Synology is tightening restrictions on third-party NAS onerous drives

Synology is making ready to roll out new restrictions on third-party onerous drives in its future community hooked up storage (NAS) gadgets later this yr, the corporate confirmed to Ars Technica. The modifications may make it a lot more durable to make use of third-party drives in Synology’s gadgets for typical use instances, like backing up family computer systems or as native media servers. The excellent news is that when 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 fulfill its specs will “provide the total vary of options and assist.” In keeping with Ars, Synology plans to replace its compatibility lists to mirror which third-party drives that it has licensed.

The brand new restrictions imply that with out Synology-approved drives, you won’t be capable to do issues like pool storage between disks or benefit from drive lifespan evaluation supplied by the corporate’s software program. The change doesn’t apply to Synology J- and- Worth-series gadgets, and gained’t have an effect on consumer-grade Synology Plus gadgets that had been launched in 2024 and earlier. Nor will it have an effect on onerous drives which can be migrated to this yr’s gadgets from its current NAS programs, in keeping with Synology’s press launch.

As for why it’s making this alteration, a Synology spokesperson informed Ars, “In depth inner testing has proven that drives that observe a rigorous validation course of when paired with Synology programs are at much less danger of drive failure and ongoing compatibility points.” The corporate says comparable issues in its press launch, writing that the restrictions will “scale 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 approach 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 homeowners of its future NAS gadgets may have fewer selections — and subsequently fewer probabilities to save cash — in relation to shopping for the drives to stay into them.