Designed to be used as a private cloud storage machine, Synology’s BeeStation makes it straightforward to entry your photographs, movies, and different private recordsdata from anyplace. Not like different Synology network attached storage (NAS) devices, the BeeStation doesn’t provide RAID safety; nor does it have an app library to enhance it. As an alternative, it makes it straightforward to robotically again up your information and share it with different customers with out paying month-to-month cloud subscription charges. At $219.99, it’s cheaper (although probably slower) than the same LatticeWork Amber X, which makes it an excellent deal for individuals who wish to cease paying for a cloud subscription to entry their private information. Its strengths are in its simplicity and financial savings; if these usually are not your priorities as a sophisticated person, contemplate spending just some {dollars} extra to get true NAS performance—together with RAID safety, multi-gig LAN, and a catalog of apps—with units just like the $239 QNAP TS-216G dual-bay NAS. Simply keep in mind that the QNAP, like most NAS drives, would not embody the drives themselves. The BeeStation will get you 4TB out of the field.

Design: A Easy Black Field

The BeeStation makes use of a black enclosure that measures 5.8 by 2.4 by 7.7 inches (HWD) and has a BeeStation brand on both facet. You will discover a small LED indicator on the entrance, close to the underside, that’s strong white when the drive is prepared and functioning accurately, blinks white when it’s booting up or shutting down, and pulses white when the drive is in hibernation. A strong orange LED signifies that the BeeStation is resetting; a blinking orange LED signifies a drive error; and a respiration orange LED signifies a firmware replace.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

The rear panel is residence to an influence button, an influence port, a reset button, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen port, and a 1GbE LAN port. You received’t discover any multi-gig LAN ports on this machine. The BeeStation is powered by a 2GHz Realtek ARM quad-core CPU, 1GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 4TB Synology-branded inside drive. The sealed drive spins at a comparatively gradual 5,400rpm and isn’t upgradable. Additionally, notice that as a result of it makes use of a single drive, the BeeStation doesn’t provide the multi-drive mirroring or different RAID safety you get with a conventional multi-bay NAS. The field features a energy provide, a LAN cable, and a quick-start information.

The BeeStation forgoes Synology’s DSM working system, discovered on most of its different NAS devices, and as a substitute makes use of the BeeStation OS, which gives a mix of net, desktop, and cell functions to entry and handle your information and again up recordsdata immediately out of your cellphone and from cloud providers comparable to Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox. You may as well again up information from related USB drives. The BeePhoto cell software will robotically again up your photographs on the fly, or if in case you have many photographs, you’ll be able to have the app do it when you find yourself inactive. Faucet the three dots within the higher proper nook of the Photographs tab, choose Add, and choose the photographs you wish to add to your BeeStation drive.

BeePhotos enables you to create albums and hyperlinks to share particular person photographs or a complete album; you can too have the app play a slideshow of photographs in an album. The software program makes use of face recognition know-how so as to add photographs to a Individuals album, the place you’ll be able to put a reputation to a face for simple group. With the Photograph Request characteristic, you’ll be able to create a hyperlink to produce other customers share their photographs with you; they will be added to a particular BeeStation album.

(Credit score: Synology/John R. Delaney)

The BeeFiles app acts as a file supervisor for all of your saved information. You should use it to create folders; add and share recordsdata, photographs, and movies; rename and export recordsdata; and transfer recordsdata backwards and forwards between the BeeStation and different units. The app makes it straightforward to again up recordsdata out of your cellphone, exterior drives, computer systems, cloud servers, and NAS units.

The BeeStation Desktop software enables you to handle your BeeStation information utilizing a Home windows PC or Mac. If you open it, you’ll see an inventory of current exercise (downloads and uploads) and any notifications. Faucet the gear icon to open the management panel to view and choose folder paths for backups out of your desktop. Right here, you can too again up your desktop recordsdata to BeeFiles or BeePhotos; view logs of all backups, uploads, and downloads; and switch photographs from Google Photographs, iCloud Photographs, a pc folder, a USB drive, or a NAS. You may as well see how a lot BeeStation storage is on the market.

