DSM 7.0 Lost. Trying to figure out how to proceed with set up of a new NAS.

[Quick-Run]

Greetings

I have a NAS.

It has DSM 7.0.

I am seeking to figure out whether to use the Synology software or Resilio sync.

For this purpose: for users to be able to sync their device (e.g. photos if it is a telephone, or documents and photos if it is a tablet or computer).

It appears that Resilio sync does not allow this unless it is set manually to run for each user using SSH (guide from several years ago on Google.)

The Synology software has really bad reviews and on iOS does not allow background backups / syncs.

I want to be able to ditch the external hard drives (on PCs) and the subscriptions to cloud services (eg iCloud etc.)

Before I dive in and set this up one way or the other, I thought I should ask on here to see what others are doing / would do / might do.

For what they charge, they really should send a manual in the box

Thank you.

 

[EAZ1964]

Good to look for advice before starting. A good start is really important.
There is a tendency to complain nowadays, the reviews are not that bad, compared to the competion, and as always, it takes some time and effort to make the best of any system.
On my Iphone, there is autosync to the NAS, while using the app called synology photo.All backups are background processes, so not sure who wrote the review..
Icloud is an apple proprietary system which cannot be handled by any outside company. No way to use that, but many other cloud systems are available.

First make your decision:
1) you are going to keep working "the old fashioned way" (having documents and photo's mainly hosted on the PC):
use Synology Drive to sync to the NAS.
2) you Move ALL data to the nas, and remove it from the PC (centralised storage). The way virtually every business runs, as centralised storage is easy to backup and control: setup the public and home folders on the nas in a way that nicely covers the privacy/separation and shared folders as you wish.

You did not yet tell us your hardware configuration. Do you have redundant disks? how do you plan to do the backups?

Manuals are outdated on the day of printing, there are none in any computer business as far as I know.

 

[Quick-Run]

Thank you.

I have a D220+.

SHR set up.

2 x 4 TB.

I did consider using basic set up so as to get 8TB.

If the NAS is to be backed up externally (probably not) then SHR is not so important and 8TB of data space is better.

I think we will move everything to the NAS.

I don't think we will activate Quick-Connect, so the NAS is only accessible on the LAN.

My thought process was this:

1. Resilio sync to sync phones/tablets content (photographs mostly) to the NAS, BUT to a separate folder for each family member. I was hoping to give each a user account but Resilio does not work like that and I do not want to go in and use the SSH method. This will be a lot quicker to sync to the NAS. **

2. Will look into the photos app that you mentioned, the reviews were not great but your post clarifies the reviews are wrong. [Synology really should invest into their apps maybe even in partnership with Resilio!]

3. I then wish to be able to give each family member access to a folder on the NAS mapped as a network drive on their Windows 10 account and tablet / phone device.

"setup the public and home folders on the nas in a way that nicely covers the privacy/separation and shared folders as you wish."

Do you know of a good guide to recommend to follow/read? Thanks.

I am bit surprised that Synology do not make it more user friendly with wizards to help set up for first time users.

** Resilio say: "Resilio Sync for NAS has been designed to be installed as a single-user application and running under a separate account. However, the shares added to Sync can be connected to corresponding destination folders of different users thus resolving the described task. Corresponding permission adjustments in the NAS dashboard might be needed for Sync to access the destination folders."

 

[EAZ1964]

The first part of your post confuses me. Did you or did you plan SHR (=4TB with redunancy) of two basic volume?
How do you plan the NAS backup? Cloud (e.g. idrive) or USB?

In case you use a sync, the backup becomes more important, as one accidental delete will wipe all the copies from all devices, one ransomed file will spread on all devices.

While creating the user, opt for the creation of a home folder for each user. They will have their own space to put stuff and photo's.

For shared data: Try to use public for general documents, music for music, video for video and photo for shared photo's. Not mandatory, but good to do as it fits several synology default indexing setups.

 

[Quick-Run]

Thank you.

I chose SHR.

Will use the NAS as a file storage location at least for the time being, while I get familiar with it.

I have not enabled external access (at least not intentionally).

I take your point about the sync. (I may still use it but purely as it is fast for syncing thousands of photographs & important documents using the LAN.)

The create a user option did not give me the option of (auto) creating a home directory (is there a setting somewhere?) so what I did was created a folder with a particular user name and then granted r/w access to that folder to that particular user.

I also created a general shared folder to which all users can have r/w access.

 

[EAZ1964]

the homes folders will be automatically created once you enable the Users/avanced/ homes folder option.
Some packages (like photo) prefer that option above the user folder that you have created. other than that, it is ok to solve it like you already did.

 

[Quick-Run]

Thanks, I deleted all users, deleted "homes", set up "homes" first and then users and the permissions were then also set up correctly, manually trying to sort out permissions was an absolute nightmare and nothing worked. [AGHHHH].