With the model TVS-675Qnap offers a NAS designed for the data storage needs of small businesses and offices, capable of hosting in-house up to 6 x 3.5 inch hard driveswhose operations can be accelerated by installing a maximum of 2 SSD cache disks using two built-in M.2 slots. Not just HDDs for main storage: of course, it’s also possible to install SSDs in a 2.5-inch form factor, or alternatively 2.5-inch HDDs.
[HWUVIDEO=”3201″]Qnap TVS-675 the compact, flexible and versatile NAS[/HWUVIDEO]
Heart of this NAS the Zhaoxin KaiXian KX-U6580 processor with 2.5 GHz clocka proposal with an x86 architecture equipped internally with 8 hearts and capable of handling the typical processing needs of a NAS of this size. The onboard memory is 2 GB, DDR4 standard, with the possibility of extending it up to 64 GB by inserting two 32 GB modules in the two slots.
Front in classic design, with 6 drawers for lockable storage units. A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, the power button and a diagnostic screen positioned on the top complete the design which mirrors that adopted by Qnap for its NAS.
Rotating the NAS, we can see the presence of 3 80 mm diameter fans for internal cooling: they blow air outwards, creating a flow that starts from the front, thus conveying the air cooling along the walls of the storage units so that their operating temperature always remains under control. Connection to the local network is via two 2.5 Gbit LAN portscompatible with port trunking technology in order to be able to guarantee transmission speeds of up to 5Gbit when used in parallel.
On the back there are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 1, all with Type-A connector; there is also an HDMI 2.0 video output connector, capable of driving displays with resolutions up to 4k at 60Hz vertical refresh.
In the upper part we note the predisposition for two internal expansion slots: it’s about PCI Express Gen 3 reader with 4x links, useful for extending the connectivity of the NAS with 10Gbit network cards if the needs for internal use require this type of connection for the local network. Alternatively, these slots can be used to install storage expansion cards, with which to expand the number of hard drives that can be connected to the NAS.
By removing the outer shell, you have easy access to two dedicated M.2 SSD slots for task caching; a useful accessory option when the NAS is not only used for archiving data but you work directly on them without importing them locally on the storage unit of your PC. Let’s think for example of video or image processing stored directly on the NAS: the cache via SSD, combined with a network connection preferably of the 10Gbit type so as not to be a performance bottleneck, makes it possible to use Qnap TVS-675 even in these application scenarios.
The configuration of the Qnap TVS-675 is very practical and intuitive: just download theQfinder Pro Utility from this address and run it from PC or MAC depending on your system. In the initial phase, the utility will check which firmware version is installed and which is available as the latest, installing it and initializing the NAS based on the number of installed hard drives.
Depending on the number of discs installed we will proceed to the creation of the associated storage pool; the configuration may be of the JBOD type to use the disks independently or more realistically by using a Raid configuration among those available. It goes without saying that it is possible to extend the storage later starting from a minimum number of hard drives and adding others later: depending on the chosen Raid mode, you can extend the existing chain and/or create another. parallel.
More generally what will form a storage pool, with which several disks are aggregated into a single storage space with the disks which are grouped into several Raid groups according to their type and quantity. By enabling Qtier, it is possible to combine disks of different sizes and types, letting the NAS dynamically manage the data saved on the disks and allowing auto-tiering mode ensuring that frequently accessed data is moved to all installed SSDs.
Once the configuration is complete, it is time to analyze the software that corresponds to this Qnap NAS: it is QuTSworkaround to this QTS extension which Qnap combines with its cheaper NAS range and which requires at least 8 GB of system memory for installation. It should be noted that for inline data deduplication, the operating system requires at least 16 GB of system memory, although a higher amount (up to 64 GB) is recommended to improve overall performance.
To integrate and extend the functionality of the operating system, we find the inevitable App store, a collection of applications for different purposes that can be run directly from the NAS. There are several areas that collect these APPs: from backup to video surveillance, from entertainment to home automation to security and office activities.
TVS-675 Qnap is a compact and silent NAS in operation, characterized by valid extensibility features that increase its flexibility of use. In standard configuration, a proposal suitable for small offices for data sharing and backup, also by exploiting a hybrid approach that provides backup directly to the cloud. The possibility of installing numerous free applications increases the flexibility of use of this product, so as to adapt it to the specific needs of the context in which it will be implemented. The retail price of around 1,200 including VAT, a figure in line with the storage capacity, level of overall expandability and built-in features.