(Credit score: Synology)

The BeeStation makes use of snapshot know-how to robotically create restore factors that help you revert to a earlier backup set if crucial. For added information safety, you’ll be able to again up your BeeStation to an exterior drive or to a Synology NAS, or you’ll be able to subscribe to the BeeProtect cloud service. For $5.99 monthly or $59.99 per yr, you get computerized backups no matter obtainable BeeStation storage, with as much as eight backup units saved (every day backups from the previous week, plus one from the earlier week).

Testing the Synology BeeStation: Simple (However Leisurely) Photograph Backups

Putting in the BeeStation couldn’t be simpler. I began by scanning the QR on the QuickStart information, however you can too use an online browser to go to portal.bee.synology.com/setup and create a Synology account. (f you have already got an account, you’ll be able to log in utilizing these credentials, or you need to use your Google or Apple ID.) I related the machine to my 2.5GbE community swap, which can be related to my router and to my desktop PC, and tapped It’s Linked.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

I then powered up the BeeStation, confirmed that the LED was orange, and pressed and held the ability button for 4 seconds. The app knowledgeable me that it was getting ready the BeeStation and carried out a 15-minute firmware replace, after which I used to be prompted to present the machine a reputation. I tapped Join and was instructed to open a browser to allow Auto Replace, Information Safety, and Native Entry. I downloaded the BeeFiles and BeePhotos apps onto my cellphone, and the set up was full.

The BeeStation labored nicely in testing. Photographs have been instantly backed up and added to my specified folder. The machine wanted 4.5 minutes to backup my iPhone digital camera roll, which contained 230 photographs and 10 movies. That’s practically twice so long as the Amber X wanted, however the Amber X makes use of a speedy solid-state drive in contrast with the BeeStation’s spinning arduous drive.

The BeeStation’s gradual drive and 1GbE LAN port delivered lukewarm outcomes on our file switch assessments. We use a 4.9GB folder containing a mixture of music, video, picture, and workplace doc recordsdata to measure NAS learn and write efficiency. It delivered 92MBps on each the write and browse assessments. The SSD-equipped AmberX was quicker (113MBps write, 222MBps learn), as was the QNAP 216G (233MBps write, 196MBps learn) because of its 2.5GbE LAN connection. The Asustor AS5402T delivered the perfect general efficiency with scores of 245MBps (write) and 222MBps (learn).

Verdict: Good-Worth Fundamental Backup and Sharing

With the Synology BeeStation, you’ll be able to create your individual private cloud storage answer inside minutes with out paying any month-to-month subscription charges. The BeePhoto and BeeFiles cell apps are user-friendly and make it straightforward to again up and share your photographs, movies, and paperwork with different customers out of your cellphone, whereas the BeeStation Desktop app enables you to handle your information out of your desktop PC. You received’t get blazing efficiency with this machine (it has one drive inside, and it is a platter drive), but it surely favors ease of use over efficiency, and in that regard, it hits the mark.

When you require a NAS machine to broaden as your storage wants develop, contemplate the equally priced QNAP TS-216G dual-bay NAS. It gives RAID safety and a catalog of apps that allow you to use it as a media server, a cloud server, and extra. That mentioned, our Editors’ Selection choose for two-bay NAS units, the Asustor AS5402T, gives higher efficiency, a pair of multi-gig LAN ports, and extra apps, all for $369. Once more, although: Consider the price of the separate hard drives you may have so as to add to these NAS models to stand up and operating. If 4TB is sufficient capability for you, and mirrored redundancy is not what you want, making a beeline for the BeeStation could possibly be a greater worth play.

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About John R. Delaney

Contributing Editor

I’ve been working with computer systems for ages, beginning with a multi-year stint in buying for a serious IBM reseller in New York Metropolis earlier than finally touchdown at PCMag (again when it was nonetheless in print as PC Journal). I spent greater than 14 years on workers, most just lately because the director of operations for PC Labs, earlier than hitting the freelance circuit as a contributing editor. 

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