Verdict and Conclusion
I was using a bog-standard NAS from QNap a few years ago … I never really thought of it any different. I mean, it does what it says on the box. It’s a network attached storage … for storing and sharing files. BUT from this day forward, I will never look at a NAS the same way! Where have I been?! hahaha …
Today’s NAS comes a huge array of software and they’re absolutely feature-packed! This includes the Synology Diskstation DS215+ NAS. It may be small and only contains 2 drive bays … but boy, does it pack a punch. At the heart of the NAS, you’ll find a dual-core Annapurna Labs Alpine AL-212 CPU running at nippy 1.4GHz with 1GB DDR3 ram, and offers two bay storage upto a maximum capacity of 16TB. What’s more, it comes with some great software like Audio Station, Cloud Station, Cloud Sync, Directory Server, DNS Server, Download Station, iTunes Server, Mail Server, Mail Station, Media Server, Photo Station, Surveillance Station … the list goes on, too many to list!
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”103″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails” override_thumbnail_settings=”0″ thumbnail_width=”240″ thumbnail_height=”160″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ images_per_page=”12″ number_of_columns=”0″ ajax_pagination=”1″ show_all_in_lightbox=”0″ use_imagebrowser_effect=”0″ show_slideshow_link=”0″ slideshow_link_text=”[Show slideshow]” template=”default” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]
I particularly like the Photo Station, the Media server and iTunes server which basically, turns the Synology Diskstation DS215+ in to a massive media streaming box … for music, movies and photos.
Installation and setup was a breeze, I was up and running in less than 15 minutes. Once all the hard drives are in place, and you’ve plugged in your LAN and power cables … just follow the on screen instructions via your web browser using the URL provided. It couldn’t be simpler.
Costing around USD $450 or more, the Synology Diskstation DS215+ NAS certainly isn’t cheap. But mind you, you are literally getting a complete server in a box (for media streaming and more)! If you don’t want all the fancy features, there are cheaper alternatives out there. In fact, Synology does offer other basic models at cheaper and affordable prices. But for me, I think the Synology Diskstation DS215+ is perfect for my needs.
If you’re not sure which hard drives to buy, Synology has a page which shows you a list of compatible hard drives designed specifically to work well with their NAS devices. Go here …
Pros:
- Easy Installation and setup
- Feature-Packed
- Fast dual-core processor
- iTunes compatible
- Use it as a FTP/Print/Web server and more
Cons:
- Pricey
Final words:
Drop the price to below $399 and you’ll get a NAS device that’s unbeatable in terms of performance and features. If you’re after a NAS device that offers a huge array of software and great media streaming capabilities, then look no further the Synology Diskstation DS215+ NAS has it all.
