✅ Step 1: Qualifying Questions for the Client
1. Business Needs
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What will the Synology be used for?
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File storage?
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Office document collaboration?
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Surveillance?
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Virtual machine hosting?
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Backup target or primary backup?
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Are you replacing an existing NAS or starting fresh?
2. User Access
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How many users will access the Synology concurrently?
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Will access be local only, remote only, or hybrid?
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Do you need Active Directory integration?
3. Storage Requirements
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How much data will be stored initially?
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Expected data growth over 1–3 years?
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Are there large files involved (media, CAD, databases)?
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Any retention/archive requirements?
4. Performance Needs
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Is performance or capacity more important?
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Any requirements for SSD caching or NVMe drives?
5. Redundancy & Uptime
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Do you need drive redundancy (RAID)?
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Any requirement for dual power supplies?
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Is high availability (HA) a must?
6. Backup Integration
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Will this be a primary or secondary backup target?
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Do you already use VEEAM, Probax, NinjaOne, or Wasabi?
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Do you need cloud sync (e.g., with Wasabi or S3)?
7. Security / Compliance
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Do you need encryption at rest?
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Do you want snapshot protection (ransomware defense)?
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Will the device be exposed externally (ports open / DDNS)?
⚙️ Step 2: Model Selection – Synology NAS Hardware
???? Model Series Cheat Sheet
| Model Series | Use Case | Example Models |
|---|---|---|
| J Series | Basic home/light office use | DS220j, DS423j |
| Plus | Small biz, office use, more RAM/CPU | DS224+, DS923+ |
| XS/XD | Business-class, faster CPU/10GbE ready | DS1823xs+, RS1221+ |
| SA/UC | Enterprise/high availability | SA6400, UC3200 |
| RackStation | Rack-mounted business use | RS822+, RS4021xs+ |
???? Hardware Considerations
| Component | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Drive Bays | Total required + room for growth (e.g. 4, 6, 8-bay) |
| Drive Type | HDD (bulk storage), SSD (performance), NVMe cache |
| RAID Level | SHR, RAID 5/6/10 based on redundancy needs |
| RAM | 2GB–32GB depending on apps/VMs |
| Network | 1GbE, 2.5GbE, or 10GbE (expandable via PCIe) |
| Expansion Units | Future-proofing; do you need room to grow via DX units? |
| Power Supply | Redundant power supplies (on XS or rack units) |
| Warranty | Most units: 3–5 years; can add Synology extended warranty |
???? Step 3: Software, Licensing & Integration
???? Synology DSM Features (Free with hardware)
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File Sharing (SMB/AFP/NFS)
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Active Backup for Business (Workstation & VM backup)
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Hyper Backup (to cloud or another NAS)
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Cloud Sync (Wasabi, Dropbox, Google Drive, S3)
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Virtual Machine Manager (on compatible models)
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Snapshot Replication (anti-ransomware)
???? Security
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SentinelOne agent (for Windows endpoints – not directly installable on NAS, but essential for PCs backing up to it)
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Enable:
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Two-factor authentication
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Auto block / IP allowlists
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Snapshot replication
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HTTPS-only management
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☁️ Backup Integration
| Purpose | Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NAS to Cloud | Hyper Backup | Compatible with Wasabi, Amazon S3, Dropbox, etc. |
| PC/VM to NAS | Active Backup for Business | Free license; works with VMs and PCs |
| Cloud-native backup | VEEAM / Probax + Wasabi | Use NAS as local target or stage |
| RMM Monitoring | NinjaOne | Use SNMP/agent to monitor NAS health, disk status |
???? Common Deployment Scenarios
| Scenario | Recommended Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small Office File Share | DS923+ / DS224+ | Add SSD cache for performance |
| Backup Target for VEEAM | RS1221+ / DS1823xs+ | Use 10GbE NIC if high transfer speeds needed |
| Remote Office File Share | DS723+ + Wasabi | Cloud sync and Hybrid Share |
| Surveillance Storage | DS1821+ | Surveillance Station + storage licenses |
| Virtual Machine Hosting | DS1823xs+ / RS4021xs+ | With 16–32GB RAM, SSDs |
???? Order Checklist
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| NAS Model | Specify number of bays and rackmount if needed |
| Drives | HDDs (e.g., 8x10TB) + SSDs for cache or all-flash |
| RAID Level | SHR, RAID 5/6/10 depending on goals |
| RAM Upgrade | Optional – some models require specific DIMMs |
| NIC Upgrade | 2.5GbE/10GbE or SFP+ via PCIe card |
| UPS Recommended | Yes – with USB signaling support |
| Offsite Backup | Wasabi / S3 + Hyper Backup |
| SentinelOne for clients | Protect workstations backing up to the NAS |
| NinjaOne RMM | Monitor health, backups, storage status |
| Onsite or Remote Setup | Remote onboarding or physical install? |
| Extended Warranty (Synology EW202) | Optional for 3–5 year hardware coverage |
???? Optional MSP Add-ons
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???? Monthly backup checkups
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????️ NAS Security Hardening
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???? Wasabi Usage Monitoring
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???? Disaster Recovery Planning
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???? Proactive Monitoring (via NinjaOne)
