Synology Targets Enterprise With Backup Appliance

Summary

Synology’s ActiveProtect line of backup appliances aims to disrupt the enterprise IT market. These appliances offer integrated hardware and software, including the ActiveProtect Manager operating system. Synology is also planning to launch high-performance, scale-out storage products for large enterprises in the future.

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** Main Story**

Synology, which you probably know from their NAS devices for homes and small businesses, is making a big move. They’re jumping into the enterprise market with a new line of backup appliances called ActiveProtect, and it’s a pretty bold strategy. It really signals they want to play with the big boys like Dell and HPE.

ActiveProtect: A Comprehensive Backup Solution

So, what’s ActiveProtect all about? Well, they’re trying to make enterprise backup and recovery a whole lot simpler. It’s all integrated, with a user-friendly interface. Each appliance comes with ActiveProtect Manager (APM), which is Synology’s own operating system. And this APM? It’s built specifically for backups. Think of it as one central spot where you can manage up to 150,000 workloads or even 2,500 different sites! That gives you enterprise-level scalability, data visibility, and control, all in one place.

The ActiveProtect range comes in five different models, so there’s something for everyone. There are two tabletop models, the DP320 and DP340, which are great if you have a smaller setup. Then there are three rackmount options – the DP5200, DP7300, and DP7400 – for when you need to scale up. The DP7400 is the beast of the bunch, supporting up to 2,500 servers and those 150,000 workloads I mentioned earlier. And what’s cool is that all models except the DP320 use SSD caching. Why is that important? It makes accessing backup metadata super fast. They all run on AMD processors too.

Key features? ActiveProtect boasts global source-side deduplication, immutable backups (meaning they can’t be changed), air-gapping, and support for regulatory compliance. Synology is really pushing this idea of “comprehensive data protection.” They even recommend following a 3-2-1-1-0 backup strategy: three copies of your data, on two different types of media, one copy offsite, another immutable, and zero errors thanks to constant testing.

Supported Workloads and Licensing

At launch, ActiveProtect covers a lot of ground. We’re talking VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, NetApp OnTap, Nutanix Files, Microsoft 365, Oracle Database, Microsoft SQL Server – the list goes on. Plus, you can connect it to various cloud storage services. Synology’s C2 Cloud Storage, naturally, but also other S3-compatible platforms.

Licensing can be a real headache for growing SMBs, right? Synology’s trying to fix that. With ActiveProtect, the included license lets you back up workloads on up to three backup servers. If you need more than that, you can buy additional licenses, but here’s the kicker: Synology doesn’t charge you per workload. That’s a big deal, and it could make their licensing a lot more predictable and affordable than what some of their competitors are offering.

Synology’s Enterprise Ambitions

What’s particularly interesting is that ActiveProtect is only the first of several enterprise products coming from Synology. They’re planning to launch two high-performance, scale-out storage products down the line. It’s clear they’re serious about serving larger enterprises. While they are known for the SMB and consumer markets, they’ve got a good base of enterprise customers already, especially for backup and archival storage. And the push into flash storage, well, that’s just smart.

They’re also planning SSD-based capacity models, which is exactly what enterprises are looking for to get better throughput. All of this really shows their dedication to expanding their product range and reaching a wider audience.

Challenges and Opportunities

Now, it’s not going to be a walk in the park. Industry analysts know this, catching up to Dell and HPE in the enterprise backup and storage game is a huge task. It’ll take time and a lot of effort. That said, Synology’s focus on simplicity, integrated solutions, and user-friendly interfaces could be a real winner. Especially with businesses who want streamlined and cost-effective data protection. Ultimately, their success will depend on whether they can execute this strategy and build trust with larger organizations. This will likely mean more investment in enterprise-grade features, better performance, and building relationships within the enterprise IT world.

Don’t you think, a key element will be showing enterprises that Synology isn’t just a “NAS box company” anymore? That they can deliver the performance, reliability, and support that big organizations demand? This is their chance to redefine themselves and grab a piece of the enterprise pie.