You may be wondering why your WD NAS is no longer visible in Windows 10.
Where did it go? How do you get it back?
Find out why your WD NAS cannot no longer be seen in Windows, and what are the solutions!
WD NAS Can’t Be Seen In Windows : What Happened?
You may have been using your WD NAS for some time, but one day, its network share – the “drive” that you directly access – can no longer be seen in Windows 10.
The NAS links in Windows File Explorer will only lead you to the login page for the WD NAS management page, not the actual drive where you can directly read, copy, write or edit your files.
All these NAS issues are happening because Microsoft disabled the Network Browse function from Windows 10 v1709 onwards.
The problems started after Windows 10 Fall Creators Update 1709, which :
The Computer Browser service relies on the SMB 1.0 protocol to discover network devices and display them in the Windows Network Neighbourhood.
Disabling SMB 1.0 breaks the Computer Browser service, so it is automatically uninstalled and your NAS drives “disappear” from Network Neighbourhood.
Disabling guest access prevents guest or public access to your NAS drives, even to folders you specifically set to allow for public access. Hence, the Public folder they had access to earlier “disappears”.
Why Did Microsoft Disable Those Network Features?
The SMB1 network protocol was first implemented in Windows back in 1992, so it’s old… very old.
It’s so old that it lacks encryption. Everything transmitted via SMB1 can be captured and read, and even modified, by any attacker who gains access to the network.
Guest logins even on SMB2 do not support standard security features like signing and encryption. This makes them vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks.
That’s why Microsoft (finally) disabled them both, starting with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update 1709.
WD NAS Can’t Be Seen In Windows : Before We Start…
Preliminary Step #1 : Update Your NAS
Before you do anything, you should log into your WD NAS management system and update its firmware, in case it’s not already set to automatically update.
Updating its firmware will ensure that your NAS supports at least SMB 2, if not SMB 3 as well.
WD NAS
Windows URL
macOS URL
My Cloud EX2100
http://wdmycloudex2100
http://wdmycloudex2100.local
My Cloud DL2100
http://wdmyclouddl2100
http://wdmyclouddl2100.local
My Cloud EX4100
http://wdmycloudex4100
http://wdmycloudex4100.local
My Cloud DL4100
http://wdmyclouddl4100
http://wdmyclouddl4100.local
Preliminary Step #2 : Use A Higher SMB Protocol
Then, enable the highest SMB protocol your WD NAS supports (Settings > Network). Set it to SMB 3 if possible.
This will ensure that both your WD NAS and your network support the most secure network protocol possible, for your security.
WD NAS Can’t Be Seen In Windows : The Solutions!
Best Solution : Map Your WD NAS By Device Name
The best way is to manually map your WD NAS by its device name. This lets you use the more secure SMB2 or SMB3 network protocols, with direct access to your files as usual.
Determine your WD NAS network path, which is based on the device name.If you changed your WD NAS device name to TechARPCloud (for example), the network name will be \\TechARPCloudHere is a list of default network paths for different WD NAS :
WD NAS
Default Network Path
My Cloud Home
\\MYCLOUD-last 6 digits of serial number
Example : \\MYCLOUD-123456
My Cloud Home Duo
My Cloud
\\WDMYCLOUD
My Cloud Mirror
\\WDMYCLOUDMIRROR
My Cloud Mirror Gen 2
My Cloud EX2
\\WDMYCLOUDEX2
My Cloud EX2 Ultra
\\MYCLOUDEX2ULTRA
My Cloud EX4
\\WDMYCLOUDEX4
My Cloud EX2100
\\WDMYCLOUDEX2100
My Cloud EX4100
\\WDMYCLOUDEX4100
My Cloud DL2100
\\WDMYCLOUDDL2100
My Cloud DL4100
\\WDMYCLOUDDL4100
My Cloud PR2100
\\MYCLOUDPR2100
My Cloud PR4100
\\MYCLOUDPR2100
Open Windows File Explorer and click on Network on the left pane.
Key in the network path of the WD NAS, which is based on its device name. Make sure you include \\ before the network path.
You will be asked to key in a user name and password.
This can be the administrator’s login, or the login of any registered user of your WD NAS.
Remember – Windows 10 no longer allows guest logins or public access. So you will need to create a password-protected account even for guests to use.
Once you successfully authenticate your user name and password, the network shares of your WD NAS will become visible in File Explorer under Network!You can stop here, but you will need to keep keying in the network path and login to access your NAS every time you boot into Windows.
For more convenience, you can create a password-protected Private Share.Start by right-clicking on a network share from your WD NAS and select Map network drive…
Select a drive letter for the network share.
Check Reconnect at sign-in if you don’t want to automatically log into the drive.
Then click Finish to map the drive.
That’s it! If you expand This PC in Windows File Explorer, you should now see that the WD NAS network drive has now been mapped by its device name!
Alternate Solution : Enable Network Discovery Without SMB1
This Windows 10 workaround can be used if your WD NAS supports SMB2 or SMB3 and you prefer not to map the network drives.
Go to Windows Services.
Start these two services :
– Function Discovery Provider Host
– Function Discovery Resource Publication
Set the Startup type for both those services to Automatic (Delayed Start).
Open Windows File Explorer and go to Network.
When prompted, enable Network Discovery.
Your WD NAS shares should now be visible in Windows File Explorer.
Worst Case Solution : Enable Network Discovery Without SMB1
This should only be attempted if your WD NAS simply cannot support SMB2 or SMB3, and can only use SMB1.
Go to Control Panel > Programs.
Click on Turn Windows features on or off.
Expand the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support option.
Check the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client option.
Click the OK button.
Restart Windows 10
After Windows 10 restarts, your WD NAS shares should now be visible in Windows File Explorer.
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One of the issues you may face after upgrading to macOS Catalina is a sudden failure to connect to your NAS. And no matter what you do – you just can’t access your NAS!
Fortunately, we have the solution for this problem. Here is our guide on how you can fix the NAS connection failure in macOS Catalina!
The macOS Catalina NAS Connection Issue
After upgrading to macOS Catalina, you may experience a sudden and persistent inability to connect to your NAS.
When you try to access your NAS, it will say Connection Failed. And nothing happens when you click the Connect As… button – you don’t get the usual security pop-up to log into your NAS.
This is beyond annoying, because you have now lost all access to your NAS on macOS Catalina.
It is definitely a macOS Catalina issue because if you try using a Windows PC or an old macOS system, you will have no issue accessing the same NAS.
So what should you do?
The Cause Of The macOS Catalina NAS Connection Failure
From what we can tell, this issue is happening because Apple apparently dropped support for SMB1 and SMB 2.0 in macOS Catalina.
With many NAS defaulting to SMB1 for compatibility reasons, users will immediately lose the ability to connect once they upgrade to macOS Catalina.
How To Fix The macOS Catalina NAS Connection Failure
The key is to set your NAS to use SMB 3.0 or later. This should not be a problem if your NAS is less than 5-6 years old, because SMB 3.0 was introduced in 2012.
In our guide, we are going to use the screenshots from our Synology NAS. But it should be similar in concept to NAS from other brands like QNAP and WD :
Log into your NAS
Go to Control Panel > File Services.
Under the SMB section, click on Advanced Settings.
In the Advanced Settings pop-up, you will find that the Maximum SMB protocol is probably set to SMB1.
You need to set the Maximum SMB protocol to SMB3.
Now, this is not necessary, but while you are here, you might as well just set the Minimum SMB protocol to SMB2 and Large MTU.
Then click Apply at the bottom of the Advanced Settings pop-up to save the settings.
If it works, you should be able to connect to your NAS after you log out of your NAS. However, in many cases, you need to take an additional step by manually connecting to your NAS.
To do that, you need to select Go > Connect to Server… in Finder.
Then key in smb://ServerName/ (in our example, smb://DiskStation/) and click Connect.
This should finally launch the security login pop-up, where you can key in your Name and Password to log into your NAS.
After logging into your NAS, you should have no issue accessing your NAS. You can also drag and add your NAS folders to the Favourites list in Finder.
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In addition to their consumer gaming products, Acer also has an Altos subsidiary that offers enterprise-grade cloud computing and network storage solutions. Here is the 2019 Acer Altos product showcase and demonstration!
The 2019 Acer Altos Product Showcase + Demonstration
Altos Computing Inc President, Jackie Lee, flew in from Taipei to introduce the 2019 Acer Altos product line-up for business and enterprise users.
Acer Altos QSAN XN3004T Tower 4+1 Bay NAS
The Acer Altos QSAN XN3004T NAS (Network-Attached Storage) runs on the QSM 3 operating system, and comes with a USB One Touch Copy Button, which allows the automatic back-up of USB flash drives and external hard disk drives to pre-set folders.
It has an auto-tiering architecture, that will progressively optimise the data to allow users to retrieve their data quicker. Its real-time remote replication and cloud backup also allows for additional backup of important assets.
Thanks to its hybrid (N+1) storage system, the XN3004T NAS allows you to add a SSD for better data access performance from its four 3.5-inch hard disk drives. It also boasts a screw-less tray design, which allows you to install, upgrade, or replace existing HDDs without tools.
Given the importance of data security, Acer Altos QSAN XN3004T NAS has built-in anti-virus protection. In addition, its self-encrypting drive (SED) technology protects the data from Day 1, and secures it even if the physical drives are stolen or misplaced.
Acer Altos P Series Workstations
The Acer Altos P30 F6 workstation comes with the latest 8th Generation Intel Core processor and NVIDIA Quadro graphics card to deliver the performance and reliability expected by creative professionals, engineers, scientists and financial analysts. It also supports up to 64 GB of RAM and 32 TB of storage.
Acer also offers the Altos P330 F4, which is equipped with the powerful and reliable server-grade Intel Xeon Processor Skylake-W Family and NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics cards. It supports up to 512 GB of RAM, and comes with a 900W power supply as well as a dual-fan option for increased airflow.
Acer AltosCloud VDI Solution
Acer also showcased the AltosCloud VDI (Virtual desktop infrastructure) solution, which allows users to easily set up their own virtual desktop computing system. It is ideal for organisations such as call centers, hospitals and even the library setups of private schools, colleges and universities.
