Synology DiskStation DS1821+ NAS Review
Traditional NAS solutions were used to provide just file storage but with many years of evolving home and small businesses, NAS devices have more and more features to offer. A perfect example of an advanced NAS solution would be the Synology DiskStation DS1821+. The DS1821+ NAS features include the ability to host databases, websites and can even host your VMware machines. This multi-featured storage device is easy to configure and operate.
As we know there comes a time when you have outgrown your storage needs and need to move into the next tearing of storage and protection. It is a well-known fact that you should keep at least two copies of your data on two different storage platforms/devices for backup. But where does it all start? (You may ask). It all starts from the right solution as your first storage repository. It doesn’t matter if you are a computer enthusiast or a small business owner your storage needs should always have redundancy. A great investment for home and small business users would be an affordable NAS solution. NAS or Network Attached Storage is appliance-based hardware that provides storage access via the network. NAS solutions can vastly vary in price and configuration so picking the right solution might be challenging. Most of the NAS devices support RAID redundancy which is a great way to achieve reassurance that your files are being safe in the event of hard drive failure. No job is too big or too small for the Synology DiskStation DS1821+ as it is a great “next step” appliance into the storage needs that most computer enthusiasts, developers, and storage administrators seek.
Packaging
As always packaging of Synology hardware is made from a thick recyclable cardboard box. The shipping box is very well structured and has a handle on the top for easy transport. From the rear side of the box, users can see some hardware specifications of DS1821+ and package contents.
The internal packaging of DS1821+ is done extremely well. The entire device is wrapped in a protective plastic bag and supported by plastic foam from every angle. The device has a substantial weight of 12LB (6Kg). DS1821+ is being sold without hard drives so when you populate this appliance the weight of the entire device could be more than 20LB(10Kg).
To get you up and running fast, the Synology DiskStation DS1821+ comes with two Cat 5 network cables, a bag of screws, two security keys to lock the drives in place, a power cord, and a Quick Installation Guide.
Hardware Specifications
CPU |
CPU Model | AMD Ryzen V1500B |
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| CPU Quantity | 1 | |
| CPU Architecture | 64-bit | |
| CPU Frequency | 4-core 2.2 GHz | |
| Hardware Encryption Engine (AES-NI) | ||
Memory |
System Memory | 4 GB DDR4 ECC SODIMM |
| Memory Module Pre-installed | 4 GB (4 GB x 1) | |
| Total Memory Slots | 2 | |
| Maximum Memory Capacity | 32 GB (16 GB x 2) | |
| Notes |
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Storage |
Drive Bays | 8 |
| Maximum Drive Bays with Expansion Unit | 18 (DX517 x 2) | |
| M.2 Drive Slots | 2 (NVMe) | |
| Compatible Drive Type* (See all supported drives) |
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| Maximum Single Volume Size* | 108 TB | |
| Hot Swappable Drive | ||
| Notes |
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External Ports |
RJ-45 1GbE LAN Port | 4 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support) |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port* | 4 | |
| eSATA Port | 2 | |
| Notes | The USB 3.0 standard was renamed to USB 3.2 Gen 1 by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) in 2019. | |
PCIe |
PCIe Expansion | 1 x Gen3 x8 slot (x4 link) |
File System |
Internal Drives |
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| External Drives |
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| Notes | exFAT Access is purchased separately in Package Center. | |
Appearance |
Size (Height x Width x Depth) | 166 mm x 343 mm x 243 mm |
| Weight | 6 kg | |
Others |
System Fan | 120 mm x 120 mm x 2 pcs |
| Fan Speed Mode |
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| Easy Replacement System Fan | ||
| Brightness Adjustable Front LED Indicators | ||
| Power Recovery | ||
| Noise Level* | 22.2 dB(A) | |
| Scheduled Power On / Off | ||
| Wake on LAN / WAN | ||
| Power Supply Unit / Adapter | 250 W | |
| AC Input Power Voltage | 100 V to 240 V AC | |
| Power Frequency | 50/60 Hz, Single Phase | |
| Power Consumption* | 59.8 W (Access) 26.18 W (HDD Hibernation) |
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| British Thermal Unit | 204.05 BTU/hr (Access) 89.33 BTU/hr (HDD Hibernation) |
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| Notes |
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Temperature |
Operating Temperature | 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) |
| Storage Temperature | -20°C to 60°C (-5°F to 140°F) | |
| Relative Humidity | 5% to 95% RH | |
Certification |
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Warranty |
3 Years | |
| Notes | The warranty period starts from the purchase date as stated on your purchase receipt. (Learn more) | |
Environment |
RoHS Compliant | |
Packaging Content |
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Optional Accessories |
