Upgrade from DS215j to DS224+

[joncollin81]

Hey SynoForum Community:

I am fed up with how slow my DS215j is these days, understand it is old tech and the upgrade to DSM7 would have only made things worse. Case in point: a recent backup to an external HDD (535GB consisting primarily of Photos and Videos) using Hyper Backup took almost 10 days...

I am tempted to upgrade to the DS224+, which reviews suggest would be a good model in terms of price / performance. My main use cases are as follows:

• Remote media streaming (primarily MP3s, although might consider ripping BluRays for movie streaming too)
  • Currently I do this using Plex
• Photo / Video sharing via Synology Photos
• Backups of PCs / Mobile Phones / Tablets
• Backups of data on NAS to external HDD

My current hard drives are 2 X WD Red 2TB 5400RPM in RAID1 (using EXT4 filesystem). They are now over 10 years old, as is the NAS.

My questions are as follows:

1. Would the DS224+ be a good replacement for my DS215j, given my intended use cases?
2. Would I benefit from getting new hard drives at the same time (given age of drives, although no faults reported yet)?
   1. If so, would SSDs make any difference to performance? (FYI: My NAS is connected to my Netgear Orbi RBS50 mesh satellite via ethernet)
   2. If so, am I limited to using Synology branded SSDs only?
3. Assuming new HDDs (or SSDs) is the way to go, would I benefit from using the BTRFS filesystem instead of EXT4?

Sorry for all the questions, just want to make some informed buying decisions. Appreciate any guidance you guys can give

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[Rusty]

That would be a great upgrade on multiple fronts for sure. Just moving from the "J" to "+" segments not only brings better HW (although still very modest compared to some alternatives) but also unlocks a complete DSM portfolio of apps.

Would the DS224+ be a good replacement for my DS215j, given my intended use cases?

Yes, absolutely

Would I benefit from getting new hard drives at the same time (given age of drives, although no faults reported yet)?

I would highly suggest getting some modern drives as well, yes

If so, would SSDs make any difference to performance? (FYI: My NAS is connected to my Netgear Orbi RBS50 mesh satellite via ethernet)

While you will feel the difference in some cases, for the most part, considering the needs you listed, it might be better to stick with HDDs (you will get more space if nothing else).

If so, am I limited to using Synology branded SSDs only?

No, x24 models are not limited to Syno only brand, but still check for the compatibility

Assuming new HDDs (or SSDs) is the way to go, would I benefit from using the BTRFS filesystem instead of EXT4?

Indeed, you will. BTRFS will also unlock certain apps like Active Backup for Business that will take care some some scenarios regarding backup of your endpoint devices. Also, it is superior to EXT4 in terms of data handling, encryption, and more, so it would be a better option overall.

 

[Jan Janowski]

I can agree about 215J. I abandoned and gave away mine in late 6.2, due to it getting slower and slower on each 6 version.., I believe in preparations for 7.
Gave to Son-in-Law who uses it for music server.
It was replaced by a 720+, that continues to have plenty of reserve horsepower to this day! (Same for our 718+!) I have only myself to blame - I bought based on price, and got what I paid for!