The AltosCloud VDI allows an organisation to provide a desktop computing experience by simply connecting a keyboard, mouse, monitor and a LAN cable to the Acer Altos TC400 or TC410 thin client terminals.
Organisations can also leverage other computing devices like desktop PCs, laptops, Chromebook and even Android smartphones. The AltosCloud VDI solution is powered by the Acer Altos server range at the backend.
Price + Availability
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The complete range of 2019 Acer Altos products will be available for purchase at Acer official online stores, and select Acer authoriser resellers soon.
Equipped with four 2 TB hard disk drives, the Acer Altos QSAN XN3004T Tower 4+1 Bay NAS, will be priced at RM 4,699 / ~US$ 1,149 / ~£ 862.
The Acer Altos P30 F6 workstation is priced from RM 4,280 / ~US$ 1,046 / ~£ 785 onwards, while the Acer Altos P330 F4 workstation is priced from RM 8,799 / ~US$ 2,149 / ~£ 1,615 onwards.
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The popularity of Network-Attached Storage (NAS) systems has fuelled a surge in demand for large capacity hard disk drives. This interest led Western Digital to create the WD Red NAS-optimised family of hard disk drives. Today, we are going to look at the first helium-filled WD Red model – the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive!
The WD Red Family
The WD Red family of NAS-optimised hard disk drives, with storage capacities from 750 GB all the way to 10 TB. Here is a specification comparison of the five key models:
Specifications
10TB WD Red
8TB WD Red
6TB WD Red
5TB WD Red
4TB WD Red
Model
WD100EFAX
WD80EFZX
WD60EFRX
WD50EFRX
WD40EFRX
HelioSeal Technology
Yes
No
No
No
No
Advanced Format Technology
Yes (512-byte emulation)
Yes (512-byte emulation)
Yes (512-byte emulation)
Yes (512-byte emulation)
Yes (512-byte emulation)
Spindle Speed
5400 RPM
5400 RPM
5400 RPM
5400 RPM
5400 RPM
Cache
256 MB SDRAM
128 MB SDRAM
64 MB SDRAM
64 MB SDRAM
64 MB SDRAM
Maximum Read / Write Speed
210 MB/s
178 MB/s
175 MB/s
150 MB/s
147 MB/s
Average Read / Write Power Consumption
5.7 W
6.4 W
5.3 W
4.5 W
4.1 W
Idle Power Consumption
2.8 W
5.2 W
3.4 W
3.3 W
2.7 W
Acoustics (Seek / Idle)
29 dBA / 20 dBA
29 dBA / 20 dBA
28 dBA / 25 dBA
28 dBA / 25 dBA
24 dBA / 23 dBA
MTBF (hours)
1 million
1 million
1 million
1 million
1 million
Rated World Load (Per Year)
180 TB
180 TB
180 TB
180 TB
180 TB
Warranty
3 Years
3 Years
3 Years
3 Years
3 Years
They all share the following common features :
NAS Compatibility – Advanced firmware technology built into every WD Red drive, enables seamless integration, robust data protection and optimal performance for systems operating in NAS and RAID environments.
Exclusive NASware 3.0 Technology – WD’s exclusive NASware 3.0 technology further optimizes the WD Red for the NAS environment, allowing the WD Red to support small NAS systems with up to 8 bays!
3D Active Balance Plus – This enhanced dual-plane balance control technology significantly improves the overall drive performance and reliability. Hard drives that are not properly balanced may cause excessive vibration and noise in a multidrive system, reduce the hard drive lifespan, and degrade the performance over time.[adrotate group=”2″]
Enhanced Reliability – With a 35% MTBF improvement over standard desktop drives, the WD Red drive is designed and manufactured to be a more reliable and robust solution.
Energy Efficient – Innovative technology reduces power consumption and lowers the operating temperature, resulting in a more reliable and affordable solution for always on 24×7 NAS environments.
Premium Support – Exclusively for WD Red drive customers, a free dedicated 24/7 support line is available in English. Other regional support hours vary.
Longer Warranty Coverage – The WD Red drive is backed by a 3-year limited warranty for greater peace of mind.
Now, let’s check out the 10TB WD Red (Lowest Price) hard disk drive!
A Quick Look At The 10TB WD Red
The 10TB WD Red (Lowest Price) hard disk drive came in a sealed antistatic plastic pack. Notably, it lacked the usual sachet of desiccants. That’s because the drive is hermetically-sealed in the factory, and filled with helium. Also notable is their use of two gold-coloured screws to lock the PCB in place.
To remove the drive, just tear off the top or cut it open, and slide out the drive. Be sure to ground yourself before removing and handling the hard disk drive as static can damage it. In particular, you should try to avoid touching the exposed PCB located on the lower underside of the drive.
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The 10TB WD Red NAS Drive
Despite featuring a hermetically-sealed chassis, the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) drive looks deceptively like any other 3.5″ hard disk drive. In fact, it even sports the same printed label on the top plate, with an uncovered PCB on the underside.
The label has a lot of important information, like the hard disk drive model, storage capacity as well as its date and place of manufacture. This particular drive was manufactured in Thailand on the 1st of April, 2017. You can also see that the drive uses the Advanced Format Technology to achieve its high storage density.
HelioSeal Technology
The 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS-optimised drive is one of the few hard disk drives in the market to feature the revolutionary HGST HelioSeal technology. It is hermetically sealed at the factory, and filled with helium.
Instead of a breather hole that is present in all “air-filled” hard disk drives, it has two sealed ports that are used to extract air from inside the chassis, and replacing it with helium.
Because helium is only 1/7th the density of “regular air”, it allows for less friction conferring the following benefits :
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The lower friction reduces the amount of power required to spin the platters, reducing both energy costs and thermal output.
Internal turbulence is greatly reduced, which makes tracking more precise and reliable. This indirectly allows for greater areal density.
The lower power requirement and internal turbulence allow more platters and heads to be added in the same volume of space.
The completely sealed environment eliminates reliability issues that can occur if breather filters get clogged up with dirt.
The only things stopping helium-filled drives from becoming mainstream are the relatively high cost of helium, and the difficulty in sealing the drive.
SATA 6 Gb/s
This is a Serial ATA drive, with native support for SATA 6 Gb/s. However, it is backward-compatible so you will have no problem using it with older SATA 3 Gb/s controllers.
The SATA 6 Gb/s interface is necessary for optimal performance since the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive boasts a maximum sustained internal (platter-to-buffer) transfer rate of 210 MB/s, and a large and fast DDR3 SDRAM cache.
Like all Serial ATA drives, it comes the standard SATA data (left) and power (right) connectors and is hot-pluggable. That means you can connect and disconnect this hard disk drive to the server, computer or NAS while it’s still running.
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What’s Under The PCB?
Western Digital has a penchant for keeping all surface-mounted components on the reverse side of the PCB – to prevent static damage and to allow for better cooling. The PCB is protected by a thin foam cutout on the chassis side, with a thermal pad to help transfer heat from the HDD controller to the hard disk drive chassis.
Unfortunately, we can’t make out the hard disk drive controller Western Digital used, but we can see that it uses the ST Microelectronics L7232 motor drive controller, which features their proprietary Smooth Drive pseudo-sinusoidal digital drive technology.
The 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive boasts a large 256 MB SDRAM cache, courtesy of an EtronTech EM6GD16EWXC-12H chip. This is a DDR3-1600 SDRAM chip with 8 memory banks and timings of 11-11-11. This gives it a peak transfer rate of 400 MB/s.
Finally, the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive has two shock sensors that allow it to better detect shock and vibration events, and dynamically adjust the flying height of the read/write heads to avoid head crashes.
We tested in both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, with the latest updates. We chose to use IO Meter 2008 as well as our “old faithful”, WinBench 99 2.0, with the following tests :
Platter Data Transfer Profile
Business Disk WinMark 99
High-End Disk WinMark 99
Disk Transfer Rate (Beginning)
Disk Transfer Rate (End)
Business Disk WinMark 99 is a real-world simulation based on three office application suites – Microsoft Office 97, Lotus SmartSuite and Corel WordPerfect Suite 8, as well as a web browser, Netscape Navigator. They are quite dated, but should still reflect the usage patterns of users in an office environment using such applications. The test runs through a script that keeps multiple applications open, while it performs tasks that switches between those applications and Netscape Navigator. The result is the average transfer rate during the script run.
High-End Disk WinMark 99 is a real-world simulation based on AVS/Express 3.4, FrontPage 98, MicroStation SE, Photoshop 4.0, Premiere 4.2, Sound Forge 4.0 and Visual C++ 5.0. However, it differs by running the applications serially, instead of simultaneously. There are individual results for each application but in this comparison, we will be looking only at the weighted average score, which is the average transfer rate during the tests.
Unfortunately, WinBench 99 is not fully compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, registering a SetFilePointer error in the Disk Access Time test. So, we were not able to obtain any Disk Access Time results.
In addition, it would keep crashing if the hard drive was tested with a single partition. This is likely due to a limit on the size of the partition that is supported by WinBench 99. We came up with a workaround by dividing the hard disk drive into 5 partitions of equal sizes. We then tested each partition individually and averaged the results.
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Usable Capacity
The 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive has an official formatted capacity of 10 terabytes. We checked that out by formatting it in NTFS using Microsoft Windows 7.
The actual formatted capacity was 10,000,695,029,760 bytes, which is about 695 MB higher than the official storage capacity. With about 494 MB allocated to the NTFS file system, the actual usable capacity was slightly above 10 TB.
Platter Profile
The platter profile of the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive was pretty good. There appeared to be some use of replacement sectors, but nothing particularly significant.
We also compared its platter profile to that of the 6TB WD Red, which was the last WD Red drive we reviewed. We can see right away that the 10TB WD Red uses higher density platters, which gave it a very high throughput.
In fact, the outermost tracks of the 6TB WD Red only equalised the 10TB WD Red at the 6.5 TB point. Even at its slowest tracks, the 10TB WD Red was as fast as the 6TB WD Red at its 5 GB point.
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Maximum Surface Temperature
We monitored the surface temperature of seven hard disk drives during their benchmarks. The following chart shows their operating temperature range, from idle to maximum load. Please note that instead of giving you the absolute numbers, we are showing the temperature delta, which is the difference between the actual temperature and the ambient room temperature.
