Hardware Reviews - Expert and user reviews

Synology Disk Station DS710+

Synology Disk Station DS710 + is a dual bay NAS server, like the DS209 Editors’ Choice winner +, with one important difference: the storage is scalable to a maximum of seven sections. Besides, the DS710 + largely shares the same set of features with the DS209 +.

The server is an excellent performance in our tests, and we loved its robust Web interface that helps users navigate through its myriad of features and functions. Some shortcomings of the server includes the fact that only supports a network camera from the box and requires more licenses of additional cameras, and lack of dual Ethernet option that would help maintain high performance even under heavy loads. Finally, expanding its storage capacity is not practical.

If you are seeking an advanced NAS server offers everything you expect from a product of its kind, about $ 570 (not including storage), or about $ 860 (with 2 TB), the Disk Station DS710 + will make it a good investment. If you want something similar that can support two IP cameras and the box has dual Ethernet, we’d recommend the QNAP TS259 Pro

Design and configuration
The Disk Station Synology DS710 + is the first 3.5-inch hard drive-based NAS server that offers easy access to storage. Unlike the DS209 +, which requires opening the case of device to access the hard drives, the DS710 + ’s two bays are easily accessible from the rear. This makes installation and replacement of hard drives for a task much faster.

The server can work only as a dual-bay NAS box or partner with the DX510 Expansion Unit, which costs another $ 500, supporting up to seven hard drives. The DX510 is not available as an announcement of this review, but according to Synology, will be connected to the DS710 + via the eSATA port on the back. Add to that the fact that the DX510 is about 2.5 times the size of the DS710 + - no matter how many hard drives containing - and the solution begins to seem more clumsy than practical. It would be better if somehow the server can accept more hard drives and even as a single unit. We believe that the DS710 + work best only for himself and two bay NAS servers.

Apart from the eSATA port, the Disk Station DS710 + also comes with three USB ports, two in back and one on the front. These ports can be used to accommodate external storage devices or more printers. The front USB port can also be used to quickly copy all the contents of a USB storage device such as a flash drive. This is a popular feature in many of the new NAS servers.

The Disk Station DS710 + ships with and without storage. Our review unit comes with two 1TB hard drives that can be configured in RAID 0 or RAID 1 configuration. When combined with the DX510, Synology claims, the DS710 + can support other RAID configurations, including RAID Hybrid Synology property, which allows the use of the hard drives of different capacities.

Like other Synology NAS servers, the DS710 + does not pose any problem for users knowledgeable when it comes to installation. Not so for home users. The NAS server comes with a desktop application called “Synology Assistant” to assist users with initial installation. In addition to detecting the NAS and the launch of the Web interface, the software does not provide sufficient information on what you do and may seem confusing and intimidating for people with little computer knowledge.

However, we struggled to get the server running. In our view, the server took only 30 minutes to change the RAID configuration to another. This is significantly shorter than most NAS servers that take hours to get the same work done. This is because the DS710 + allows you to skip the difficult to check the unit during a raid of the building. This reduces construction time, but poses potential problems if the hard disks containing bad sectors. When included a disk check, the DS710 + ’s RAID building time took as long as any other NAS server.
Unlike desktop setup application, the Web server interface is one of the best. Once launched through a Web browser, all the features and functions of the DS710 + listed in a well organized menu on the left of the interface. Most sections are based configuration wizard and guide you through step by step. For example, when you click on “Share Folder” then click “Create”, launched an assistant to walk with us through all the steps needed to make a new share folder and assign the user access to that folder .

Features
Running Synology Disk Station Manager 2.2 firmware, the DS710 + shares a similar feature set in most Synology NAS servers they have reviewed, as the DS209 + or DS410Slim. The NAS server has all the basic features you’d find in any NAS server, such as FTP / HTTP Server, streaming media servers, user accounts, and support for external hard drives and printer.

