Synology DiskStation DS1621+ SAN/NAS Storage System

The Synology DiskStation DS1621+ SAN/NAS Storage System is a powerhouse 6-bay NAS designed to elevate data management for small businesses, remote offices, and demanding home labs. Seamlessly blending SAN and NAS capabilities, this compact appliance delivers scalable storage, robust data protection, and flexible expansion options that adapt as your needs evolve. With a potent processor, NVMe caching, and DSM-powered features, the DS1621+ helps you accelerate workloads, streamline backups, and centralize file sharing across teams and devices.

• 6-bay scalability with future-ready storage — Build a resilient storage foundation with six drive bays that accommodate a mix of 3.5" and 2.5" drives. The DS1621+ is designed to grow with your data, enabling you to start small and scale up as your business or lab expands. Combined with Synology’s flexible RAID options and storage pools, you can optimize capacity, performance, and redundancy to fit your workflow.
• High-performance processing for multi-user environments — Powered by a capable AMD Ryzen quad-core processor, the DS1621+ delivers responsive throughput for concurrent users, media streaming, backups, and virtualization-ready tasks. With a burst-capable clock and intelligent resource management, you’ll experience smooth file access, quick data retrieval, and minimal bottlenecks during peak usage periods.
• NVMe SSD caching for accelerated I/O — The DS1621+ includes dedicated M.2 NVMe slots to enable fast caching. By offloading frequently accessed data to high-speed SSDs, you can dramatically reduce latency and improve random I/O performance for workloads such as virtualization, large-scale backups, and database-style operations, without overhauling your existing drives.
• Advanced data protection and flexible backups — Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) powers comprehensive data protection features, including snapshots, replication, and robust security controls. The DS1621+ supports Btrfs with self-healing data integrity, built-in backup solutions like Hyper Backup and Active Backup for Business, and granular share-level permissions to guard critical information across users and devices.
• Expansion options and flexible connectivity — When you need more throughput or capacity, the DS1621+ offers a PCIe expansion path for 10GbE networking or additional NVMe caching, plus the ability to attach Synology expansion units for even larger storage footprints. This flexibility makes it ideal for mixed workloads, virtualization, and SAN/NAS use cases, enabling fast data transfers and centralized storage access across the network.

Technical Details of Synology DiskStation DS1621+ SAN/NAS Storage System

• Product type: Network Attached Storage (NAS) with SAN capabilities to support diverse data management needs.
• CPU: AMD Ryzen quad-core processor (base performance designed for multi-user access and smooth data operations).
• Memory: 4 GB DDR4 RAM, upgradeable to higher capacities to accommodate demanding workloads and larger user groups.
• Bays: 6 drive bays for flexible storage configurations and resilient RAID layouts.
• Storage media: Supports 3.5" and 2.5" SATA drives to suit varying performance and capacity requirements.
• NVMe cache: 2 x M.2 NVMe SSD slots to enable fast caching and reduced latency for active data sets.
• PCIe expansion: 1 x PCIe 3.0 slot to add 10GbE networking or other accelerators as your needs evolve.
• Networking: built-in network capabilities with options for expansion cards to achieve higher network throughput when needed.
• Operating system: Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) featuring Btrfs, snapshots, replication, and a rich app ecosystem for backup, collaboration, and media management.
• Expansion compatibility: Compatible with Synology DX517 or other expansion solutions to increase usable capacity over time.
• Power and cooling: Energy-conscious design with active cooling to maintain performance while keeping noise and heat under control.

How to install Synology DiskStation DS1621+ SAN/NAS Storage System

Setting up the DS1621+ is straightforward and can be done in a few steps to have your storage pool ready for use. Start by installing any required drives into the six bays, ensuring they are firmly seated. Connect the unit to your network via an Ethernet switch or router and attach the power supply. Power on the device and launch Synology Assistant on your computer or use the web-based DSM installer to locate the new NAS on the network. Follow the on-screen wizard to initialize DSM, create a Storage Pool and Volume, and configure your preferred RAID level based on redundancy needs and capacity goals. Then set up user accounts, shared folders, and permission policies, and enable essential services such as backups, file syncing, and remote access. If you plan to use NVMe caching or expand capacity with a PCIe card, install the NVMe drives in the M.2 slots and insert the expansion card as needed, following the product manual. Finally, run routine maintenance tasks like DSM updates, firmware checks, and security hardening to keep your data safe and accessible.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the DS1621+ best suited for? — It’s ideal for teams that require centralized file storage, reliable backups, and scalable capacity, with the option to run SAN-like workloads and virtualized environments in a compact, quiet appliance.
• Can I expand storage later? — Yes. The DS1621+ supports expansion units and PCIe-based upgrades, allowing you to add more drives or higher-speed networking as your data footprint grows.
• Does it support virtualization? — The system architecture and DSM ecosystem support virtualization workflows, making it suitable for testing, lab environments, and small business virtualization needs when paired with compatible software and resources.
• What protection features are included? — DSM provides snapshots, replication, versioned backups, and a Btrfs-based file system for data integrity. Hyper Backup and Active Backup for Business help protect workloads across devices and cloud services.
• Is DSM included and easy to manage? — Yes. The DiskStation Manager (DSM) interface is web-based, intuitive, and regularly updated with security patches, making advanced storage management accessible to both beginners and IT professionals.