Despite packing 2 additional platters than the 6TB WD Black, the 10TB WD Red drive was significantly cooler at full load. It ran a little warmer than the 8TB WD Gold – another helium-filled drive, but was cooler at idle.
This reduced thermal output (and power consumption) is a key advantage of helium-filled hard disk drives like the 10TB WD Red drive. When used in large NAS systems with up to 8 drives running non-stop, the lower energy costs of running them, and keeping them cool, will be very significant.
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Transfer Rate Range
This chart shows you the range of platter-to-buffer transfer rates from the innermost track to the outermost track. In other words, it shows you the range of disk transfer rates of the hard disk drives (from minimum to maximum).
The 10TB WD Red NAS drive has an official peak throughput of 210 MB/s, which was confirmed by our tests. In fact, it actually peaked at 217 MB/s. While it was still slightly slower than the 6TB WD Black, that puts it ahead of most of its competitors.
Both the 8TB WD Gold and the 10TB WD Red have 7 platters. The 10TB WD Red use higher density 1.43 GB platters to compensate for the 8TB WD Gold‘s higher 7200 RPM spindle speed. This proves yet again that HDD performance is not always about the spindle speed… 😉
Business Disk WinBench 99
Even though it’s not optimised for desktop applications, the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive did very well in this benchmark, coming in faster than even the 6TB WD Black.
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The small random reads and writes are the most important tests for applications that make a lot of random accesses, so those would be key performance indicators for drives that are used as boot or system drives, but not very important for NAS systems.
With the exception of small reads, the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) was far superior than the 6TB WD Red in all other aspects. Most impressively, it was 3X faster at small writes, most likely due to its large, fast cache.
Test
WD Red
(10 TB)
WD Red
(6 TB)
Difference
512 KB Read
27.92 MB/s
18.70 MB/s
+ 49.3%
512 KB Write
31.65 MB/s
20.81 MB/s
+ 52.1%
4 KB Read
0.27 MB/s
0.26 MB/s
+ 3.8%
4 KB Write
0.76 MB/s
0.24 MB/s
+ 216.7%
Random Access Time
Test
WD Red
(10 TB)
WD Red
(6 TB)
Difference
512 KB Read
18.78 ms
28.04 ms
– 33.0%
512 KB Write
16.56 ms
25.19 ms
– 34.2%
4 KB Read
15.24 ms
15.81 ms
– 3.6%
4 KB Write
5.36 ms
17.29 ms
– 69.0%
The access times dropped significantly across the board. The small decrease in the 4KB read access time is more than compensated by the incredibly large decrease in the 4KB write access time.
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Random CPU Utilisation
Test
WD Red
(10 TB)
WD Red
(6 TB)
Difference
512 KB Read
28.79 %
0.41 %
+ 6922%
512 KB Write
29.07 %
0.44 %
+ 6507%
4 KB Read
28.83 %
0.38 %
+ 7487%
4 KB Write
28.82 %
0.39 %
+ 7290%
We are not sure what HDD controller Western Digital used for the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) NAS drive, but they appeared to have decided to focus on performance at the expense of CPU utilisation. This is not a problem for NAS systems because they have a processor that is dedicated to such operations. Such high CPU utilisation though means the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) would not make for a very good desktop drive.
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This is the most important test for the NAS drives because it shows their ability to read and write files sequentially. The large sequential transfer performance is particularly important since many NAS system deal with large files (larger than 512 KB in this context).
Without a doubt, the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) is much faster than the 6TB WD Red in all aspects. The biggest boost was in small sequential reads.
Sequential Access Time
Test
WD Red
(10 TB)
WD Red
(6 TB)
Difference
512 KB Read
2.43 ms
3.03 ms
– 19.8%
512 KB Write
2.43 ms
3.03 ms
– 19.7%
4 KB Read
0.05 ms
0.08 ms
– 39.2%
4 KB Write
0.06 ms
0.08 ms
– 30.0%
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Sequential CPU Utilisation
Test
WD Red
(10 TB)
WD Red
(6 TB)
Difference
512 KB Read
29.84 %
0.96 %
+ 3008%
512 KB Write
29.49 %
1.14 %
+ 2487%
4 KB Read
35.77 %
8.52 %
+ 319.8%
4 KB Write
35.17 %
9.15 %
+ 284.4%
Even in sequential accesses, the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) took up an excessive amount of CPU utilisation. Again, this is not a problem for NAS systems, but will be an issue for those who choose to use this drive in their desktop systems.
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Although we don’t know what hard disk drive controller used in the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX), we can see that it is significantly faster than the Marvell 88i1047-NDB2 controller used in the 6TB WD Red. Its performance was particularly impressive in the 4 KB random write test.
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The 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) was much faster than the 6TB WD Red in all aspects. Its performance was particularly impressive in the 4 KB sequential read test.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Our Verdict & Award
This is our second review of a helium-filled hard disk drive (after the 8TB WD Gold), and we continue to be impressed. Even from its specifications alone, we can already see a significant reduction in power consumption and noise levels. These are not minor either.
The 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) boasts 11% lower power consumption than the air-filled WD Red models at peak loads, and an astounding 46% lower power consumption during idle! It accomplished this despite packing 2-4 more platters than the other WD Red drives.
The platters of the 10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) still spin at a relatively sedate 5400 RPM, but they have a very high areal density, boasting a storage capacity of 1.43 GB per platter. This high areal density gave it a very high throughput, allowing it to beat even the 8TB WD Gold, which has a spindle speed of 7200 RPM.
Our benchmarks show that it is one of the fastest hard disk drives in the market, beating even high-performance drives like the 6TB WD Black. This is very impressive performance for a 5400 RPM drive that is optimised for NAS systems.
The downside though is its high CPU utilisation. This is not a problem if you intend to use it in a relatively new NAS system, but it may be a problem if you pack more than two of them in an old NAS system with a slow processor. The high CPU utilisation will also be an issue if you intend to use this drive in your desktop PC.
Despite the high CPU utilisation, its stellar performance deserves our Reviewer’s Choice Award. Congratulations, Western Digital!
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The 10TB WD Red Specifications
Specifications
10 TB WD Red NAS Hard Disk Drive
Model
WD100EFAX
Form Factor
3.5 inch
Platter And Head Count
7 Platters with 14 Read/Write Heads
Advanced Format Technology
Yes (512-byte emulation)
Formatted Capacity
10 TB
Native Command Queuing
Yes
Interface
SATA 6 Gb/s
Spindle Speed
5400 RPM
Sustained read / write performance
210 MB/s (maximum)
Cache
256 MB DDR3-1600 SDRAM
Average Power Consumption
Read / Write : 5.7 W
Idle : 2.8 W
Temperature Rating
0 to 65 °C (Operating)
-40 to 70 °C (Non-Operating)
Shock Rating
Operating : 65 G (half-sine wave, 2 ms)
Non-Operating : 250 G (half-sine wave, 2 ms)
Acoustics
Seek : 29 dBA (average)
Idle : 20 dBA
Load / Unload Cycles
600,000
Non-Recoverable Read Errors per Bits Read
<1 in 1014
MTBF (Maximum Time Before Failure)
1,000,000 hours
Rated Workload (Per Year)
180 TB
Warranty
3 Years
Physical Dimensions
101.6 mm (4.0") wide x 147.0 mm (5.787") long x 26.1 mm (1.028") high
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Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ: WDC) today announced the 10TB WD Red (Lowest Price) and 10TB WD Red Pro (Lowest Price) NAS hard drives lineup with the introduction of 10TB capacity models optimized for use in personal, home and small to medium business NAS systems.
Western Digital has shipped more than 15 million helium-based high capacity drives into multiple applications, including for NAS systems, to date and is continuing to support customers with higher capacities and outstanding reliability. The WD Red line of NAS hard drives allow customers to scale up or down to meet their changing NAS storage needs.
10TB WD Red / Red Pro NAS Hard Drive
Designed with Western Digital’s HelioSeal helium-technology, the 10TB WD Red (Lowest Price) hard disk drive provides higher capacity and performance to meet the increasing storage needs of always-on, single-to-8-bay NAS systems. The helium-based design enables a 25% capacity increase from the 8TB WD Red NAS storage drive.
With support for up to 16 bays in tower- and rack-based systems, the 10TB WD Red Pro (Lowest Price) hard disk drive delivers the same high performance, reliability and capacity to systems operating in up to 16 bay NAS systems. Here are their key features and specifications of the 10 TB WD Red / WD Red Pro drives :
HelioSeal: Bringing Western Digital’s fourth generation, exclusive HelioSeal technology in 10TB capacity to the NAS storage market
3D Active Balance Plus, an enhanced balance control technology that improves overall drive performance and reliability
Seamless integration with Western Digital’s My Cloud Pro Series NAS and My Cloud Expert Series NAS systems designed specifically for the creative community to enable seamless transfer of content between devices in any location, whether users are shooting remotely or editing at home
NASware 3.0, an enhanced version of WD’s original NASware technology, designed to improve reliability and system performance, reduce customer downtime and to simplify the integration process
Optimized performance class – 5400 RPM class for SOHO environments, 7200 RPM class for up to 16 bay NAS systems
The 10TB WD Red (Lowest Price) and 10TB WD Red Pro (Lowest Price) drives are finalizing compatibility testing with a number of leading NAS system providers.
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Price & Availability
The new 10TB WD Red (Lowest Price) and 10TB WD Red Pro (Lowest Price) hard disk drives are available in July at selected retailers and distributors.
The 10TB WD Red (model #: WD100EFAX) hard disk drives feature a three-year limited warranty and a RM 2,249 (inclusive of GST) / ~US$ 539 manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Get the lowest price here!
The 10TB WD Red Pro (model #: WD101KFBX) hard disk drives feature a five-year limited warranty and a RM 2,449 (inclusive of GST) / ~US$ 589 MSRP. Get the lowest price here!
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In an exclusive media event yesterday, Western Digital introduced the new WD Pro Series, spearheaded by the My Passport Wireless Pro mobile WiFi storage, and the My Cloud Pro NAS series. In this video, Albert Chang, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at WD Asia Pacific, explains the key features of both WD Pro Series devices.
