SmallNetBuilder

Performance

I tested the DS712+ with DSM 3.2-1944 firmware, using our NAS test process and RAID 0 and 1 volumes. The Benchmark summary in Figure 3 shows RAID 0 and 1 results, along with iSCSI write /read and attached and networked (rsync) backup.

Figure 3: Synology DS712+ DiskStation benchmark summary

Windows File Copy tests showed slightly higher reads than writes and slightly slower results for RAID 1 than RAID 0. All file copy numbers hovered close to 100 MB/s except for RAID 1 write, which was clocked at 91 MB/s.

Intel NASPT File Copy results were very different than the Windows file copies. RAID 0 file copy to (write) measured 123 MB/s, while RAID 1 was 117 MB/s. Reads for RAID 0 and 1 measured significantly lower at 78 MB/s. Smaller file copies measured by the NASPT Directory Copy tests all came in around 20 MB/s.

iSCSI performance of 79 MB/s for write and 74 MB/s for read beat most other two-bay NASes. But the 712+' read was still lower than the DS710+' 85 MB/s.

USB 2.0 attached backup to our RAID 0, FAT32, EXT3 and NTFS formatted Iomega UltraMax Pro drive maxed out the connection at around 25 MB/s. The best backup results for the same Iomega drive connected via eSATA were 86 MB/s for a FAT32 formatted volume. NTFS performance is still relatively slow at only 33 MB/s. Network backup to a DeltaCopy target on our NAS Testbed system ran at a competitive 39 MB/s clip.

To see how the DS712+ fared against other RAID 1 capable NASes, I ran Windows RAID 1 Write and Read File Copy charts (Figure 4 and 5). These charts are filtered to show only two-bay products. The write chart shows the 712+ taking the new top spot, but with the DS710+ coming in second and not that far behind. The DS712+ is the only D425 Atom based NAS we've tested. All the other products shown use D410's, other single-core Intel processors or Marvell CPUs.

Figure 4: Synology DS712+ DiskStation RAID 1 File Copy Write comparison

Read results show a tighter race. Even though the DS712+ ended up in the top spot again, the difference between the DS710+ is insignificant.

Figure 5: Synology DS712+ DiskStation RAID 1 File Copy Read comparison

Use the NAS Charts to further explore and compare the DS712+'s performance

Closing Thoughts

The 712+ is an impressive NAS with an extensive feature set and high performance. But it doesn't represent a huge leap in performance over the DS710+ it replaces. Synology just as much acknowledges this by pricing them both just about the same.

You can certainly pay more for a high-performance two bay NAS, as you will for a diskless Cisco NSS 322 . Or you can pay slightly less for a NETGEAR Readynas Pro 2 . But it looks like if you want to move large files around at 90+ MB/s, around $500 is the price you'll need to pay. At least with the DS712+, you get the ability to spend another $500 (without drives) for the privilege of adding five more drives.