Synology DiskStation DS1512+ Review

1. Introduction2. Synology DiskStation DS1512+3. Synology DiskStation DS1512+ (Super High Res Gallery)4. The DiskManager Operating System5. Testing Methodology and Raid 0 Performance (single link)6. ieee 802.3ad dynamic link aggregation performance7. Acoustics, Power Consumption and Temperatures8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

The Synology DiskStation DS1512+ is undoubtedly a formidable NAS server, ideal for a growing business or demanding home office environment. The build quality is exemplary and there are many revisions to the DS1511+ which improve the platform further.

The chassis has received a handful of upgrades in the last year, and we particularly appreciate the new dual rear fan mounted system. The new externally locked fans can be easily removed for quick and easy maintenance or replacement. This may sound like a minor improvement, but in a data critical environment it is crucial to ensure that the internal hard drives are receiving an adequate level of cooling.

The new drive bay system has finally adopted a key locking system, although I was slightly disappointed to note that these are still plastic, rather than metal. Synology are setting aside the metal trays for their high end business NAS server systems. Therefore, while this latest revision is a noted step up, there is still room for further improvement.

We have no issues with the level of performance from the Synology DS1512+. It is blisteringly fast in all situations and can scale equally well within a variety of networked environments. We recorded between 165MB/s to 200MB/s write/read with link aggregation enabled – more than enough for all but the most demanding, enterprise business operations. There are no shortage of configurations supported, such as Synology Hybrid RAID, Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 5+Spare, RAID 6 and RAID 10.

The DS1511+ was a fast NAS server although there were a handful of situations when the ATOM D525 could run out of steam. Synology have upgraded the processor to a dual core 2.13ghz model which does help improve overall system performance. Such a modest upgrade in the PC desktop world would hardly reap a noticeable benefit, but in this specific sector, every megahertz can count.

Power consumption has been finely tuned and the acoustic performance is first class, even under stressful situations. The internal construction is also commendable with Synology opting for high grade components- the inclusion of a quality 250W 80 Plus Bronze Seasonic power supply for instance is reassuring.

If you need a new NAS server for your office, or even a demanding home environment then the DS1512+ is an educated choice.

You can pick up the Synology DS1512+ online for around the £600 mark. Just pick up a couple of hard drives and you are ready to rock.

Pros:

• fantastic build quality.
• hardware is upgraded from DS1511+
• lightning speeds.
• Diskmanager software is the market leader.
• quiet.
• efficient power consumption.
• Scalable with optional DX510 bay(s) for a total of 15 HDD's (60TB).

Cons:

• plastic drive bays.
• quite expensive.

Kitguru says: Another quality NAS system from Synology.

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