Designed for the creative community, the new WD Pro Series is designed to enable seamless transfer of content between devices, whether the users are on a remote shoot, in the studio or editing their work at home. Both WD Pro Series devices use the My Cloud mobile app to manage their content. They are also both compatible with the Plex Media Server, and My Cloud OS 3 software.
My Passport Wireless Pro
The new My Passport Wireless Pro mobile WiFi storage is an upgraded version of the original My Passport Wireless mobile WiFi storage drive. Using the direct WiFi connection, users can automatically back-up content from up to eight compatible cameras or devices. You can also use the built-in SD card reader and USB 2.0 port for data transfers.
The My Passport Wireless Pro is available in 2 TB and 3 TB capacities, and will come with a 6,400 mAh battery that can last up to 10 hours. The battery can even serve as a power bank to recharge smartphones and other digital devices.
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My Cloud Pro Series NAS
Offering up to 32 TB of storage, the My Cloud Pro Series NAS are optimised to import from cameras and memory card readers or other USB storage using a simple one-touch backup button. But it doesn’t just serve as a backup NAS.
The My Cloud Pro Series NAS boasts a hardware-accelerated video processor, giving it powerful transcoding capabilities. This allows the My Cloud Pro Series NAS to store, edit and stream content to and from a variety of formats with ease.
WD Pro Series Pricing & Availability
Both WD Pro Series devices will be available at select retailers in August and is distributed by Eternal Asia (M) Sdn Bhd in Malaysia.
The My Passport Wireless Pro mobile WiFi storage will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of RM 1,099 / ~US$275 (3TB). It will come with a 2-year limited warranty.
The My Cloud Pro PR2100 will have a MSRP of RM 1,759 / ~US$439 for the diskless NAS, RM 2,699 / ~US$675 for 4TB, RM 3,279 / ~US$819 for 8TB, RM 4,229 / ~US$1059 for 12TB and RM 4,599 / ~US$1,149 for 16TB.
The My Cloud Pro PR4100 will have a MSRP of RM 2,589 / ~US649 for the diskless NAS, RM 4,159 / ~US$1,039 for 8TB, RM 5,749 / ~US1,439 for 16TB, RM 7,699 / ~US$1,929 for 24TB and RM 7,999 / ~US$1,999 for 32TB.
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Synology have released an update with several important enhancements for the DSM 6.0. It is available for download on your DSM: Control Panel > Update & Restore. It is always recommended that you install the latest update to obtain an even smoother user experience. Should you encounter any issues, please do not hesitate to contact their expert support team.
If you haven’t upgraded to DSM 6.0.1-7393, it can be found at our Download Center
Please skip this message if your Synology NAS is not DSM 6.0 compatible or if you have already installed the latest update.
DSM 6.0.1-7393-1
Fixed Issues
Improved system stability when Synology NAS serves as a VPN server.
Fixed several security vulnerabilities regarding NTP module (CVE-2016-4957, CVE-2016-4953, CVE-2016-4954, CVE-2016-4955, and CVE-2016-4956).
Fixed an issue where DSM user interface might become unresponsive under normal operation.
Fixed an issue where shared links created by LDAP users in DSM 5.2 might be unavailable after upgrading to DSM 6.0.
Fixed an issue where folders cannot be uploaded to File Station.
Fixed an issue where encrypted replication tasks cannot be resumed or completed when the sync process has been interrupted.
Fixed an issue where log files could not be rotated on the passive server in the HA cluster, which could cause the upgrade failure on the passive server.
Enhanced the process of shared folder encryption.
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Taipei, 20 June 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today released the Qget mobile app for iOS devices, enabling users to remotely manage download tasks on their QNAP NAS, easily search download resources, and manage downloaded files on the go.
Qget is a convenient, easy-to-use download management app for QNAP NAS. Its support for DDNS and CloudLink makes it easy to connect to the NAS, and users can directly add BT, HTTP, FTP, and Magnet link download tasks to Download Station with the built-in web browser as well as setting up download schedules. Qget also supports RSS feeds for users to subscribe to desired contents and to automatically download files.
“We are happy to introduce Qget for iOS devices to allow users to experience this handy, useful app for flexibly managing downloads at anytime and anywhere, and to enjoy an enriched entertainment life with their QNAP NAS,” said Dylan Lin, Product Manager of QNAP.
Qget supports iOS devices with iOS version 7.0 (or newer). To enjoy the full functionality of Qget, QNAP NAS users should upgrade their firmware to QTS 4.2 (or newer) and install Download Station from the QTS App Center.
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Qget Availability
The Qget iOS app is now available on the App Store.
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Synology has just released an update with several important enhancements for the DSM 6.0. It is available for download on your DSM: Control Panel > Update & Restore. It is always recommended that you install the latest update to obtain an even smoother user experience. Should you encounter any issues, please do not hesitate to contact our expert support team.
If you haven’t upgraded to DSM 6.0-7321, it can be found at our Download Center
Please skip this message if your Synology NAS is not DSM 6.0 compatible or if you have already installed the latest update.
DSM 6.0.1-7393
What’s New
1. This update includes all bug fixes as well as security fixes in the previously released updates since DSM 6.0-7321.
2. EDS14 can now be upgraded to DSM 6.0.1.
3. SSD TRIM is now supported on DS715, DS1515, and DS2015xs.
4. File Station
The sorting algorithm has been changed from sorting by name to natural sort order.
Changed the filter function to the search function to locate files efficiently.
Supports search history.
5. High Availability Manager
Added the quorum server settings to reduce split-brain error occurrences.
Proxy servers are supported.
Supports customized DSM ports and HTTPS connection.
Reduced by 60% the average time for detecting disconnected networks before automatic failover.
Improved HA cluster stability during upgrade.
Supports installing DSM on RC18015xs+ in network environments without a DHCP server.
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Fixed Issues
Fixed an issue where an ext2 external storage device could not be mounted.
Fixed an issue where shared folders on NTFS external storage devices could not be remotely mounted to some models via NFS.
Reduced memory usage for writing data to an NTFS external storage device.
Fixed an issue where Microsoft Excel files in an encrypted shared folder on some models could not be correctly accessed via Windows File Service.
Fixed a security vulnerability regarding the p7zip module (CVE-2016-2335).
Fixed an issue where files might not appear in search results if their file types were not specified for file indexing.
Fixed an issue where backup tasks could not complete when the remote destination was encrypted.
Fixed an issue where IPv6 link-local authentication might fail for rsync.
Fixed an issue where backup tasks in Time Backup might not run after system upgrade.
Fixed an issue where system monitoring processes might demand system memory on RS10613xs+, RS18016xs+, and RC18015xs+.
Applied the workaround to mitigate a security vulnerability of ImageMagick module (CVE-2016-5118).
Minor bug fixes.
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Taipei, Taiwan, 26 May 2016 – Before the upcoming COMPUTEX Taipei, QNAP Systems, Inc. today gave a sneak-preview of its first “dual NAS OS options system” – the enterprise-class TES-x85U series NAS. The brand-new TES-x85U allows users to install the FreeBSD-based QES or Linux-based QTS into a single rackmount NAS for versatility and high-availability, providing the utmost flexibility for businesses to deploy the ideal operating system on multiple TES-x85U units based on their needs and goals.
QNAP TES-X85U
The QNAP TES-x85U series uses 12Gb/s SAS controllers and includes two models (18-bay TES-1885U and 30-bay TES-3085U). Both models are powered by an advanced 14nm Intel Xeon D SoC processor with an integrated PCH (6-core CPU for TES-1885U and 8-core CPU for TES-3085U). It is worth noting that the all-SSD TES-3085U provides up to 24 drive bays and 6 dedicated SSD slots for caching in a 2U rackmount form factor, presenting the best choice for high-performance, all-flash storage.
The all-flash TES-3085U features an excellent combination of hardware and software that delivers high expandability, high reliability, and the tools necessary to satisfy IOPS-demanding workloads and applications.
Intel Xeon D multi-core processor – 14nm energy-efficient SoC, supporting DDR4 RAM and PCIe Gen.3 per-lane throughput.
DDR4 2133 MHz memory – Supports four DDR4 RAM modules for UDIMM and ECC RDIMM (up to 64GB UDIMM RAM, up to 128GB RDIMM RAM).
12Gb/s SAS controllers – Supports 12Gb/s SAS hard drives and SSD for fast data transfer and highly-reliable storage.
Hot swappable fans – Four 6cm hot-swappable cooling fans for quick and easy replacement.
Built-in 10GbE SFP+ port x2 – Boosts iSCSI/NFS/CIFS network transfer.
2.5” SATA SSD slot x6 – Used for caching, high-performance storage pools, or the QES OS drive.
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Network-attached storage (NAS) drives provide fast and secure storage for backup files, or a central repository of shared files that everyone can access. As NAS drives are available 24/7, they offer the convenience of on-call access to data with minimal power consumption. That is why they are now a necessity in many businesses and even homes.
When NAS systems first became popular, they were built around normal desktop drives which were not designed for 24/7 operation. This led to poor performance and reliability. To address this, Western Digital developed the WD Red family of NAS hard disk drives.
Let us show you why you must use NAS-optimised drives like the WD Red drives for your NAS systems, instead of regular hard disk drives.
Reason #1 : Tougher, Cooler & Quieter
Desktop drives are designed to run as solitary drives, so they do not need much protection against vibration. Neither do they need to be particularly quiet or cool. When installed in a NAS enclosure, the vibration and heat from multiple drives running in close proximity greatly reduce their reliability and lifespan, while testing your tolerance for noise.
WD Red drives are designed to run cooler and vibrate less. They also come with technologies that offer better protection against vibration, like 3D Active Balance Plus. That’s why you can pack up to 8 WD Red drives (or 16 WD Red Pro drives) in a NAS enclosure without worrying about killing them… or your eardrums!
Reason #2 : 24/7 Reliability
Desktop drives are also not designed to run 24/7. WD Red drives, on the other hand, are specifically designed for the “always-on” environment of a NAS enclosure.
Just how reliable are WD Red drives? The latest WD Red drives that feature the NASware 3.0 firmware are rated for a MTBF (mean time before failure) of 1 million hours. If you buy 8 of these drives and run them 24/7, you will likely see a single drive fail only after 14 years of non-stop operation.
That’s why Western Digital backs up their WD Red drives with a 3-year warranty. Their higher-end WD Red Pro drives (which support up to 16 drives in a single NAS enclosure) come with a 5-year warranty.
