Synology DS-412+

Synology Disk Station DS412+

It was a challenge for me to review the Synology Disk Station DS412+, not because it's hard to use, but because it has so much to offer. The new four-bay NAS server, in a way, is the upgrade to the award-winning DS410 that was released more than two years ago, and makes an excellent upgrade. It now offers an excellent drive bay design, much faster speed, support for USB 3.0, and a lot more. Running the DiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.0 operating system -- and upgradable to future versions, such as the upcoming version 4.1 -- the new server offers a vast amount of features with a stellar Web interface that operates much like a native operating system. Like all Synology NAS servers, the DS412+ turns even the most complicated tasks of a server into a walk in the park for intermediate and advanced users. For home and novice users, however, the DS412+ isn't as easy to use. My biggest complaint is that while the server supports some 20 IP cameras, it comes with just one camera license to host just one camera out of the box. Additional licenses cost about $50 each, making it an expensive surveillance system for those who want to also use the server as one.