Synology has launched the PAS3600, a 2U rack storage system built to keep business data accessible if a controller fails. It targets midsize firms that need reliable storage without moving to a much larger enterprise setup.
The main feature is its dual-controller design. Both controllers work at once, and Synology says one can take over if the other runs into trouble. That should help limit service outages, though actual results depend on how the whole system is set up.
Inside the chassis are 12 SATA drive slots. Adding a PAX212 expansion unit raises the limit to 24 drives. Businesses can fill those bays with hard drives, SSDs, or a mix of both.
Performance claims are fairly strong. Synology rates SMB file transfers at up to 6,053MB/s for reads and 3,650MB/s for writes. Those figures represent peak results under the company's test conditions.
For smaller, random data requests, the PAS3600 reaches a claimed 607,000 read IOPS and 180,000 write IOPS over NFS using 4K operations. Real speeds will vary with the drives, network, and workload.
And the software plays a big role here. DSM Enterprise handles storage tasks, while Continuous Availability Manager helps manage service access when hardware faults occur.
Network recovery gets attention as well. IP Failover and Multi-Path I/O provide ways to keep client connections available through alternate paths. The system supports file and block storage for different business needs.
That makes it a potential fit for shared files, virtual machines, and databases. Each workload has different demands, though, and buyers will need to check whether the hardware can meet their specific needs.
Data protection tools are part of the package. Snapshot Replication offers ways to preserve earlier versions of data, while Hyper Backup supports backup and recovery tasks.
Security also includes support for KMIP remote key management. That lets an organization keep encryption keys on a separate server instead of relying only on local key handling.
The PAS3600 can reduce storage use through deduplication and compression, with both inline and later processing methods available. These features aim to cut repeated data and save drive capacity.
But not every software feature is ready at launch. Synology plans to add Storage Efficiency, Hybrid Share, and Synology Tiering through later updates. Buyers should not count on those tools being available from day one.
The company sees organizations with roughly 100 to 1,000 staff as its core market. Such firms may need strong uptime and data protection but lack the budget or need for a huge storage array.
There are still gaps in the product details. Synology has not confirmed pricing, complete drive compatibility, controller hardware specs, or the full set of network ports.
Those missing figures make cost comparisons difficult. Without them, businesses cannot work out a reliable price per terabyte or judge how much performance they get for their money.
Asia-Pacific customers get the first chance to buy the PAS3600. Synology plans a wider release, but it has not shared a firm global schedule or regional prices.
For IT teams, the key point is that dual controllers alone do not guarantee every app will stay online. Drive protection, network paths, and real failover tests still matter when setting up the system.
The PAS3600 offers a compact way to combine redundant controllers, flexible SATA storage, and enterprise software. Its final value will depend on pricing, hardware details, and how well it performs in real business workloads.
The main feature is its dual-controller design. Both controllers work at once, and Synology says one can take over if the other runs into trouble. That should help limit service outages, though actual results depend on how the whole system is set up.
Inside the chassis are 12 SATA drive slots. Adding a PAX212 expansion unit raises the limit to 24 drives. Businesses can fill those bays with hard drives, SSDs, or a mix of both.
Performance claims are fairly strong. Synology rates SMB file transfers at up to 6,053MB/s for reads and 3,650MB/s for writes. Those figures represent peak results under the company's test conditions.
For smaller, random data requests, the PAS3600 reaches a claimed 607,000 read IOPS and 180,000 write IOPS over NFS using 4K operations. Real speeds will vary with the drives, network, and workload.
And the software plays a big role here. DSM Enterprise handles storage tasks, while Continuous Availability Manager helps manage service access when hardware faults occur.
Network recovery gets attention as well. IP Failover and Multi-Path I/O provide ways to keep client connections available through alternate paths. The system supports file and block storage for different business needs.
That makes it a potential fit for shared files, virtual machines, and databases. Each workload has different demands, though, and buyers will need to check whether the hardware can meet their specific needs.
Data protection tools are part of the package. Snapshot Replication offers ways to preserve earlier versions of data, while Hyper Backup supports backup and recovery tasks.
Security also includes support for KMIP remote key management. That lets an organization keep encryption keys on a separate server instead of relying only on local key handling.
The PAS3600 can reduce storage use through deduplication and compression, with both inline and later processing methods available. These features aim to cut repeated data and save drive capacity.
But not every software feature is ready at launch. Synology plans to add Storage Efficiency, Hybrid Share, and Synology Tiering through later updates. Buyers should not count on those tools being available from day one.
The company sees organizations with roughly 100 to 1,000 staff as its core market. Such firms may need strong uptime and data protection but lack the budget or need for a huge storage array.
There are still gaps in the product details. Synology has not confirmed pricing, complete drive compatibility, controller hardware specs, or the full set of network ports.
Those missing figures make cost comparisons difficult. Without them, businesses cannot work out a reliable price per terabyte or judge how much performance they get for their money.
Asia-Pacific customers get the first chance to buy the PAS3600. Synology plans a wider release, but it has not shared a firm global schedule or regional prices.
For IT teams, the key point is that dual controllers alone do not guarantee every app will stay online. Drive protection, network paths, and real failover tests still matter when setting up the system.
The PAS3600 offers a compact way to combine redundant controllers, flexible SATA storage, and enterprise software. Its final value will depend on pricing, hardware details, and how well it performs in real business workloads.