Reason #3 : Optimised For NAS
The performance requirements for network storage is vastly different from that of a desktop computer. Desktop drives will see a rough 50-50 mix of read and write operations over time, and their firmware are designed to support simultaneous read and write operations.
NAS drives, however, will experience far more reads than writes. After all, when you share files (family holiday photos, for example), they are written once but read many times after that. That is why WD Red drives are optimised for a mix of 80% reads and 20% writes.
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Reason #4 : Testing, Testing, Testing
WD Red drives are extensively tested with most, if not all, of the NAS systems in the world. WD Red drives also undergo more extensive reliability tests than regular desktop drives. All these tests not only ensure compatibility out-of-the-box, they also ensure the drives run reliably in the more demanding NAS environment.
Reason #5 : RAID-Optimised
Regular desktop drives are not designed to be used as RAID drives, and lack the RAID error recovery control called TLER (Time-Limited Error Recovery). TLER is designed to increase the reliability and stability of the RAID array. WD Red drives, on the other hand, support TLER because they are designed to be configured as RAID drives.
WD Red Drives
In July 2012, Western Digital revealed the world’s first NAS-optimised hard disk drive designed to run 24/7 – the 3 TB WD Red (WD30EFRX). Since then, they have released many new WD Red drives to meet the high demand for NAS-optimised storage :
Irrespective of which brand you choose to use, understand this – you must use NAS-optimised hard disk drives in your NAS. Your data depends on it!
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Taipei, Taiwan, 25 May 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the release of its next-generation, high-performance Thunderbolt™ 2 NAS TVS-x82T series. Available in three different models (TVS-1282T, TVS-882T and TVS-682T) the TVS-x82T series is powered by 6th Generation Intel 14nm multi-core processors that deliver higher system performance for CPU-demanding applications.
Featuring an advanced hardware design based on the concept of tiered storage, application-based partitioning, and network traffic distribution the TVS-x82T series achieves maximized storage efficiency and optimum performance. The TVS-x82T also features a HDMI 2.0 port for a prime viewing experience with smooth 4K 60 fps video transfer and display, while the new VJBOD function allows for maximized storage utilization by using multiple QNAP NAS to expand the storage capacity of the TVS-x82T.
“With upgraded hardware and software features, the TVS-x82T series is a huge step above the previous QNAP Thunderbolt 2 NAS and the three different models provide greater choice for a wider range of users,” said David Tsao, Product Manager of QNAP. “The TVS-x82T provides tiered storage, application-based partitioning, and network traffic distribution to optimize the efficiency of different NAS applications and provides businesses with an ideal storage solution for intensive virtualization, video surveillance storage, high-resolution video editing, and much more.”
QNAP TVS-x82T
The TVS-x82T features advanced hardware for greater efficiency, including built-in SATA M.2 SSD, 2.5” SSD slots, compartmentalized smart cooling, and tool-less HDD installation. QNAP’s Qtier technology empowers the TVS-x82T with auto tiering that helps continuously optimize storage efficiency across M.2 SSD, SSD and SATA drives, and these different storage media can be configured as independent partitions for different applications to ensure a sufficient throughput level for every application. With multiple network ports, it allows applications to use dedicated interfaces to meet network traffic distribution requirements.
The TVS-x82T comes with three HDMI outputs, including one HDMI 2.0. Users can connect the NAS to a HDTV or A/V receiver and use the powerful HD Player media player in HD Station with the QNAP remote control to enjoy rich media content and 4K 60 fps videos. They can also use three monitors in either “duplicated” or “extended” desktop configuration for improved multitasking convenience and productivity.
The TVS-x82T’s storage capacity can be scaled up by connecting up to six QNAP Thunderbolt 2 expansion enclosures (TX-800P and TX-500P). The storage capacity can also be enlarged by using the new VJBOD feature that allows the storage capacity of other QNAP NAS to be used as virtual disks that can be mounted as local disks for shares, applications, or even creating another LUN. “VJBOD introduces an economical way to utilize unused NAS storage, and offers an additional storage expansion solution that maximizes storage utilization,” said Ripple Wu, Product Manager of QNAP.
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The TVS-x82T Thunderbolt 2 NAS not only features Thunderbolt 2 (20 Gbps) technology but also has dual 10GbE ports for flexible connectivity and incredible performance. It is a perfect match for Thunderbolt-equipped Mac & Windows users in 4K workflows, file storage, and backup.
The TVS-x82T series is ideal for organizations to build a secure private cloud, and its intuitive and powerful QTS operating system facilitates file storage, backup, sharing and synchronization tasks. The TVS-x82T supports the centralized remote management solution QRM+ (QNAP Remote Manager Plus) to enable IT staff to discover, map, monitor, and manage critical computing devices (Servers/PCs/Thin Clients) on the network, and allows remote KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) for IPMI devices and KVM recording and playback for tracking actions.
Virtualization Station allows users to host Windows, Linux, UNIX and Android™ based virtual machines. Container Station integrates LXC and Docker lightweight virtualization technologies to fulfill unlimited containerized applications. With QvPC technology, users can easily operate the NAS as a PC by plugging in a keyboard, mouse and HDMI display to access stored data, run multiple virtual machines, surf the web, enjoy high-resolution videos with HD Player, monitor live feeds on Surveillance Station, and much more.
Key Specifications
TVS-1282T: 8 x 3.5”/2.5” hard drives and 4 x 2.5” SSD slots
Tower NAS; hot-swappable SATA 6Gbps/3Gbps hard drives; compartmentalized smart cooling; 2x Thunderbolt 2 ports; 2x M.2 SSD slots; 2x 10GBase-T LAN ports, 4x Gigabit LAN ports; 3x HDMI outputs (HDMI 1.4b x2, HDMI 2.0 x1); 5x USB 3.0 ports; 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 2x built-in speakers
Availability
The new Thunderbolt 2 NAS TVS-x82T is now available. For more information on where to buy or for further details on other QNAP NAS solutions please visit www.qnap.com
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Taipei, Taiwan, 25 May 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the release of the powerful TVS-x82 series, aimed at business users in need of the utmost performance and storage efficiency. Available in three different models (TVS-1282, TVS-882 and TVS-682), the TVS-x82 series adopts the latest 6th Generation Intel 14nm multi-core processors and has been designed to meet specific usage scenarios to accomplish tiered storage, application-based partitioning, and network traffic distribution with outstanding performance.
The TVS-x82 series also features HDMI 2.0 output for delivering an amazing 4K 60 fps viewing experience and allows storage expansion by using the storage capacity of other QNAP NAS through VJBOD technology.
QNAP TVS-x82
The TVS-x82 features advanced hardware for greater efficiency, including built-in SATA M.2 SSD, 2.5” SSD slots, compartmentalized smart cooling, and tool-less HDD installation. QNAP’s Qtier technology empowers the TVS-x82 with auto tiering that helps continuously optimize storage efficiency across M.2 SSD, SSD and SATA drives, and these different storage media can be configured as independent partitions for different applications to ensure a sufficient throughput level for every application. With multiple network ports, it allows applications to use dedicated interfaces to meet network traffic distribution requirements.
“The TVS-x82 combines a multitude of advanced hardware and software features to fulfill tiered storage, application-based partitioning, and network traffic distribution that help different NAS applications run with adequate resources,” said David Tsao, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “Besides, both TVS-1282 and TVS-882 offer an option with a 450 watt power supply that is capable of powering an AMD Radeon™ R9 Series graphics card for smooth GPU passthough to virtual machines.”
The TVS-x82 has three HDMI outputs, including one HDMI 2.0. Users can connect the NAS to a HDTV or A/V receiver and use the powerful HD Player media player in HD Station with the QNAP remote control to enjoy stored media collection and clear footage in 4K at 60 fps. They can also use three monitors in either “duplicated” or “extended” desktop configuration for improved multitasking convenience and productivity.
Besides connecting compatible QNAP expansion enclosures (REXP-1000 Pro, UX-800P and UX-500P) to gradually expand the storage capacity of the TVS-x82, users with multiple QNAP NAS units can transform unused space into virtual disks with VJBOD (Virtual JBOD). Unused NAS storage space from up to eight QNAP NAS can be mounted to the TVS-x82 as virtual disks, and users can create virtual storage pools and volumes on them as if they were using local disk space.
The TVS-x82 series is a feature-packed business NAS for building a functional and secure private cloud. It supports the centralized remote management solution QRM+ (QNAP Remote Manager Plus) to enable IT staff to discover, map, monitor, and manage critical computing devices (Servers/PCs/Thin Clients) on the network, and allows remote KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) for IPMI devices and KVM recording and playback for tracking actions.
Virtualization Station allows users to host Windows, Linux, UNIX and Android™ based virtual machines. Container Station integrates LXC and Docker lightweight virtualization technologies to fulfill unlimited containerized applications. The TVS-x82 series supports VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Hyper-V and Windows Server 2012 R2 to assist in flexibly deploying and managing virtualization environments. With QvPC technology, users can operate the NAS as a PC by plugging in a keyboard, mouse and HDMI display to access stored data, run multiple virtual machines, surf the web, enjoy high-resolution videos with HD Player, monitor live feeds on Surveillance Station, and much more.
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Key Specifications
TVS-1282: 8x 3.5”/2.5” hard drives and 4x 2.5” SSD slots
The new TVS-x82 series is now available. For more information on where to buy or for further details on other QNAP NAS solutions please visit www.qnap.com.
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Synology have released an update with several important enhancements for the DiskStation Manager (DSM) 6.0. It is available for download on your DSM: Control Panel > Update & Restore. It is always recommended that you install the latest update to obtain an even smoother user experience. Should you encounter any issues, please do not hesitate to contact our expert support team.
If you haven’t upgraded to DSM 6.0-7321, it can be found at the Synology Download Center.
Version 6.0-7321 Update 5
Fixed Issues
Upgraded NTP to 4.2.8p7 to address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2016-1547, CVE-2016-1548, CVE-2016-1549, CVE-2016-1550, CVE-2016-1551, CVE-2016-2516, CVE-2016-2517, CVE-2016-2518, CVE-2016-2519).
Upgraded OpenSSL to 1.0.2h to address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2016-2105, CVE-2016-2106, CVE-2016-2107, CVE-2016-2108, CVE-2016-2109, CVE-2016-2176).
