QNAP TS509 Beta Code = New Features

[Dennis Wood]

I was checking out the Qnap forums today and found that a beta code release was out for the TS509. There's a pile of new features there including the surveilance station tool (recording network camera output), Microsoft iscsi target support, 256 bit volume encryption (new volumes), and improvements in the UPS interface (now shows battery level, allows programmed "wakeup" on power restore, etc). The scheduled power off/on interface now has an added option for what happens on AC power restore. Samba's been updated, MySQL, Twonky etc. etc.

I see there's now support for SMS messaging alerts, multiple email addresses in alerts (two) and syslog logging options. I've updated one of the units with no problems and will play a bit over the next few weeks. I had a few problems previously installing some OPKG packages via the web admin interface which incidentally seem to have been resolved. After a rough start with these folks I'm actually impressed with this

 

[faaip05]

That's awesome news!

Did you try the SMS messaging alerts? I am curious to see how that works.

 

[Dennis Wood]

Ha, I don't even own a cell phone I suffer from what I call "Connective Aversion Disorder". Once our local cell providers have a VOIP/Wifi/Cell option, I'll jump back in. Someone else will have to pipe in here.

On another note, the added surveilance station allows you to add two network cameras to the system, record from them based on motion and/or scheduled, and in our case, directly manage the camera, including PTZ. Not something we need, but it's nice to see that it works as advertised. It's very interesting that it works both for LAN connected units..and WAN connected units. So essentially a home based NAS could potentially record alarm events from a camera on the other side of the planet. This is not a feature that was advertised with regard to the TS509 so I'm pleasantly surprised to see it added.

 

[Dennis Wood]

Can one of you 509 owners out there try a large file read and write using the new code? A 17GB file is now writing to the NAS at 80MB/s and reading from it at 103 MB/s. The host is a raid0 Vista workstation, the NAS is in load balancing mode to an 802.3ad switch.

It's hard to believe a SAMBA update was that effective so I'm looking for some more data here...

 

[SirBC]

Dennis, have you tried benchmarking with the Intel NAS Performance Toolkit? It would be interesting to see how various switch/network setups benchmark using a standardized test.

I'm going to try this this weekend. However, the last time I flashed a new firmware on my 509 I lost the array....

 

[Dennis Wood]

the new SAMBA is definitely quicker. However the beta code is not working perfectly yet with UPS...so keep this mind if you're mission critical.

I will try that Intel tool. Keep in mind that Intel sells an Intel based NAS so their test program may reflect a bias to the SS4200 code/hardware