanced operational efficiency in managing virtualization applications.
Most affordable solution for video editing storage
Digital film & video production produces a significant amount of data that requires high-performance RAID storage with sustainable throughput to meet the demands of high-definition video editing. The TS-670 fulfills these storage & video editing needs with 4 Gigabit LAN ports and the optional high-speed 10GbE network interface. Digital videos can be quickly stored and edited on the Turbo NAS directly over the network.
HIPAA Compliant Storage Solution
While medical data (e.g ePHI) constantly increases, IT administrators are required to develop a strategy of strong storage platforms within their medical organizations. The TS-670 meets the electronic requirements of HIPAA for storing PHI data by providing a base to protect the confidentiality and security of individually identifiable health information.
Private cloud storage
The TS-670 offers businesses a total solution for creating private cloud storage. The exclusive myQNAPcloud allows you to establish VPN connections for secure data transfer over the Internet. The Qfile mobile app enables remote access to the files on the TS-670 anytime, anywhere, while the Qmanager mobile app allows for easy remote management & monitoring of your TS-670 .
Dropbox-style file synchronization across computers and mobile devices
With Qsync, your TS-670 is turned into a safe data center for file synchronization. Any file uploaded to the TS-670 will be made available for all linked devices, such as computers, laptops and mobile devices. Qsync is especially useful for frequent travelers in managing files and ensuring that different devices have the most up-to-date files. Qsync provides multiple ways of file synchronization and group file sharing, greatly enhancing the flexibility of team projects and collaboration.
Additional SMB-ready features
Supporting a wide range of business applications, the TS-670 provides a cost-effective solution for multiple tasks.
Install-on-demand apps to extend NAS functionality
The TS-670 has a built-in App Center that provides various install-on-demand apps developed by QNAP and third-party developers, including tools for backup/sync, business, content management, communications, download, entertainment, and much more. It is also a centralized location for managing & updating installed apps. In addition, QNAP’s development platform embraces the open-source spirit to enable developers to create their own apps, adding potentially limitless opportunities for the TS-670.
Comprehensive surveillance solution providing 24/7 security
The TS-670‘s Surveillance Station Pro offers a professional surveillance solution with the user-friendly NVR (network video recorder) management interface, a wide range of over 1,200 compatible IP camera models, and expandable IP camera channel licenses. It supports real-time monitoring, video and audio recording and playback with a wide range of customizable settings. You can also install the VMobile app on your iOS® or Android™ devices to manage the monitoring of cameras anytime, anywhere, for total surveillance of your monitored environment.
IP surveillance storage for AXIS Camera Companion, Mobotix and other VMS
The TS-670 provides a reliable storage solution for video management software (VMS) recordings from different network camera vendors. The TS-670 is an ideal storage solution providing high compatibility with AXIS Camera Companion, the video management software (VMS) for Axis network cameras, to offer a reliable and powerful network surveillance system. The TS-670 works well with AXIS Camera Companion to support one-click folder creation and network camera recording. AXIS cameras can easily stream video recordings to the TS-670 for instant playback and archiving for business environments such as retail stores, hotels, and small offices.
Reliable iSCSI target for surveillance video storage
The most frequently encountered challenge in deploying IP surveillance is how to set up or expand the storage capacity. The TS-670 supports reliable and high performance iSCSI target. Windows or Linux based VMS server can easily connect to the TS-670 through iSCSI to expand the storage capacity. It is an ideal solution for IP surveillance recording and archiving.