Enhanced the compatibility of Synology NAS with Hyper-V exports.
Fixed an issue where adding ACL permissions or changing file owner would fail in Windows via SMB.
Fixed an issue where iSCSI ACL could not access LUNs properly.
Fixed an issue where editing shared folders would fail when shared folder netlogn/sysvol existed.
Fixed an issue where channel scan could not be performed on entry Marvell models with certain DVB-T dongles.
Fixed an issue where LUNs could not be backed up to an external SATA device.
Fixed an issue where iSCSI service might cause a system crash in a VMware environment under heavy load.
Before the official patch is released, workaround is applied to mitigate multiple vulnerabilities of ImageMagick module (CVE-2016-3714, CVE-2016-3715, CVE-2016-3716, CVE-2016-3717, CVE-2016-3718).
Version:6.0-7321 Update 6
Fixed Issues
Applied the enhanced official workaround to mitigate multiple vulnerabilities of ImageMagick module (CVE-2016-3714, CVE-2016-3715, CVE-2016-3716, CVE-2016-3717, CVE-2016-3718).
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Taipei, May 5 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the release of the powerful 8-bay business NASQNAP TS-831X that features two built-in 10GbE SFP+ ports to fully support 10GbE high-speed networks as a cost-effective NAS solution. The TS-831X further supports VJBOD (Virtual JBOD) to introduce an economical way to utilize unused NAS storage space for expanding the storage capacity of other QNAP NAS. Taking advantage of TS-831X’s native support of Container Station, organizations can rapidly develop and deploy Internet of Things (IoT) apps to create more business opportunities.
The QNAP TS-831X uses an Annapurna Labs Alpine AL-314 quad-core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A15 processor, and features 8GB/16GB DDR3 RAM (upgradable to 16GB), RAID 5/6 support, hardware-accelerated encryption and an SSD cache. It is 10GbE-ready with two built-in 10GbE SFP+ ports, and allows users to install a third 10GbE port via the extra PCIe slot for flexible high-speed network deployment.
“The TS-831X alleviates budget constraints for most small-to-medium businesses to adopt 10GbE storage solutions,” said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “It includes two 10GbE SFP+ ports at a budget price to fulfill applications like virtualization, intensive data transmission, video storage and streaming, and IP video surveillance, which require a fast, high-bandwidth and reliable NAS.”
QNAP VJBOD is network-based JBOD, which helps maximize NAS storage utilization. Besides using physical storage expansion enclosures, users can use the high-capacity TS-831X to economically expand other QNAP NAS storage with VJBOD, and to create virtual storage pools and volumes on virtual disks for operating NAS services. “VJBOD introduces an economical way to utilize unused NAS storage, and provides users with an additional flexible storage expansion solution to maximize the utilization of available storage,” said Ripple Wu, Product Manager of QNAP. “
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Container Station exclusively integrates LXC and Docker lightweight virtualization technologies. Users can operate multiple isolated Linux systems on the TS-831X as well as download apps from the built-in Docker Hub Registry. The QNAP TS-831X with Container Station provides an ideal private IoT cloud platform with countless hands-on containerized apps for developers to initialize microservices, and to easily apply, rapidly develop, and conveniently deploy IoT applications.
The QNAP TS-831X is a comprehensive storage solution for data storage, backup, sharing and centralized management, supporting Windows and Mac desktop/laptop backup, RTRR (Real-Time Remote Replication) with backup versioning, rsync and backup to cloud storage (Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, Microsoft Azure, ElephantDrive, Dropbox and Google Cloud Storage) as well as file sharing across Windows, Mac and Linux/UNIX. The TS-831X can be used as a VPN server or VPN Client to secure network access. The powerful Qsirch full-text searching tool helps quickly find NAS data, and Qsync provides multiple ways for file synchronization and group file sharing to greatly enhance the flexibility of team projects and collaboration.
Businesses can rely on the scalable QNAP TS-831X as a future-proof storage solution. The TS-831X can attach two QNAP expansion enclosures (8-bay UX-800P and 5-bay UX-500P) to support up to 24 hard drives. With the support of QJBOD Express (JBOD enclosure roaming), users can migrate data from the TS-831X to another NAS using a JBOD enclosure without needing a network connection, saving considerable time for migrating a large amount of backup data.
NAS TS-831X Key specifications
TS-831X-8G: 8GB DDR3 RAM (8GB x1)
TS-831X-16G: 16GB DDR3 RAM (8GB x2)
8-bay tower model; Annapurna Labs Alpine AL-314 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, RAID 5/6 support, hardware-accelerated encryption engine; hot-swappable 2.5”/3.5” SATA 6Gbps HDD or SSD; 2 x 10 Gigabit SFP+ ports, 2 x Gigabit RJ45 ports; 1 x PCIe Gen2 ( x2) slot; 3 x USB 3.0 port
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Synology has released an update with several important enhancements for the DiskStation Manager (DSM) 6.0. It is available for download on your DSM: Control Panel > Update & Restore. It is always recommended that you install the latest update to obtain an even smoother user experience. Should you encounter any issues, please do not hesitate to contact our expert support team.
Synology DSM 6.0 Update
If you haven’t upgraded to DSM 6.0-7321, it can be found at our Download Center
Fixed Issues
Fixed multiple issues that might cause the iSCSI service to hang under heavy loading and performing VMware commands.
Fixed an issue where the file created time was not correctly set.
Fixed an issue where LUN backup tasks of Hyper Backup could not be completed due to insufficient disk space after upgrade to DSM 6.0.
Fixed an issue where changing the VLAN configurations might cause certain packages to operate abnormally.
Fixed an issue where configurations at Control Panel > Network > Network Interface could not be edited if IPv6 was configured before upgrade to DSM 6.0 from DSM 5.2.
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Taipei, Taiwan, April 21, 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the release of QTS 4.2.1 – the smart NAS operating system – with more new features and improved apps that empower users to achieve more with both data management and office applications. With powerful new features and upgraded applications, QTS 4.2.1 makes for smarter and smoother data management experiences with stronger cloud service security.
“We are pleased to release QTS 4.2.1 and believe that it will allow our users to achieve more in their business and home life. We received significant feedback from QTS 4.2.1 Beta reviewers, and this provided constant encouragement for our development team to provide better QTS functionality for users,” said Tony Lu, product manager of QNAP, adding “designed with a smarter and smoother user interface, QTS 4.2.1 is a reinvented NAS operating system for more immersive experiences and stronger security.”
Powerful network & virtual switch, proxy server and Windows previous versions support for SMB application
Network & virtual switch integrates powerful network management functions to provide a comprehensive network topology overview and enhances port trunking connectivity. Virtual switches enable users to build isolated LAN environments with the built-in DHCP server for better data security. An example usage case would be restricting access to IP camera surveillance footage.
The proxy server application fully supports caching to record content accessed from the Internet. This saves bandwidth, and speeds up network transmission. The proxy server application provides an intuitive interface to simplify proxy server settings on your NAS, enabling you to operate your own proxy server in just a few clicks. The proxy server provides cache and connection controls for Internet services.
For companies that need a boost to web response time and security, this application can be leveraged to make your NAS a web proxy server to protect other devices in your local network from Internet attacks. Moreover, QTS 4.2.1 with snapshots allows Windows users to restore files directly using the “Previous Version” feature to save time and effort without requiring support from IT staff.
Useful Qsirch, Hybrid Backup Sync and Qmail for data management
Qsirch 2.1 brings further improvements to the convenient QNAP exclusive whole-NAS search function. File indexing runs as a background task, allowing users to oversee the indexing progress and status. This feature can also exclude files from indexing, so users can filter search results by file type including photos, music, videos, and documents.
The content preview presents thumbnail previews for photos, videos, and PDFs, making searching and browsing through huge amounts of results much faster and easier. Hybrid Backup Sync consolidates backup, restoration and synchronization functions into a single QTS application for you to easily transfer data to local, remote and cloud storage as a comprehensive data storage and disaster recovery plan.
Qmail is an email client that allows users to access various email accounts or switch to other accounts. Supporting major email services complying IMAP protocols, Qmail allows automatic email backup from cloud services to QNAP NAS. Qmail also enables users to manage different email accounts easily and select files from a NAS as attachments.
Experience more with QTS 4.2.1
QTS 4.2.1 supports Linux-based applications, and PC users can download Linux Station from the App Center. Users can also operate the Linux Station as a remote desktop via web browser for instant management. Virtualization Station 2.1 supports GPU Pass-through and QNAP Guest tools, including VirtIO drivers, QNAP Guest Agent, QXL driver, and UltraVNC.
Direct GPU Pass-through enables GPU intensive workloads to be passed to virtual machines and demanding engineering applications. Container Station 1.4 supports editable LXC containers and fully supports running standard Docker® containers. Users can download thousands of applications from Docker Hub and run them in isolated environments in addition to being able to import/export apps with greater flexibility.
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QTS 4.2.1 Availability & Compatibility
QTS 4.2.1 is now available for the following QNAP NAS models:
Please note that some features may not be available for all models.
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Taipei, Taiwan, March 29, 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today released the world’s first M.2 SSD-based NAS – the TBS-453A NASbook. Featuring a quad-core Intel processor and using M.2 SSDs for storage, the TBS-453A not only provides full NAS functionalities with RAID protection in an ultra-compact size, but can also act as a physical network switch and share network access with multiple users. With its compact, near-silent design, dual HDMI output, and 4K display, the TBS-453A NASbook can fit in anywhere to boost the productivity and connectivity of small offices.
“M.2 SSDs are now used in thin-and-light laptops and small-form-factor PCs. Remarkably small in size, they deliver high performance with zero noise and are expected to become more affordable as they become more popular,” said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “In light of M.2 SSD’s benefits, we are proud to present the industry-first TBS-453A M.2 SSD NASbook to provide users with a portable yet versatile NAS.”
TBS-453A NASbook
The TBS-453A is powered by a 14nm Intel Celeron N3150 quad-core 1.6GHz processor (that can automatically burst up to 2.08GHz for CPU-intensive tasks) and dual-channel 4GB/8GB DDR3L RAM. The TBS-453A features 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 3 Gigabit switch ports that supports network switch and private network modes.
