Synology announced a high-end model in its line of NAS (network attached storage) devices targeting small- and medium-sized business. The DS1511+ has a 1.86GHz dual-core processor, room for up to five hard disk drives and 15TB of storage, two gigabit Ethernet ports, and compatibility with two external storage units, according to the company.

Synology and its Linux-based NAS devices are regular visitors to our pages, most recently in the form of the low-end, two-bay DS211+. The new DS1511+ is at the opposite end of the product line, boasting five hot-swappable drive bays for 2.5-inch or 3.5 SATA hard disk drives.

The front of Synology's DS1511

According to Synology, the DS1511+ can accept a 3TB drive in each of its bays, making for 15TB of storage. In case that's not enough, the device boasts two eSATA ports (below), each of which can connect to a separately available DX510 expansion unit. Dual DX510s add ten more drives, for a total of 45TB, the company notes.

The rear of Synology's DS1511

The DS1511+ offers dual gigabit Ethernet ports that, with link aggregation enabled, allow the device to provide 165.91MB/sec writing speed under RAID 5 configuration in a Windows environment, and 197.8MB/sec reading, the company claims. Microsoft ACL (access control list) compatibility will allow IT staff to set up user privileges using their familiar Windows user interface, and these will be applied to all access entries, including AFP, FTP, File Station, NFS, and WebDAV, Synology adds.

Like other Synology NASes, the DS1511+ features DiskStation Manager (DSM) 3.0 software, including a Download Station 2 app that enables downloads to the device without requiring an attached PC as an intermediary, plus a media server that lets users stream multimedia files to DLNA/UPnP compatible devices. In addition, DSM 3.0 enables users to back up data on the server, or sync to cloud storage via Amazon S3, says the company.

According to Synology, the DS1511+ includes a web server with support for PHP/MySWL content and the ability to host up to thirty websites. The device can also act as a mail server, print server, FTP server, or a "surveillance station" that can monitor an office via connected IP cameras, the company adds.

Features and specifications listed by Synology for the DS1511+ include:

• Processor — unspecified 1.8GHz dual-core CPU with floating point support
• Chipset — n/s
• Memory — 1GB of RAM, expandable to 3GB
• Storage:
  • internal — five hot-swappable bays for 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA drives
  • external — dual eSATA ports for external expansion units support ten additional drives
• Networking — 2 x gigabit Ethernet
• Other I/O:
  • 4 x USB 2.0
  • 1 x VGA
• Operating temperature — 40 to 95 deg. F
• Power consumption — 68W during access, 30W during drive hibernation
• Dimensions — 9.76 x 9.17 x 6.18 inches (248 x 233 x 157mm)
• Weight — 9.36 pounds (4.25kg)

Further information

According to Synology, the DS1511+ is available now for prices starting at $900 without drives. More information may be found on the DS1511+ product page

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