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| Notes | All memory modules will operate at the maximum frequency specified by the CPU manufacturer. | |
Software Specifications
DSM Specifications |
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Storage Management |
Maximum Internal Volume Number | 64 |
| SSD Read / Write Cache (White Paper) | ||
| SSD TRIM | ||
| Supported RAID Type |
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| RAID Migration |
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| Volume Expansion with Larger HDDs |
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| Volume Expansion by Adding a HDD |
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| Global Hot Spare Supported RAID Type |
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File Services |
File Protocol | SMB/AFP/NFS/FTP/WebDAV |
| Maximum Concurrent SMB/AFP/FTP Connections | 1,000 | |
| Maximum Concurrent SMB/AFP/FTP Connections (with RAM expansion) | 2,000 | |
| Windows Access Control List (ACL) Integration | ||
| NFS Kerberos Authentication | ||
| Notes |
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Account & Shared Folder |
Maximum Local User Accounts | 2,048 |
| Maximum Local Groups | 256 | |
| Maximum Shared Folder | 512 | |
| Maximum Shared Folder Sync Tasks | 16 | |
High Availability |
Synology High Availability | |
Log Center |
Syslog Events per Second | 800 |
Virtualization |
VMware vSphere with VAAI | |
| Windows Server 2016 | ||
| Windows Server 2019 | ||
| Citrix Ready | ||
| OpenStack | ||
General Specifications |
Networking Protocols | SMB1 (CIFS), SMB2, SMB3, NFSv3, NFSv4, NFSv4.1, NFS Kerberized sessions, iSCSI, HTTP, HTTPs, FTP, SNMP, LDAP, CalDAV |
| Supported Browsers |
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| Supported Language | English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Español, Dansk, Norsk, Svenska, Nederlands, Русский, Polski, Magyar, Português do Brasil, Português Europeu, Türkçe, Český, ภาษาไทย, 日本語, 한국어, 繁體中文, 简体中文 | |
Add-on Packages view the complete package list |
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Antivirus by McAfee (Trial) |
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Central Management System |
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Synology Chat |
Maximum Users | 1,500 |
| Notes |
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Document Viewer |
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Download Station |
Maximum Concurrent Download Tasks | 80 |
exFAT Access (Optional) |
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iSCSI Manager |
Maximum iSCSI Target Number | 128 |
| Maximum iSCSI LUN | 256 | |
| iSCSI LUN Clone/Snapshot, Windows ODX | ||
Synology MailPlus / MailPlus Server |
Free Email Accounts | 5 (Licenses required for additional accounts) |
| Maximum Number of Concurrent Users | 150 | |
| Maximum Server Performance | 1,484,000 emails per day, approx. 45GB | |
| Notes |
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Media Server |
DLNA Compliance | |
Moments |
Facial Recognition | |
| Subject Recognition | ||
| Auto Color & Rotate | ||
| Moments Select | ||
Snapshot Replication |
Maximum Snapshots per Shared Folder | 1,024 |
| Maximum of System Snapshots | 65,536 | |
Surveillance Station |
Maximum IP cam (Licenses required) | 40 (including 2 Free License) (See All Supported IP Cameras) |
| Total FPS (H.264) | 1200 FPS @ 720p (1280×720) 1050 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080) 600 FPS @ 3M (2048×1536) 440 FPS @ 5M (2591×1944) 320 FPS @ 4K (3840×2160) |
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| Total FPS (H.265) | 1200 FPS @ 720p (1280×720) 1200 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080) 1120 FPS @ 3M (2048×1536) 600 FPS @ 5M (2591×1944) 480 FPS @ 4K (3840×2160) |
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| Notes |
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Synology Drive |
Recommended Number of Hosted Files | 1,000,000 (applies to files indexed or hosted by Synology Drive. For file access through other standard protocols, refer to the File Services section above) |
| Recommended Number of Concurrent Sync Clients | 550 (the number of connections that can be maintained when the recommended number of hosted files was reached) | |
| Notes |
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Synology Office |
Maximum Users | 1,800 |
| Notes |
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Video Station |
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Virtual Machine Manager |
Recommended Virtual Machine Instances | 8 (Learn more) |
| Recommended Virtual DSM Number (Licenses required) | 8 (including 1 Free License) | |
| Notes | The specifications vary depending on system configuration and memory size. | |
VPN Server |
Maximum Connections | 30 |
Notes:
- Model specifications are subject to change without prior notice.
- The figures are based on Synology internal testing. Each performance test is done individually. No other services or applications are processed at the same time.
- The actual performance may be lower than lab testing figure due to differences in server configuration, deployment, and the number of active operations.
- If usage requirements exceed the specifications above, please contact our regional partners for professional advice.
