Building reliable backup repositories with Synology storage systems

Sponsored by Synology

Safe and intelligent storage systems are key to keeping a business running. This is no different for backup systems used to protect IT infrastructure.

Synology storage solutions include our Active Backup suite, a powerful family of applications introduced in 2018 to safeguard endpoints, servers, VMs, and even Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace accounts.

At the same time, many businesses run third-party backup software to store backups on their Synology system. In fact, Synology’s range of converged NAS/SAN storage systems has been deployed at tens of thousands of companies worldwide, including nearly half of Fortune 500 companies, to store business-critical data and backups. While the data stored is (hopefully) seldom used, you still need a robust and dependable solution.

Pairing backup solutions with Synology storage

Our customers often deploy Synology systems as reliable storage destinations for backups with products by Nakivo, Acronis, Commvault, and Veeam, among others. Nakivo even offers direct integration with Synology DiskSkation Manager (DSM) through an add-on package available in Synology’s Package Center.

The easiest way to connect storage solutions with any backup software is through file protocols such as SMB or NFS. These enable easy storage and folder management.

The second method is to set up designated LUNs, or block storage, essentially providing blank virtual drives to be formatted and managed directly by backup software servers.

Synology systems fully support configuration as backup repository servers managed through DSM, using SMB or NFS protocols, and managed through backup software servers, using LUNs over iSCSI or Fibre Channel protocols.

Start protecting your deployment now

With these issues in mind, your company may need a new approach when considering data protection.

Small businesses need a data protection solution that enables them to centralize and protect business data distributed across platforms, and perform multi-version backups with flexible, rapid restoration options to minimize damage when a disaster occurs.

Synology NAS/SAN Protocols
	SMB	NFS	iSCSI	FC1
Type	File Protocol (NAS)	File Protocol (NAS)	Block (SAN)	Block (SAN)
Performance	Baseline	Baseline+	Faster	Fastest
Administrator Management	Easiest	Easy	Medium	Medium
Sapshits	Yes
Remote Backups	Yes2		Yes3
Compression	Yes		–
Deduplication	Yes4
Scalability	Up to 200TB or 1PB5 per folder	Up to 200TB or 1PB5 per folder	Up to 200TB per LUN	Up to 200TB per LUN
Storage protocol support per solution
Veeam Backup & Replication	V	V	V	V
Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365	V	X	V	V
Acronis Cyber Protect	V	X	X/V5	V
NAKIVO Backup & Replication	V	V	V	X
Commvault Data Protection Suite	V	V	V	V

 

1. Available on XS, SA, FS, and HD Series systems.
2. To other Synology systems, rsync compatible servers, Synology C2 Storage, and S3-compatible destinations. Learn more
3. To other Synology systems and rsync compatible servers. Cloud destinations require first performing a backup to a local destination. Learn more
4. Supported on specific systems. Additional requirements apply. Not all data and configurations support deduplication. Learn more
5. Supported on XS, SA, FS, and HD Series systems. Additional requirements apply. Learn more
6. Available for specific backup targets.

Dependable backup storage when it counts

Synology NAS/SAN storage systems are powered by DSM, our operating system that makes configuration and operation highly straightforward.

A reduced learning curve ensures that IT administrators spend less time digging through documentation or requesting technical support. When every second counts during a backup recovery event, a system with minimal friction can make the difference.

DSM is far more than just a simplified user interface, it packs in quality-of-life improvements for day-to-day operations, such as centralized performance, security, and backup monitoring across all of your Synology systems through our Active Insight service.

Smart storage management features make sure your storage use is efficient through compression and deduplication, and hardware maintenance tasks are easy for any on-site staff to perform.

Most importantly, Synology systems are designed to keep your data intact and secure from external and internal threats.

From data snapshots and remote backups to private cloud or hybrid cloud architectures, Synology systems offer a complete selection of flexible solutions to ensure data and service reliability. Learn more about data protection

How to pick a suitable system for your business

We understand that it might be daunting filtering through dozens of systems, comparing specifications, capabilities, and more. This is why our systems differ mostly in three crucial parameters: maximum storage capacity, performance, and price.

Synology Storage System Series
	DS Series	RS Series	SA Series	HD Series	FS Series
	Compact and versatile	General purpose storage	High scalability	High density	All flash storage
Form Factor	Tower	Rackmount
Drive Bays1	Up to 36	Up to 40	Up to 96	Up to 300	Up to 72 all-flash
Raw Capacity	Up to 576 TB	Up to 640 TB	Up to 1.5 PB	Up to 4.8 PB	Up to 500 TB
Performance (Read/Write)2	4,719/267 MB/s	6,239/3,282 MB/s	6,291/3,440 MB/s	6,688/6,662 MB/s	7,081/6,477 MB/s
Protocol support	All NAS/SAN
Includes Active Backup suite	Yes
Snapshots	Yes
Remote Backups	Yes
High Availability	Supports Synology High Availability

 

1. Including expansion units
2. Sequential SMB read/write throughput at 64 KB block sizes. Performance figures are obtained through internal testing by Synology. See performance charts for more information.

For businesses looking for more flexible and OPEX-oriented solutions, our C2 Object Storage cloud service provides robust, high-performance S3-compatible object storage with support for high transfer volumes at an industry-leading cost.

To find the best solution for your needs, our teams are always on standby to provide a free consultation. Contact Us

This article is sponsored and supplied by Synology.