Furthermore, the DS710 + also has advanced features, including support for Windows Active Directory Services, which lets you work seamlessly with a centralized server domain. It also supports iSCSI, enabling it to facilitate data transfers and storage management long distance through the network. The server also offers excellent support for file sharing across multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac and Linux. Solution also supports Apple’s Time Machine backup, plus many other features. However, what we like about the DS710 + is its application sites, including monitoring Station, Download Station, Station files and photos to the station. All these stations can be accessed through the local network or Internet.
The DS710 + ’s Surveillance Station supports up to 16 IP cameras. Unfortunately, only a license from the camera is included and for the licensing of additional camera, you will pay $ 49 per license. Of all the NAS server that supports IP cameras, Synology NAS servers, including the DS710 +, have the characteristics of broader surveillance. You can view live images and record on the basis of the scheduling or motion detection. When using multiple cameras, you can even synchronize playback to see what happens in different chambers at any given time. The server supports a long list of IP cameras on the market and is able to detect those connected to the local network to help facilitate the installation process. We tested the server out with an AXIS 213 PTZ camera and a Panasonic BL-C1A IP cameras and were very happy with the results. So far, the NAS server, Synology has been offering the best solution when it comes to surveillance. We wish, however, that this feature does not require purchasing additional licenses to support multiple cameras.

Download the server of the station allows the server to download files from Internet by itself and is able to download files from Web sites that require authentication (like RapidShare). It also supports BitTorrent and eMule file sharing services. You can manage your download at any time from anywhere via the Internet or local network. This is a great feature for those who want to download large files, since no other team should be running other than the NAS to break the bonds during unloading.

The DS710 + comes with Photo Station 3, which allows you to easily organize your photos into albums. Once activated, a shared folder named “picture” is created. The photos stored in this share folder are automatically placed in an album well organized, customizable. You can then create an album through an Internet browser and Google’s Picasa Web Album and very easy to add titles and comments to each photo or album.

Any local computers can access the DS710 + ’s storage through its share folder, like the way you look for shared data between computers, but if you want to access the NAS storage server through Internet, you need the file from the station. To do this you must know how to create a dynamic domain name (DDNS) connection or access to the Internet through a static IP address. The whole process requires some understanding about networking, such as the capability to forward certain ports to specific IP addresses. Once configured, the station provides access to file data on the share folder of the NAS server via the Internet. You can download a single file or an entire folder to the remote computer at a time and can also upload files to the NAS Sever. Multiple users can use this function at a time, and from different places.
The DS710 + has built-in backup options which focus on the backup of its contents in a external storage device or a network location. To backup files on your computer to DS710 + with Synology Data Replicator packages 3 of its desktop software.

The Replicator 3 is a simple data backup application that allows you to easily copy the data quickly, much like copy and paste using Windows Explorer from your computer to the DS710 +. The software, however, has a nice feature that helps you quickly find and back up email files, which are usually buried in layers of subfolders in a user profile. In addition, it also allows the programming and monitoring the backup process via email.

Performance
We tested the DS710 +, both RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations and were happy with how it performs.

In RAID 1, which is the setting that focuses on data protection at the expense of storage space, the NAS server was 321.8Mbps write speed and read speed 322.7Mbps. These numbers are among the fastest servers dual bay NAS. In comparison, the 259Pro QNAP TS 350.6Mbps scored 268.1Mbps and Lee to write and test, respectively.

In RAID 0, the installation program that gives you more protection and storage space at the expense of performance data, the DS710 scored significantly higher in 409.7Mbps for the writing test, which is the fastest by far. His reading speed, however, was slower in 323.8Mbps only, compared with the 361.5Mbps QNAP TS259 Pro

Overall, the DS710 + ’s performance is among the highest in Double Bay servers NAS. Interestingly, however, seeing that your reading speed seems to be the same or slower than its write speed. In most NAS servers we’ve tested, this model tends to be reversed.

Pros
Disk Station Synology DS710 + offers excellent speed performance, a large number of features, and a state of the art in network interface. You also have the option to extend the internal storage of up to seven hard drives.

Cons
Disk Station Synology DS710 + does not have dual Ethernet and requires licenses to support more than one IP camera. Your setup application is quite confusing, and only the tech-savvy users can take advantage of its advanced features. It is also expensive, and the intractability of the expansion drive is awkward.

Conclusion
For those who have decent networks know-how, the station disk Synology DS710 + NAS server makes a great for any environment. It is suitable for home offices and small business applications.