Synology only partially removes drive restriction for Plus NAS
In a press release, Synology advertises more data storage flexibility for its Plus NAS. However, this apparently does not apply to HDDs.
Synology's Diskstation DS1525+ from the Plus series.
(Image: Synology)
Synology is softening the restrictions for drives in its Diskstation network-attached storage (NAS) of the current Plus series. With the update to DSM 7.3, SATA SSDs in 2.5-inch format are no longer restricted to Synology models. Users can once again use any SATA SSDs and thus create storage pools without any detours.
HDDs, on the other hand, still appear to be restricted. Synology writes in a press release: “To provide users with more flexibility, the Diskstation Plus, Value, and J series (model year 2025) with DSM 7.3 support the use of third-party drives, including the installation and creation of storage pools.”
At the end, however, the manufacturer refers to an updated further article. In this article, Synology differentiates between M.2 SSDs plus HDDs on the one hand and SATA SSDs on the other. In the table for M.2 SSDs and HDDs, the line for Plus NAS models states: “Only drives listed in the compatibility list are supported.”
For SATA SSDs, on the other hand, Synology also has a new entry under the Plus NAS: “SSDs that are not listed in the compatibility list are displayed as Unconfirmed in the Storage Manager, but can still be used.” Only the entry-level J and Value series have no restrictions.
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Stricter rules for HDDs
Synology justifies the distinction between SATA SSDs and HDDs with the mechanical complexity of hard drives: “The mechanical design of HDDs has a greater impact on the overall performance and reliability of the system. Therefore, it is critical that all compatible HDDs meet Synology's stringent standards to ensure consistent system performance and user satisfaction.”
The compatibility lists for the respective NAS models still only include drives that Synology sells at high prices under its brand. The same applies to M.2 SSDs. According to Synology, the validation program for hard drives and M.2 SSDs from third-party manufacturers is continuing. In the case of hard drives, the only remaining manufacturers worldwide are Seagate, Western Digital, and Toshiba. There are dozens of established providers of SSDs.
(mma)
