Synology Network Upgrade Module adds 1x 10GbE RJ-45 (E10G22-T1-Mini)

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Don’t misunderstand, the DS1522+ is an excellent NAS, but it could have been amazing if Synology would shelve some of its technology dogma. Next up is 4K max latency, where the DS1522+ recorded 2824ms read 2805ms and write in SMB and 4045.3ms read and 913.042ms write in iSCSI HDD performance. With cache enabled, we saw latency drop to 665ms read and 199ms write in SMB and 66.52ms read and 102.29ms in iSCSI. Compared to the fixed 16 thread, 16 queue max workload we performed in the 100% 4K write test, our mixed workload profiles scale the performance across a wide range of thread/queue combinations. In these tests, we span workload intensity from 2 thread/2 queue up to 16 thread/16 queues. In throughput, the HDD configuration posted a range of 444 IOPS to 1,458 IOPS (iSCSI) and 218 IOPS to 217 IOPS (SMB), while the cache showed 10,851 IOPS to 56,191 IOPS (iSCSI) and 1,541 IOPS to 581 IOPS (SMB). What we did learn from experimenting is that the NVMe cache is critical to getting the best speeds out of this unit, since it enabled the drives to be controlled in a way that optimises their performance.

Not to use actively… Just to replace the many DOA units that died over the years, so they could access old cases and re-save the data on cheap USB drives (2x drives for “redundency”). All that, just to ensure the data can be retrieved / produced in the future. Synology SNV3400 series M.2 NVMe SSD drives can be installed through the built-in M.2 slots to enable SSD caching or create SSD storage pools. Drives are sold separately. We are looking to access photos and videos from mobile devices and copying photos/videos up to the NAS. The devices are mostly iPhones and iPads, but will include Windows 10 pc’s. Having approved hardware for its NAS is a path Synology went down a few years ago when they wanted to sell branded drives. It’s worth noting that Synology doesn’t make drives, and these units are made for them by Kioxia (previously known as Toshiba). The upgrade process is much faster than the case of the DS1517+ (right) or any server with a PCIe slot, where you'd have to open up the server's case for the job.

Synology Audio Station: Manage your music collection, create personal playlists, stream them to your own devices, or share them with family or friends. Installation on systems that support the E10G22-T1-Mini seems to be incredibly straightforward, with just two screws covering the bay and the module simply sliding into the slot. However, it is worth remembering that, as this is connected to the main board over PCIe, you will almost certainly be required to power the device down when installing (i.e not hot-swap/plugging).

Synology has been promising SMB Multi-channel as part of DSM for some time, and it was supposed to be in DSM 7.1. For example, when setting it up with a few large hard drives, you'll note that the server takes a long time to finish "optimizing" the RAID. Actual maximum storage pool and volume sizes vary depending on drives used, the number of drive bays available, and the RAID configuration.A dichotomy exists where Synology embraces the future with its Ryzen processor platform and yet fails to include standard technology like 2.5GbE by default. It also continues with eSATA as its expansion technology, an interface most people stopped using a decade or more ago. At some point, those at Synology need to realise that cheap and effective NAS solutions that use 2.5GbE, have HDMI onboard and use USB 3.2 Gen 2 is coming at them from all directions.

It's worth noting that the new 10Gbps module is proprietary and will only work on supported Synology servers. However, going strict on hardware support has been the Synology way. The clearest sign is DSM 7 where third-party USB dongles are no longer supported. While this approach increases the cost, it improves stability. During our 8K sequential throughput tests, we saw 32,287 IOPS read and 21,668 IOPS write in SMB and 104197 IOPS read and 55,459 IOPS write in iSCSI for HDDs. With cache enabled, SMB showed 32,376 IOPS read and 21,760 IOPS write, while iSCSI recorded 103,899 IOPS read and 48,328 IOPS write. That the designers delivered a machine without Gen 2 capable USB ports is a concern since much of the external storage will likely default to this in the next two years. The DS1522+ is the first in the family to run DSM 7.1 out of the box -- previous servers originally came with DSM 6. Other than the 2020 model, I've tested all DS15xx servers, starting with the DS1511+, and in my experience, this lineup is the most well-balanced.

Surveillance Station includes 2 free licenses. Connecting more cameras and devices requires additional licenses. Learn more As mentioned, the E10G22-T1-Mini arrives in a very unusual and rarely seen compact form. It is injected into the NAS horizontally into the chassis, unlike most PCIe network upgrade adapters that are introduced vertically and with the removal of the system’s external chassis. The connection that the E10G22-T1-Mini makes with the NAS main system is a PCIe Gen 3 x2 connector, which means that providing this upgrade option is going to occupy considerable less of the CPU PCI lanes than a larger traditional PCIe slot (such the PCIe Gen 3 x8 found on most other Synology NAS) would. That’s smart and means that much more modest NAS systems will be able to scale up to 10G much more easily.

Moving on to 4K average latency, the Synology NAS showed 1490.35ms read and 148.94ms write in SMB, while iSCSI reached 100.61ms and 145.78ms for reads and writes. With cache, the latency improved to 83.62ms read and 13.97ms write in SMB and 3.12ms read and 4.61ms write in iSCSI. These apps and features are generally available across Synology servers that run DSM 7. These are just some examples. There are more than 100 official apps and many more from third parties.Most noticeably, with DSM 7.1, the DS1522+ is also the first server that features Surveillance Station 9.0 -- you can use up to 40 IP cameras with it. The new app, per Synology, features simultaneous dual recording to C2 Surveillance cloud storage. This particular module only features a single 10Gbps BASE-T port and fits only the DS1522+. However, future servers will likely also have this slot, and chances are we'll find SFP+ modules or those with more than two ports going forward. Surveillance Station includes 2 free licenses. Connecting more cameras and devices requires additional licenses.