DiskStation

Synology DiskStation is being used for multiple purposes across multiple organizations. The primary use is as a generic file server, but it is also being used as an all-in-one photo management solution (utilizing Synology's PhotoStation or Synology Photos in the latest version of DiskStation), a VPN server (either L2TP or OpenVPN), and an Active Directory Server. It is also used to host virtual machines to handle functions that the DiskStation can't handle natively (such as running a QuickBooks database, Ubiquiti UniFi Controller, etc.)

We utilized Synology DiskStation as NAS to replace the Windows file server on our smaller sites. It has helped us reduce the need to set up a server for smaller offices. We were also able to utilize the built-in and free backup solution Hyperbackup to backup to the cloud (either AWS or Azure) and reduced the need to purchase a backup solution, tapes, and the need for an offsite tape repository for data air gaping. We have also used it as a SAN on or DEV/QA VMWare cluster as well as a medium office. It provided us with a cost-effective solution for medium-sized offices that did not require enterprise-level SAN solutions using iSCSI. Finally, we had used it as a backup server replacing our previous tape drive solution. Using the Synology Diskstation has allowed us to forgo having to purchase tapes and offsite storage facilities for them. We use Synology's Active Backup for Business to backup the data. As an added bonus, backups are deduped allowing more backup frequency. Furthermore using Hyperbackup to send the data to either AWS or Azure provides us an offsite data repository for our backups.

We use this as NAS to store off-site backups in a data centre. All we need for this purpose is straightforward network storage and it carries out this function perfectly with very little maintenance needed.The built-in functionality which comes as standard give some useful features and, in the past, I have used a variety of these tools from Surveillance Station to the built-in web server.

We have two Synology DiskStations. One we use in our production environment as network file storage for all of our users as well as a general file share. The other we use as offsite backup. We take our Virtual Servers VHDs and back them up there. Using Rsync we also backup our on-prem Synology.

We currently have multiple Synology DiskStation's in our environment and have been very happy with them. They are used for general backup with Veeam, Self-hosted IP Camera solutions and general former employee data storage. These devices have become very critical to our day-to-day activities. Both companies I work for have multiple and serve different functions as described above.