Synology presented a completely revamped DiskStation Manager (DSM) at the online event 2021 AND BEYOND. It makes a NAS of this brand even more versatile.
DSM is the unified operating system behind Synology’s data management solutions. The upcoming DSM 7.0 includes new storage, backup and hybrid cloud technologies. “Unprecedented amounts of data are processed, whether for data analysis, artificial intelligence, IoT, telemedicine or countless other innovations.
All of this has a huge impact on our business and personal lives. A “data economy” is emerging where ownership of more data gives a competitive advantage over the competition,” said Philip Wong, founder and CEO of Synology. “Synology is committed to building on our core DSM platform to solve security, reliability and management challenges. We design our solutions for everyone from individual users to large enterprises – even for huge datasets. We do this so customers can focus on deploying data to create more value. I’m pleased to announce that DSM 7.0 will be widely available by 2021, creating a brand new experience in data management”
DSM 7.0 enhances all aspects of the operating system, from storage management and the user interface to cloud-based functionality such as large-scale device security and on demand storage, according to the manufacturer.
Local Technology
“Our development teams have worked hard to improve usability, reliability, performance and scalability; the main pillars on which DSM 7.0 is built,” says Derren Lu, the Executive VP of the operating system & application group. “We started with the basics and completely redesigned the storage subsystems and management interface. We even went back to the drawing board to make the authentication process simpler and more secure. We have focused our innovations on building powerful applications and tools that are easy to use, enabling our customers to better manage their data and get the most value out of it” To start with the basics, “the new storage features in DSM will simplify and significantly accelerate system administrators’ workflows, making good maintenance practices more accessible than ever before,” reports Synology.
Smarter Disk Tools with More Flexibility
The manufacturer promises: ‘The new disk replacement feature makes this process much simpler and less stressful for the system. When a drive is designated for replacement and a new drive is placed in a spare slot, DSM clones the old drive to the new one without damaging the storage pool. The automatic repair feature simplifies the management of remote storage pools. When a pool is damaged and a drive needs to be replaced, it works very simply: the user logs on and marks the pool for automatic repair. When a local technician is instructed to replace the failed drive, DSM immediately begins rebuilding the array. Then there is the SSD cache, a Synology “great way to improve performance, and DSM 7.0 now allows users to add or remove SSD cache at any time without impacting the services. The new SSD Cache Advisor is more accurate and analyzes I/O patterns over a longer period of time to provide users with better suggestions.
Additional storage enhancements
- DSM 7.0 also provides significant optimizations of subsystems, with the result:
- Up to 80% faster RAID 6 performance;
- Up to 200% faster SSD cache write back speeds;
- Smarter and faster RAID repair by only repairing used space;
- Improved performance thanks to SSD caching with metadata capture capability;
- Support for volumes up to 1 PB for archive tasks;
- Deduplication per volume for significant improvement in storage efficiency (will follow later).
Faster and safer verification
In DSM 7.0, authentication is more flexible and reliable thanks to Synology Secure SignIn, a new mobile app that enables system administrators to effortlessly secure accounts. Secure SignIn allows users to bypass passwords and approve login requests directly from their phone. Secure SignIn can also be used as a secondary two-factor authentication method. This reduces the frustration of copying codes, which is typical of OTP (one-time passwords) methods. Backups to the Synology account enable continuity when mobile devices are replaced. FIDO2 is also introduced to provide a secure authentication method that can be used with USB hardware security keys, Windows Hello, and macOS Touch ID. Like Secure SignIn, FIDO2 can replace or supplement passwords, providing users with extra security with minimal disruption.
Support for Fibre Channel and SAN Manager
DSM 7.0 now supports Fibre Channel protocols for implementations with the lowest possible latency and lowest possible capacity utilization. Synology also introduces new host alias features, eliminating the need for users to memorize IQNs or WWPNs, and simplifying authorization setup. This replaces SAN Manager iSCSI Manager for uniform block storage management.
Better photo management
The brand-new Synology Photos builds on the AI features of Moments and the organizational flexibility of Photo Station. Users can easily back up photos from their mobile devices or cameras, filter with extended options, and organize them into Timeline or Folder views. Alternatively, users can set conditions for albums so that photos that meet specific criteria are automatically added. Detailed sharing features, including password protection and expiration dates, ensure that the best memories can be shared easily and securely. What’s more, Photos is a completely local solution, which means that a network connection is not required to perform tasks such as face recognition – a must for absolute privacy.
Additional improvements in DSM and applications
- DSM 7.0 offers a wide range of usability and functionality enhancements, giving existing users new management options and capabilities.
- Synology Drive Admin Console shows clearer, more detailed information about which devices are connected and which files are shared externally, and how often;
- Administrator Delegation enables IT administrators to accurately control permissions for management functions, avoiding security risks;
- Exporting permissions and tracking changes greatly improve administrators’ audit capabilities; Active Backup for Business supports full backups for macOS and Synology DSM platforms (will follow later). Synology C2 Cloud
“We see the future of IT infrastructure as a combination of cloud and on-premise solutions. Different challenges require different approaches, and Synology is in a position to create innovative products that maximize the unique potential of both,” said Jia-yu Liu, Executive VP of Cloud and Backup Group. “Our Synology C2 cloud platform has grown significantly since its inception more than three years ago, and we look forward to the availability of our new features that will enhance both our existing and future solutions
Cloud storage on demand
Hybrid Share offers – as we read in the DSM 7.0 press release – a flexible and cost-effective solution to merge local storage with cloud storage. This allows users to expand their local arrays with cloud storage on demand at any time, quickly sync data across multiple locations by leveraging the bandwidth of those locations and store frequently downloaded cloud data in the local cache for faster access.
Monitor all NAS devices
With Active Insight, the aggregated performance and usage data of all Synology NAS devices can be monitored through a single portal. Custom notifications can be created to alert administrators to potential problems with processor load, storage usage, write latency to LUNs and more. Administrators can also create custom groups and communication channels based on host servers and forward alerts to specific teams for the fastest possible response.
Harmonized user folders
Distributed user directories in branches and subsidiaries is a common but tedious process. Synology’s directory-as-a-service (DaaS) solves this by leveraging Synology’s C2 cloud infrastructure, allowing administrators to securely combine remote offices into the same directory. C2 Directory can use an onsite Synology NAS and computers with the dedicated agent installed for caching, ensuring minimal authentication delays and continuous access even when the computer is offline. C2 Directory will also support device management through Windows group policies and installable agents on macOS computers. C2 Directory will be available later in 2021
Backup without limits
Building on the solidity of Synology C2, a new data protection solution will be introduced that enables backups directly to Synology C2. Support for Windows and Windows Server, Linux, macOS, VMware and Hyper-V hypervisors, and popular SaaS platforms will ensure full support within most IT environments. Storage capacity can be scaled up for maximum cost efficiency, and subscribers benefit from pay-as-you-go flexibility.
Availability
DSM 7.0 will be available as a free update on compatible Synology devices. The public beta version (or a trial version for the more experimental among you) is now available for downloadfrom this page. Additional information will be announced in 2021