The high-end TS-670 NAS from QNAP is shipped inside a medium-sized box, which is taller than the ones found with the average 4-bay units. On the front we will get to see a photo of the product in operation, along with some logos of the supported technologies and also a chart which shows the performance improvement which is brought by the inclusion of 4 GbE ports:
On one of the lateral sides we will get to see some more detailed product photos:
Also here we will get shown the benefits of having a private online cloud and the variety of applications we can find inside App Center:
By turning the box on the opposite side we will get to see some elements of the QTS 4.0 interface:
After lifting the top cover, we will get to see a “Thank You” note along with links to the popular social networks:
The bundle of the NAS can be found right in the middle, this time the manufacturer did not use a cardboard box to separate it from the rest of the items:
The TS-670 ships with one power lead, the Quick Installation Guide, two small bags which contain screws for both 2.5’’ and 3.5’’ drives, 4 LAN cables and one disk with software and also the manual in electronic format:
As the previous NASes from QNAP, the TS-670 is also wrapped inside a transparent plastic bag for additional protection:
At first look, we will be seeing a lot of similarities with the TS-421 4-bay starting with the black plastic front and ending with the gunmetal back cover:
A small sticker is located on top which shows the HDD initialization sequence:
An additional sticker can be also found in the vicinity which gives us additional details in order to set up myQNAPcloud which will allow us to access our server from everywhere but also to set it up by entering the Cloud Key:
On the front we have the activity LEDs for the unit but also for the installed drives; the trays have ventilation orifices to avoid overheating and are also proved with separate locks:
On the bottom left side we have one Power button along with Copy button for making a backup of the USB drive contents we connect to the NAS:
The top left corner has the Power LED along with the QNAP logo:
Nearby we also have one Status, USB activity and also one LAN LED:
On the right we have the IR sensor along with the Enter and Select buttons which help us navigate through the LCD menus:
The left side of the unit comes with a ventilation grill which will help keep the motherboard (and its mounted components) cool:
The NAS features two 90mm fans on the exhaust, but let’s take a look at the back side in more detail:
In the top left corner we have the power supply connector, along with extra ventilation holes:
One pre-populated expansion slot is available on the right, which provides two extra Gigabit interfaces:
Further down we have the analog Audio jacks (microphone, speaker), along with two eSATA ports and one Reset button hole:
Next, we will find the last two LAN ports, each accompanied by two USB ports, two of them being USB 3.0. Also here we have the HDMI-out and also the Kensington port:
On the bottom side of the unit we will get to see four large rubber feet:
A sticker is also placed here which shows the model code name along with the power rating:
Inside the unit we will be able to clearly see the power supply along with the expansion card on top, but all the other wires traveling to the motherboard:
On the right side we will find the HDD tray assembly along with one of the two cooling fans:
As with all the NASes tested so far in this form factor, the motherboard is located on the left side; this time around we are dealing with a regular LGA1155 socket and processor and the back side of the motherboard comes with a protective transparent plastic cover, held in 4 screws, one being covered with a warranty sticker. A high-end NAS as this one has to feature RAM expansion possibilities, so we will dig further in order to reach more components:
The 250W power supply was manufactured by FSP Group:
After removing all the trays, we will be able to see the daughter board, which holds the SATA Data and Power connectors:
The dual-port Gigabit Network Expansion Card can be easily removed from the slot and it features a passive heatsink of its own:
After removing a ton of screws in the back side of the unit and also the four screws holding the motherboard, we will still have to free the CPU heatsink which is also screwed to the chassis. Do not attempt to pull the motherboard out without the removal of the last two screws because we may damage both the motherboard and the cooling system:
On the motherboard we will be also able to find the 512MB DOM module where the firmware is stored:
As we have thought, the NAS comes with not one but two SO-DIMM slots, only one which is populated so we can add more RAM. What is the inconvenience? Well, we have to take the NAS apart only to install a single memory module and lose the warranty in the process:
Let’s go back to the NAS trays; these feature ventilation holes on all areas so the drives would stay cool, but locks are also provided when the unit is functioning inside an enterprise environment:
Here is one example of mounting a 2.5’’ SSD inside the first tray (only 3 screws are needed, not four):
During boot-up, the system will display certain messages on the LCD display:
When we have installed drives in specific trays, their status LEDs will light up (green if everything is OK which blinks when the disk is accessed and red if we have issues with the drives and it enters in a degraded state):
The system will take quite a while to load, along with the specific modules and drivers:
If we do not want to access the web interface right away to configure the unit from there, we can simply choose to operate from the LCD display:
After we have powered on the NAS, we have the ability to configure it for the first time via the LCD display or via the web interface. The easy-to-use utility provided by the manufacturer is QNAP Qfinder, from where we can also flash a new firmware to the product:
The software will ask us for the location of the new firmware file, which must be downloaded in advance from the website:
The installation progress will be shown in the same window:
From the Storage Manager section we will be able to define new volumes and coming with the 4.0.4 firmware, storage pools:
The interface will list the detected drives and will prompt us to select a RAID type:
Afterwards we will be able to specify the volume size, enable Thin Provisioning, set alert thresholds, specify volume alias, enable encryption or we can allow automatic creation of a shared folder on the newly created volume:
In the end the wizard will show us the details for us to confirm and will prompt to erase the drives:
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We will be able afterwards to watch the volume creation steps from Storage Manager; on the first volume the firmware will also create some additional shared folders like Download, Multimedia, Public, Recordings and so on:
A new shared folder can be created without navigating to additional menus; we can also specify the volume where it will be placed:
Access privileges will be also set for each folder:
We can see the newly created folder on our clients too:
Next we will take a look shortly at the QTS 4.0.5 software interface of the QNAP TS-670; after connecting to the right address, we will be prompted to enter up the username/password combination:
The GUI is similar to the IOS environment and when we install new applications, a shortcut will be automatically created:
On the left side of the screen we can access the widgets which can be also undocked to move them to other desired location:
The Control Panel section is filled with dozens of options regarding System, Privileges, Network Services or Applications:
The System Settings comes with options regarding General Settings, Storage Manager, Network, Security, Hardware, Power, Notifications, Firmware Updates, Backup/Restore, External Devices, System Status, and System Logs:
General Settings section allows us to configure the server name, port, but also security settings, System date/time and Login Screen appearance:
QNAP has completely revamped lately the Storage Manager menu, allowing us to create both Volumes and Storage Pools, work with Encryption, enable SSD cache and many more:
Network Section will allow us to configure different options like TCP/IP settings, Wi-Fi settings (if we have a compatible dongle connected), Service Binding, Proxy settings but also DDNS Service details:
Security section allows us to modify the list of permitted stations which can connect to the server, but also options related to the Network Access Protection and Certificate & Private Key:
The Hardware area comes with options to adjust the HDD standby time period, light signal alerts, write cache, but also buzzer signaling and Smart Fan profiles:
Power Options menu comes with sub-menus regarding EuP, WoL, Power Recovery and Power Schedule:
The Notification menu takes care of alerting in different modes:
The Firmware Updates menu will allow us to check for the latest available software update or perform the update manually, via the file we have just downloaded from QNAPs’ website:
Backup/Restore menu comes with options for backing up all our settings to a file, for easy restore later. We can also reset the unit to the default settings with or without formatting the drives in the process:
External Devices details will appear in the next menu, when connected:
The System Status menu opens inside a new window, which has several sub-sections like System Information, Network Status, System Service, Hardware Information and Resource Monitor:
The System Logs menu also comes with a separate window with menus like System Event Logs, System Connection Logs, Online Users or Syslog Client Management:
The Privilege Settings section is in charge of Users, User Groups, Shared Folders, Disk Quota, but also Domain Security:
The Users area allows us to define new ones along with miscellaneous options for each:
User Groups can be defined the same way:
The next menu will show us the currently shared folders and from here we can also create new ones or modify permissions:
Next, we can set a disk Quota:
The final menu contains options regarding Domain Security:
Inside the Network Services menu we have options regarding the Win/Mac/NFS services, FTP, Telnet/SSH, SNMP, Service Discovery, Network Recycle Bin, Qsync:
Qsync is a useful tool for having the data stored inside the specific folder synced between multiple devices liked to the Turbo NAS:
Miscellaneous settings regarding Photo Station, Music Station, Multimedia Station, File Station, Download Station and Surveillance Station apps can be modified inside the next menu:
HD Station takes care of the apps which can be accessed via the HDMI interface; we can install Google Chrome, My NAS, XBMC and/or Youtube:
Backup Station has a menu of its own, with plenty of configurable options:
We can also set up an Itunes Server, which features its own configuration web page:
The same thing goes with the DLNA Media Server and the TwonkyMedia DLNA Server:
Media files can be indexed from the next menu, automatically or manually; here we will be also able to adjust Transcode Settings, view Transcoding Records and Supported Services:
If we are using the server for keeping a website live, we can adjust the settings in the next menu:
The Antivirus module can be customized in the specific menu:
Photo Station will be able to keep our photos organized, after they have been indexed:
We can also see very nice slideshows:
Music Station is pretty self-explanatory:
One interesting application is Video Station, which keeps our videos organized and it looks like our personal offline Youtube video collection:
Download Station will allow direct downloads from HTTP, FTP, BT protocols or Magnet links:
The search function is pretty easy to use and we can start downloading right from the results which have been found:
With the help of File Station we can navigate through the available folders, but also copy data from the current station:
My myQNAPcloud is the useful feature which allows connectivity to the NAS from any location:
If installed, Dropbox will sync the cloud content we have available to the NAS and also backwards:
App Center makes available to us lots of applications which we can install in a snap by simply clicking one button:
As the previous NAS from QNAP we have looked upon previously, this one also has HD Station capabilities by using the HDMI port in the back. This way we will be able to use most of the features without the need of turning on the computer. After the modules have been loaded, we will be presented with a language selection screen:
The HD Station interface will allow us to navigate between the preinstalled applications like Chrome, MyNAS, XBMC or Youtube:
We can open the Chrome browser for navigating freely on any website:
Next we have MyNAS. What does this item do? Well, it is a shortcut to the NAS GUI so further configuration is still possible:
XBMC is currently available at the 12.2 “Frodo” (current stable release) build, and with it we will be able to browse all the multimedia content like photos, music or video:
By using the remote or one keyboard/mouse combo, we can easily browse through the content:
As expected, Full-HD content is no challenge for this product:
From the System Info tab we will be able to find more details regarding the current free memory, allocated IP address, Linux kernel or uptime:
The iGPU interface is described in the Video section:
The Hardware tab reveals the name of the installed processor, the temperature and operating speed:
The Youtube application is quite complex and puts to our disposal the entire online video content:
The quality of the video clips will auto-adjust itself depending on the detected network speed:
The Settings section will allow us to further alter HD Station preferences:
The Display tab allows us to change the display resolution:
From the Preferences tab, we will be able to adjust the GUI language, along with the NAS Audio Output type:
Lastly, the About tab will let us know of the current HD Station version:
QNAP has also put to the users’ disposal some free applications for mobile devices; on Android we have Qfile, which is a regular file browser for our NAS. The contents can be accessed only after we have provided valid login credentials:
From here we can access all the files and even perform modifications to the file system:
Qmanager app is more advanced, since we can see lots of system statistics but also access the App Center, Backup Station, Download Station or other System Tools:
Resource Monitor will open when we click on the CPU/RAM dials to reveal information regarding the internal temperatures, CPU load, RAM and Swap degree of occupation, Disk usage, Bandwidth usage for each LAN port, currently running Processes, but also logged in Users:
App Center allows us to enable/disable the currently installed applications, but also browse more apps:
Backup Station allows accessing different backup functions like NAS to NAS, Rsync, RTTR and so on:
We can also perform downloads directly to our NAS from the mobile phone/tablet, but also search BT files:
From System Tools we can access connected external storage, block-list and more:
Qmusic app will let us browse through our libraries after we log in:
Qget will allow us to schedule the download tasks from Download Station, but also playback and save our favorite videos with the help of HappyGet II:
CPU : Intel I7 3750K Retail @ 4.7GHz
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
Motherboard : ASRock Z77 OC
RAM : GeIL EVO CORSA 16GB 2400MHz C11
(2GB Exceleram DDR1333 for NASPT compatibility)
Video : Sparkle GeForce GTX 560 Calibre
Power Supply : Cooler Master 850W
HDD : OCZ Vertex 4 256GB SSD
Case: Cooler Master ATCS840
To test the NAS performances, the TS-670 NAS was populated with two SSDs, one OCZ Vertex 4 SSD and also the KingFast 128GB SLC SSD in RAID0, 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:
As extras, we have also included ATTO Disk Benchmark and Anvil:
The latest TS-670 NAS server from QNAP is the most powerful product we have tested so far, incorporating an Intel Dual Core Celeron G550 at 2.6Ghz, 2GB of DDR3 SODIMM RAM, 4-LAN interfaces but also all the multimedia elements which make it an ideal media player on both directly our TV via the HDMI interface or by serving content throughout the network.
Being this powerful, the server can be also used in enterprise environments thanks to the seamless storage expansion with scale-up solution, SSD caching support, the comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery solutions, military-grade data security, iSCSI/IP-SAN storage with VMware, Citrix and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization support. We can also create our own private cloud with large storage capacity, but also VPN server, web server or RADIUS server. The system can be used as an advanced surveillance solution when buying additional camera licenses with 24/7 security.
While we have tested the NAS in a home environment while using a single LAN connection and RAID0 SSDs, QNAP have obtained while using a 4-port Link Aggregation setup up to 450MB/s reads and 432MB/s writes, which really makes this product a storage monster. While the NAS comes with a dual-port GbE PCI-E NIC preinstalled, this one can be replaced by the user with an optional 10GbE adapter for delivering lightning-fast data throughput for IOPS-demanding applications.
The software GUI has been rebuilt with the newer QTS V4 and the engineers are thoroughly testing the latest drives for fine-tuning the software and to warrant compatibility.
The only downside we have found is the fact that even if the manufacturer states the memory is not upgradeable, the server has a spare SODIMM slot which can be populated. In order to do this we must dismantle most of the unit chassis and we would also lose the product warranty in the process.
The server is quite pricy for home use but should be no problem when acquiring it for SMB; we will be able to find it online for about 1100 Euros.
We would like to thank again to QNAP for making this review possible!