These modes allow users to easily build flexible network environments to enhance workgroup collaboration by allowing connected devices to access files stored on the TBS-453A or to share internet connectivity. It delivers up to 112MB/s throughput per LAN port while being incredibly energy efficient, and supports AES-NI hardware-accelerated encryption to drive AES 256-bit encrypted transfer speeds of up to 109MB/s throughput per LAN port.
The TBS-453A is supplied with a compact AC adapter and supports a wide range 10V~20V DC input to meet various power sources. The RAM and SSDs are easily accessible for installation and upgrading. The TBS-453A’s storage is expandable by connecting an 8-bay UX-800P or 5-bay UX-500P expansion enclosure.
The TBS-453A is also geared for rich multimedia applications. Users can connect it to a TV or A/V receiver to enjoy 4K multimedia content. With its two 3.5 mm microphone jacks, a Line out port, a built-in speaker, and the OceanKTV app, the TBS-453A can also be transformed into an affordable karaoke machine or for use with diverse audio applications.
The TBS-453A comes with various applications to meet business needs and to improve productivity. By connecting a keyboard, mouse and HDMI display, Linux Station allows the NAS to be used as a Linux workstation to empower open-source software development and to allow users to run Linux apps. Qsirch lets users find NAS data amazingly quickly with its powerful near real-time full-text search engine.
QTS Storage Manager provides a web-based snapshot tool for efficient data recovery, allowing up to 1,024 snapshots for volumes and LUNs in a NAS. The TBS-453A further offers a hybrid approach to virtualization applications. Virtualization Station allows users to run multiple Windows, Linux, UNIX and Android based virtual machines on the NAS with a HDMI monitor and USB keyboard/mouse support (via QvPC Technology), and Container Station integrates both LXC and Docker virtualization technologies.
TBS-453A Key Specifications
[adrotate banner=”4″]TBS-453A-4G: shipped without M.2 SSDs
TBS-453A-4G-480GB: shipped with 2 x 240GB M.2 SSDs
TBS-453A-4G-960GB: shipped with 4 x 240GB M.2 SSDs
TBS-453A-8G: shipped without M.2 SSDs
TBS-453A-8G-480GB: shipped with 2 x 240GB M.2 SSDs
TBS-453A-8G-960GB: shipped with 4 x 240GB M.2 SSDs
Quad-core Intel Celeron N3150 1.6GHz processor (burst up to 2.08GHz), dual-channel 4GB/8GB DDR3L-1600 SODIMM RAM (max. 8GB); 4x M.2 2280/2260/2242 SATA 6Gb/s SSDs; 2x Gigabit RJ45 Ethernet ports + 3x Gigabit RJ45 Ethernet switch ports; 2x 4K-compatible HDMI ports; 4x USB 3.0 ports, 1x USB 2.0 port; 2x 3.5mm microphone jacks (dynamic microphones only); 1x Line Out audio jack and 1x built-in speaker; 1x SD card reader.
Availability
The new 4-bay M.2 SSD NASbook TBS-453A is now available.
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Taipei, Taiwan, March 2, 2016 – QNAP Systems Inc. today announced the release of the energy-efficient and budget-friendly dual-core Compact NAS, including the 1-bay TS-128 and 2-bay TS-228. Designed with a mini-tower form factor that takes less desktop space, they are ideal for home users to create their own personal cloud. The feature-rich TS-128/228 helps users to easily handle file backup and synchronization tasks, and also provides remote access and a wide range of multimedia apps to enrich their digital lifestyle.
“As photoshooting and recording with smartphones, tablets and digital cameras has become mainstream and the desire for high-resolution multimedia content becomes stronger, users are eager to find easier and more convenient methods for digital storage and sharing,” said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP. “The new TS-128 and TS-228 presents an ideal personal NAS at a budget price to provide users with a great base for data storage, backup and multimedia entertainment.”
Running on the QTS 4.2 smart NAS operating system, the TS-128/228 is powered by an ARM® v7 dual-core 1.1GHz processor with 1GB DDR3 RAM to deliver up to 100 MB/s read speed for smooth data transmission, concurrent access from multiple users, and home applications. The TS-128/228 is suitable for serving as a multimedia center as users can back up or download files with the system retaining high performance. The tool-less design makes it extremely easy to remove the TS-128/228’s side cover to add or replace hard drives.
[adrotate banner=”4″]The TS-128/228 provides an easy way to create a secure personal cloud which alleviates storage limitations and data security concerns of public cloud services. myQNAPcloud provides multiple remote access services for users to conveniently access, manage and share multimedia files on the TS-128/228 from anywhere with a web browser. Users can also access and browse files on TS-128/228 by using QNAP mobile apps including Qfile, Qphoto, Qmusic, Qvideo and Qmanager. With the Qsync utility that supports file synchronization across multiple devices, users can acquire the latest files from any device connected to the NAS whenever they need it.
The TS-128/228 provides comprehensive features for file management and backup, including cross-platform file sharing for Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX; flexible backup solutions for Windows and Mac; disaster recovery solutions including RTRR, rsync and cloud storage backup; and the latest Hybrid Backup Sync app that consolidates backup, restoration and synchronization functions for users to easily transfer data to local, remote and cloud storage spaces (including Amazon Cloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Yandex Disk, Box, Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Storage and WebDAV cloud services).
The TS-128/228 is perfect for serving as a high-capacity home multimedia hub. With DLNA support, users can enjoy photos, listen to music, and watch HD videos stored on the TS-128/228 throughout their home on compatible Smart TVs, game consoles and media players. By using the Photo Station, Music Station and Video Station apps, users can centralize their media collection for easy sharing with friends and coworkers.
QTS App Center offers versatile install-on-demand apps to extend the functionality of the TS-128/228. The TS-128/228 also supports Surveillance Station with 2 free IP camera channels and up to 8 channels by purchasing additional licenses, assisting users in building a professional yet cost-efficient surveillance system for real-time monitoring, video & audio recording and playback.
QNAP TS-128/228 Key specifications
TS-128: 1-bay mini-tower NAS TS-228: 2-bay mini-tower NAS
ARM v7 dual-core 1.1GHz processor, 1GB DDR3 RAM; 3.5” SATA HDD; 1 x USB 3.0 port; 1 x USB 2.0 port; 1 x Gigabit LAN port
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Synology has just released an update with several important enhancements for the DiskStation Manager (DSM) 5.2.
It is available for download on your DSM: Control Panel > Update & Restore. It is always recommended that you install the latest update to obtain an even smoother user experience.
If you haven’t upgraded to DSM 5.2-5644, it can be found at their Download Center.
Please skip this message if your Synology NAS is not DSM 5.2 compatible or if you have already installed the latest update.
Synology DSM Version 5.2-5644 Update 5
Fixed Issues
1. Updated Firewall filter policy to address a security vulnerability caused by stack-based buffer overflow (CVE-2015-7547). This fix may impact read/write performance on a number of entry models by no more than 15%, for which Synology is working on an enhancement in the future release.
For more detailed information, please go to Security Advisory.
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18 February 2016 – Western Digital Corporation today updated its prosumer solutions with My Cloud EX2 Ultra, a high-performance, two-bay network attached storage (NAS) system. The My Cloud EX2 Ultra NAS is designed from the ground up for creative professionals and prosumers that need to automatically sync content across computers, easily share files and folders and enjoy multiple backup options so they can create their own personalized digital library with ease.
“We know our My Cloud users, especially creative professionals, need comprehensive solutions as digital storage needs continue to soar as well as the need for ongoing streaming capability,” said Jim Welsh, executive vice president, WD Branded Products. “With the My Cloud EX2 Ultra, creative professionals are able to combine high performance with multi-tasking optimization and data protection to create a NAS system that simplifies their workflow and provides peace-of-mind.”
My Cloud EX2 Ultra
My Cloud EX2 Ultra has been upgraded with a powerful 1.3 GHz dual-core processor enabling users to get ultra-fast transfer rates for high performance and smooth video streaming. Users also have access to 1 GB of DDR3 memory, allowing them to multitask with ease and leverage applications for HD media streaming, surveillance and much more.
Several data management and security features allow users to select a preferred method for managing and protecting their movies, photos, music and digital files. Drive management options include RAID 0, RAID 1; JBOD and spanning modes, while data protection options include NAS to NAS, USB, cloud or LAN/WAN backup. The My Cloud EX2 Ultra NAS comes preconfigured in RAID 1 mode to help protect data right from the start and is easily configurable into other data protection modes.
High Capacity and Ultimate Reliability
From unpopulated to 12 TB capacities[1], the My Cloud EX2 Ultra provides several capacity options for customers to choose from. Additionally, customers can attach compatible USB 3.0 hard drives to the USB expansion ports on the My Cloud EX2 Ultra to instantly expand their storage capacity. The populated My Cloud EX2 Ultra features the award-winning WD Red hard drives, specifically built for NAS systems to provide non-stop performance within 24×7 environments. WD Red drives are powered by NASware™ 3.0 technology, improving drive reliability and minimizing data corruption in the event of a power loss or disruption.
Easy Sharing with Anywhere Access
With simplified file and folder sharing, users can send customized, private links that allow recipients read/write access to particular files on the user’s My Cloud EX2 Ultra. Whether on a photo shoot, or editing at home, saving creations at full fidelity and sharing with your entire network is a breeze. The My Cloud EX2 Ultra features an intuitive dashboard, so user accounts can be created, features customized and storage can be monitored with ease.
With MyCloud.com web access, or the My Cloud mobile app, users can access their media and manage users from any internet connected device. With WD Sync, users can automatically synchronize their media and files across their computers and their My Cloud device with the confidence that their computer content is up to date and accessible from all devices.
Advanced Features
My Cloud EX2 Ultra includes advanced data serving options including an integrated FTP and WebDAV server, backup server, P2P download server and Microsoft Active Directory support. Additionally, users can download and run a host of third party apps, including, Plex, Milestone Arcus surveillance, aMule, Icecast, Joomla!, Anti-Virus Essentials, WordPress, SqueezeCenter, and more.
Users can also stream videos and photos to connected TVs, media players, gaming consoles and other DLNA/UPnP devices with the included Twonky 7.2 DLNA-certified 1.5 media server, and built-in iTunes support.
