I hadn't tried anything new for a while, but when I went back to China mid-year, a friend recommended Synology. I did some research online and found it quite interesting, so I got one. I spent a couple of days figuring out all the settings and functions, and I'd like to share my experience with you all.

First, let me explain what Synology's private cloud is. Simply put, it's a private cloud storage service (as opposed to public services like Baidu Cloud or Dropbox). For me, it can do very simple things:

1. Synchronize files between various devices (phones, computers) (an alternative to Dropbox)
2. Access control, file sharing, and control of various home devices (requires some programming).
3. You can show off to people you meet.
4. Terminal downloads and standby downloads no longer require keeping a computer constantly running.
5. Remote access allows for control and downloading from outside the network, while within the network it can function as a media center for playing various videos and audio files.
6. Sync Baidu Cloud and Google Drive, everything in one place.

It actually has many other functions, such as hosting Docker, setting up a VPN server, running a WordPress website, and many program-related packages. Here's a screenshot. (The image is a bit long, click to see details)

Here are some commonly used functions: website hosting (WordPress/Drupal), VPN server, downloader, cloud sync (Baidu, Dropbox, etc.), mail server, office software (Office, PDF), Apache, Git, various databases, software development (Python, Java), and DDNS.

Below, I will mainly introduce some of the functions I used and my experience.

Installation and use

I bought the computer and two 4TB hard drives. The official website says that you need to check if the hard drives are compatible before purchasing. I bought a model that is not available on the official website, but it still works. However, I suggest that everyone check the official website to see if the hard drive model is compatible.

The setup is very simple: just install two hard drives, connect the power, and turn it on. One major inconvenience is that you must connect to the router with an Ethernet cable the first time (the official cable is included). Also, this machine doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi. While a USB Wi-Fi adapter would solve this, it's not practical these days; adding Wi-Fi wouldn't significantly increase the cost, and non-commercial Wi-Fi is still quite convenient.

After connecting, open your browser and follow the instructions step by step; it's very user-friendly. Installation will be complete in a few minutes, and you can use it immediately. You might feel a little lost at first, but it's quite simple to figure out with a little practice. However, please note the following points:

1. After installing both hard drives, the default configuration is SHR (similar to RAID 1), with one drive for use and the other for backup, offering high reliability (you can search online for more information if you don't understand). If you need to change this, it's recommended to do so in the settings initially to avoid problems later when data is stored.
2. You can configure DDNS to bind your domain name to access the site; however, it supports only some DNS providers and not Cloudflare, but it does support DNSPOD.
3. It is recommended to go to the system settings first, adjust everything, and then start installing the package.

Synchronization function

I've always used Dropbox as my cloud sync tool, installing it on all my computers and phones to sync various files anytime. But I don't know when it started, my cloud storage only has 5GB of space left. If I need more space, I have to buy more, so I decided to just keep the larger files on my main computer.

This is where Synology's advantage shines: you can install your own hard drive, as large as you want. Synology's built-in software is almost indistinguishable from Dropbox, supporting Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. While the user experience isn't quite as smooth as Dropbox, the basic functions are all there. It's very convenient; I've now uploaded all my files there, and the thought of being able to access them anytime, anywhere gives me a great sense of peace.

However, there are still many differences between private clouds and Dropbox. After all, Dropbox uses distributed storage, which has stronger disaster recovery capabilities than a private cloud. From a security perspective, files on Dropbox are 99.99% guaranteed not to be lost, but files on a private cloud are subject to various possibilities of loss, such as a house explosion, theft of the machine, or hacking. And if the internet connection at home goes down, that would be devastating.

Overall, I'm quite satisfied with this feature. I've been using RAID 1 with two hard drives backing up each other, and the file reliability is decent. I also added an external hard drive for backup, just in case of major problems. (Actually, you can also back up to a public cloud; feel free to experiment.)

VPN

For overseas users, this is quite versatile. I can set up a NAS at my home in the US and enable a VPN, so I can use it when I return to China. Conversely, I can set up another NAS at my home in China so I can access Chinese video websites from the US.

Synology supports PPTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec VPN. You can find detailed setup instructions online.

Sync with Baidu Cloud, Dropbox, and Google Docs

Synology has a Cloud Sync suite, and opening it opened up a whole new world. It can sync your various cloud accounts (Baidu Cloud, Dropbox, etc.). You just need to click and log in to authorize, and it can stay in sync indefinitely.

Imagine what your Baidu Cloud content is like… hehehe. But I don't use Baidu Cloud, haha.

Download function

Synology's download suite supports various formats, including BitTorrent and regular downloads. Since Synology acts like a server, always running, you can use it to download all sorts of things. Furthermore, because you can access your Synology at any time, you can send download commands to it from anywhere. Imagine you're in the office, suddenly need to download something, open your browser, send the torrent file to your Synology, and it starts downloading, finishing when you leave work.

Media Functions

I discovered this feature by chance, but since I prefer collecting physical discs, I haven't used it much. However, that doesn't diminish its usefulness. Its main uses are:

1. You can put your videos, movies, etc. on your Synology NAS. Of course, if you use Synology to download movies (please support genuine products), then you can use it.
2. Turn on the TV or other media device (I don't know if it's because of overseas standards, but the standard is the same, and different brands of devices have this function).
3. You can find the Synology server in the link, and then just click to watch.

Summarize

I heard Synology is having another developer launch event in a couple of days. Although I just bought a machine, I'm still hoping for more upgrades. This machine seems to be in its early stages; the memory and CPU configurations aren't high, and the software (especially the mobile app) is quite incomplete. However, as a private cloud provider, it has all the necessary functions. Those interested can buy one and try it out.