Synology is getting ready to roll out new restrictions on third-party onerous drives in its future community connected storage (NAS) units later this yr, the corporate confirmed to Ars Technica. The modifications may make it a lot tougher to make use of third-party drives in Synology’s units for typical use circumstances, like backing up family computer systems or as native media servers. The excellent news is that in case you already personal a Synology NAS, the corporate says the change gained’t have an effect on you.
Synology says in an EU press launch that “beginning with Plus Sequence fashions launched in 2025,” solely Synology-branded drives and people the corporate has licensed to satisfy its specs will “provide the complete vary of options and help.” In accordance with Ars, Synology plans to replace its compatibility lists to replicate which third-party drives that it has licensed.
The brand new restrictions imply that with out Synology-approved drives, you won’t be capable of do issues like pool storage between disks or make the most of drive lifespan evaluation supplied by the corporate’s software program. The change doesn’t apply to Synology J- and- Worth-series units, and gained’t have an effect on consumer-grade Synology Plus units that had been launched in 2024 and earlier. Nor will it have an effect on onerous drives which are migrated to this yr’s units from its current NAS methods, in keeping with Synology’s press launch.
As for why it’s making this transformation, a Synology spokesperson advised Ars, “Intensive inside testing has proven that drives that observe a rigorous validation course of when paired with Synology methods are at much less threat of drive failure and ongoing compatibility points.” The corporate says comparable issues in its press launch, writing that the restrictions will “cut back compatibility points and improve system reliability and efficiency.” Synology didn’t instantly reply to The Verge’s request for remark.
Restrictions like this are irritating. To Synology’s credit score, it’s introducing them in a manner that’s much less egregious than one thing like a printer firm blocking third-party ink with a software program replace. However that doesn’t repair the truth that house owners of its future NAS units can have fewer decisions — and due to this fact fewer possibilities to save cash — relating to shopping for the drives to stay into them.