Price and Availability
[adrotate banner=”4″]My Cloud EX2 Ultra will be available at select retailers in March and is distributed by Eternal Asia (M) Sdn Bhd in Malaysia. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is RM 799 (~US$ 189) for the diskless My Cloud EX2 Ultra, RM 1,559 (~US$ 359) for 4 TB, RM 2,199 (~US$ 519) for 8 TB and RM 3,049 (~US$ 709) for 12 TB.
The WD My Cloud mobile app currently is available for download for free from the Apple App StoreM and Google PlayT. My Cloud EX2 Ultra comes with a two-year limited warranty on the diskless device and a three-year limited warranty on the pre-configured devices.
[1] System is shipped in RAID 1 configuration, which leaves half of the system capacity available for data storage. System is configurable to RAID 0; JBOD or spanned, which leaves all system capacity available for data storage. Up to 0.1TB may be reserved for non-user accessible storage.
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Small businesses often operate in lean teams, with each staff member behaving as a “jack of all trades.” This attitude can be useful for acquiring customers and putting in the extra effort SMBs sometimes need, but it doesn’t work for data management and security.
Cyberattacks are not only a risk to large companies like Target or Sony, but are a costly danger to small businesses as well. According to a report by the National Small Business Association, 50 percent of small businesses experienced a cyberattack in 2014, costing an average of more than $20,750.
Storing, managing and protecting sensitive company and customer data is a cumbersome process that can become even more daunting with an expanding team. With tight budgets and an often non-existent IT department, implementing a strong system becomes even more challenging.
Small businesses need a secure storage solution that offers cloud access with local back-up abilities and is scalable (that is, robust enough to meet their current needs, but also able to grow and adapt to future demands). Here are four steps a small business should take to set up and maintain a strong, fast and adaptable secure storage system:
1. Identify needs and create a plan.
Work with your key decision makers to determine what kind of file access and management the business needs. Does your sales team need access to documents outside of the office, or does your customer service team need to be able to review complete customer records at any given time?
Identify who in the organization needs access to which data, and develop a written plan. The file management plan should include who will manage the content and be responsible for data backups and who has access to the most sensitive information. The plan will also help determine what storage hardware solutions best fit your needs.
2. Set up a scalable storage server.
A network attached storage (NAS) device is an easy and affordable solution that allows designated users to share and access files, media and more from multiple computers and devices. Instead of being tethered by USB cables, users can access data across the business’ personal cloud, via your Wi-Fi network, and still back up data locally.
At a minimum, you’ll want to choose storage that gives you the ability to manage permissions and folder privileges. But to maximize your investment, you should look for a drive that can scale. Some storage drives, like Western Digital’s Red Drive, are built from the ground up to combine easily, so that as your business grows, it’s easy to increase the number of users needing access.
With the WD Red drive, your employees are able to quickly share their files and back up folders reliably. It also comes with software that enables seamless integration with your existing network infrastructure.
3. Optimize systems to maximize performance.
Be sure to keep your entire technology network up to date before, during and after installation of a storage server. Ensuring a healthy ecosystem of your storage, router, and modem units is crucial to delivering services to customers in a timely manner and avoiding bottlenecks in the system.
4. Enable and manage user access.
When storing sensitive company data, restrictions on security and access are your primary concern. Implement a storage system that allows you to grant file access to those that need it, and rescind it for those that don’t. User access should be described in detail in the written plan, so staff know exactly where to place and find the data they need.
Small businesses typically try to grow quickly, which means shifting roles and responsibilities. When new employees come on, and old ones depart, make sure you are able to maintain control of all of your data. When an employee leaves, revoke access immediately, and when on-boarding an employee, take the time to review your policies and expectations when handling company data and information.
5. Develop a good file naming strategy and folder structure.
[adrotate banner=”4″]Keeping your centralized storage system organized, makes it less likely that information will be mismanaged. “Document A” and “Spreadsheet 3” are useless filenames when you are searching through hundreds of documents for one particular file. Use names that are meaningful, but still short.
To help with version control, employ a date and initial system that tells you when and who last updated the document. Descriptive folders will also help you and your team navigate media quickly. Designate folders for financial, sales and operations documents to keep everyone organized.
File storage is only one piece of the puzzle to consider when growing your business, but when properly implemented, can save you and your business thousands of dollars and countless hours. There are a lot of factors to consider, but if you take the time to determine your needs and develop an actionable plan for your company now, as well as in the future, it will give you time to explore your options and make the best choice possible.
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Taipei, Taiwan, February 4, 2016 – QNAP, Inc. today officially released QTS 4.2, the smart NAS operating system, for the QTS-Android Combo NAS TAS-168 and TAS-268. Now users can enjoy the streamlined UI design and enhanced new features on TAS-168/268 for rich multimedia entertainment and for smarter, smoother and more spectacular cloud experiences with stronger security.
“QTS 4.2 introduces a new interface design for its desktop, Storage Manager, and multiple other applications for an improved user experience. The TAS-168/268 combines QTS 4.2 and Android™ dual systems to further enrich users’ needs for multimedia applications,” said Hanz Sung, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “The system core of QTS 4.2 is more streamlined and efficient compared with previous versions, providing the Android system with additional resources to run apps smoother, bringing better home entertainment experiences.”
TAS-168/268 is the world’s first NAS-Android Combo. Supporting QTS & Android dual systems that share the same storage database, the TAS-168/268 allows users to simultaneously access media files and documents from either system. With a compact mini-tower design, the TAS-168/268 comfortably fits in homes and small offices/workspaces. Coupled with up to terabytes of storage capacity and 4K (H.264 & H.265) HDMI-out, the TAS-168/268 is the optimal budget-friendly multimedia NAS with unlimited app applications for modern digital lifestyles.
QTS 4.2 Availability
QTS 4.2 is available from the QNAP Download Center. Please note that some features may not be available for all models.
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Taipei, Taiwan, February 3, 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced that the QNAP QTS 4.2.1 beta is now available for download. QNAP sincerely invite users to install QTS 4.2.1 beta to experience the evolution of QNAP QTS and extend the possibilities of the QNAP NAS.
Users can also activate the live update function to receive any new firmware update notification by installing QTS 4.2.1 beta.
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Taipei, Taiwan, January 21, 2016 – QNAP, Inc. today announced that the QTS & Android dual-system TAS-168/268 NAS now supports Netflix. The QNAP TAS-168/268 is the first Android-based NAS that supports Netflix, and users can download the free Netflix app from Google Play on Android. Simply connect a QNAP TAS-168/268 to an HDMI display to enjoy the numerous programs and multimedia content on Netflix with a smooth and convenient streaming experience.
”Netflix is one of the most popular Internet video streaming services in the world, and we are pleased to announce that it is compatible with our Android-based TAS-168/268 NAS.” said Hanz Sung, Product Manager of QNAP, “with the addition of Netflix, TAS-168/268 users can further maximize their home entertainment options by streaming their favorite movies and TV shows to a big screen in their living room.”
Powered by an ARM v7 dual-core processor with 2 GB DDR3 RAM, the QNAP TAS-168/268 is designed as a compact media NAS optimized for home use. Certificated by Google, users can download Netflix and many other multimedia apps from Google Play on TAS-168/268.
Coupled with terabytes of storage capacity and 4K (H.265 & H.264) HDMI output, the TAS-168/268 is the optimal budget-friendly multimedia NAS that provides near-unlimited entertainment possibilities for modern digital lifestyles.
Netflix Availability
The free Netflix app for Android devices is available from Google Play, and users can download it from Android Station on their QNAP TAS-168/268.
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Taipei, Taiwan, January 11, 2016 – QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced their exclusive Qsirch 2.0 has been updated to include file distribution features to enable displaying search results by file categories, including photos, music, videos or documents, and users can customize the display of file distribution in order of date modified, file size or other criteria.
The newly-released Qsirch 2.0 now runs file indexing as a background task and allows instant file sharing to enhance the user experience. Qsirch 2.0 also adds support for the ARM-based TS-531P QNAP NAS.
Qsirch 2.0 simplifies and quickens file searching on a QNAP NAS and helps users to find out specific files from a massive data pool by using content keywords. Qsirch 2.0 adds further improvements to optimize the overall experience based on extensive user responses and positive feedback.
“Through customer behavior analysis, we learned that searching tasks require detailed and particular settings and display modes. Qsirch 2.0 has been updated with comprehensive searching enhancements to achieve more precise search results, and to enable instant file sharing and smooth downloading.” said Cherry Chen, product manager of QNAP.
Qsirch 2.0 Availability & Compatibility
Qsirch 2.0 is available from the QTS App Center for all x86-based NAS models that have a minimum of 2GB RAM. The ARM-based TS-531P requires at least 4GB RAM. Additional RAM is recommended for optimal performance.
System Requirements : x86 models require 2GB RAM. The TS-531P requires 4GB RAM.
Firmware Requirement: QTS 4.2.0 (or newer). File sharing function requires QTS 4.2.1 (or newer).
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Taipei, Taiwan, December 31, 2015 – QNAP®, Inc. today released the latest CloudLink app that improves the remote access functions of the myQNAPcloud service, making it easy for users to access their QNAP devices anytime through the Internet without complicated domain redirection processes.
By installing the CloudLink app, users can timely access the files on a QNAP NAS using myQNAPcloud or by sharing download links with contacts to track the task status. Users can also simultaneously download and sync files to a remote NAS from shared links without needing to first save them to a PC/Mac.
QNAP is devoted to further developing myQNAPcloud services and in order to provide greater resources to this development, it will unfortunately require the discontinuation of support for MyCloudNAS from January 15, 2016.
“The new Follow Shared Links feature breaks through file-sharing limitations and allows users to sync or share files as background tasks between two QNAP NAS without needing an intermediate computer, saving users time and effort in setting up complicated network configurations. To provide additional resources for further myQNAPcloud developments, we have regretfully decided to conclude our ongoing support for the MyCloudNAS service. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes our users, but we encourage them to try out the smooth remote connection functionality provided by the updated myQNAPcloud service,” said Cherry Chen, Product Manager of QNAP.
To experience the updated myQNAPcloud services, the QNAP NAS must use firmware QTS 4.2 (or newer) and have CloudLink 1.1.45 (or newer) installed from the QTS App Center.
