Synology DS207 2-Bay NAS Server

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by Greg King on August 16, 2007 in Networking, Storage

While there are many NAS products available, there are none that we’ve crossed that have matched the feature-set of Synology’s DS207. There are too many features to mention in a small intro, so read on to learn more about the product we had a difficult time finding a fault in.

Page 1 – Introduction


In the world of network attached storage, there is a fast growing list of participants. Of the competing companies, there has really only been one that has the BYOD (Bring Your Own Disk) NAS market locked up… Buffalo. In past reviews, we have taken looks at a handful of NAS devices from companies such as Thecus, D-Link and Vantec.

Of those companies, Thecus is by far the most aggressive attacker of Buffalo’s market share and judging by their products (we reviewed the N2100 this past March and are testing their single drive N1200 currently), they are a major contender in the consumer NAS market.

One company that has recently made a name for themselves in the NAS market is Synology. Founded in 2000, Synology has built a loyal following in the home and small business market. Offering devices ranging from single drive NAS all the way up to four drive devices capable of RAID 0, 1 and and 5, Synology has the goods to keep smaller needs organizations and homes happy.

Today we are working with their DS207, a RAID 0 and 1 capable NAS box geared specifically towards power users and small businesses alike. With the ability to install up to two hard drives and allowing the user to also host their own web sites with it’s built in Apache web server and pre-installed PHP+MySQL. For the data security minded users, Synology includes encryption options when using FTP and network backups. Other notable features include an iTunes server, print sharing, download management and photo sharing.

In our evaluation of the DS207, we will be looking at the device and its features. On paper, the device looks quite promising but before we get into the details, we can’t make a call on it’s overall worth. With that said, let’s get to the review.

Packaging and Contents

Synology has chosen to ship their products in a straightforward package crammed with information about the unit on all sides. Conveniently placed on the top of the box is a handle for easy transportation of the box and its contents.

Once opened, the DS207 is seen securely wrapped in bubble wrap and placed within a set of ends to secure it during transport. There is also a large box that contains the extras necessary to setup and use the NAS.

Removing the contents of the boxes, we can see that included with the DS207 is a power brick and complimentary power cable as well as a CAT5e network cable.

Also included is a small quick start manual, a setup disk and a small welcome card.

To get the BYOD DS207 up and running, Synology has included the necessary hardware to secure the hard drives into the drive cage and connect them to the devices main board. This hardware includes custom length SATA cables, a pair of SATA power cables and the appropriate mounting screws.

Synology has made it a point to include a few extra screws because inevitably, one or two will get lost here and there and it’s nice to have a few more lying around when you need them. I just with all companies would do this as it can’t cost anything to throw a couple extra into the bag before the packaging process is completed.


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