The TS-253-Pro-8G 2-Bay SMB NAS Server from Qnap is a high-performance and high-capacity NAS server for SMB users that is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and UNIX. The TS-253-Pro-8G runs the QTS operating system and is able to function as a NAS for data backup, file archiving and synchronization, remote access, and home entertainment. It is also well-suited for the creation and use of a personal cloud so you to access your data from anywhere. Using services such as DLNA, AirPlay, and more, it is possible to stream your multimedia library. The TS-253-Pro-8G is also able to perform on-the-fly and offline video transcoding, including Full HD 1920x1080 content and playback of 1080p content with 7.1 channel surround sound via HDMI output.
The TS-253-Pro-8G is powered by a 2.0 GHz Intel Celeron Quad-Core processor, which will allow you to run multiple functions simultaneously. The CPU can also be overclocked to 2.41 GHz, the built-in 8GB of DDR3L RAM allows quick access to frequently-used files and programs, and network connectivity is achieved via the two Gigabit Ethernet ports.
The 2-bay enclosure has the ability to natively house both 3.5" or 2.5" SATA III hard drives or SSD drives. To support both drive formats, screws are included to accommodate both drive sizes. Read and write speeds of the TS-253-Pro-8G can reach up to 415 MB/s and data transfer speeds with AES 256-bit encryption can reach up to 70 MB/s. Additional external drives and other peripherals may be connected using the three USB 3.0 ports.
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports data recovery and redundancy options. In addition to backup support on Windows and Mac, the TS-253-Pro-8G offers real time or scheduled data backup to a remote NAS or FTP server as well as rsync to back up to another remote server on a scheduled basis, such as cloud storage. In terms of data redundancy, a variety of RAID modes are supported including 0, 1, single disk, and JBOD.
The TS-253-Pro-8G operates on 100-240VAC and includes 2 x Ethernet cables, 6 x 2.5" HDD flat head screws, 8 x 3.5" HDD flat head screws, a hard disk tray key, a power cord, and a power adapter.
Performance
Powered by a 22nm quad-core Intel Celeron 2.0 GHz processor with 8GB DDR3L RAM, coupled with the support of SATA 6 Gb/s, 2 Gigabit LAN ports, and HDMI output, the TS-253-Pro-8G is a powerful NAS that delivers up to 415 MB/s read and write speeds. The TS-253-Pro-8G can also automatically increase the processor's clock rate from 2.0 GHz to 2.41 GHz when needed for CPU-intensive tasks. The TS-253-Pro-8G's encryption and decryption performance provides transfer speeds of up to 70 MB/s with AES-256 bit volume encryption, boosting system performance and security while helping to ensure the safety of business data stored in the TS-253-Pro-8G. When installed with the a dual-band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi network card, the TS-253-Pro-8G can offer high speeds for transferring a large amount of files and streaming bandwidth-consuming multimedia
QTS
The interface of QTS helps ensure that system operations of the TS-253-Pro-8G are user-friendly. Its "intelligent" desktop allows you to find desired functions quickly, create desktop shortcuts or group shortcuts, monitor important system information on a real-time basis, and open multiple application windows to run multiple tasks concurrently
SSD Cache Acceleration
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports SSD caching which can boost IOPS performance of storage volumes. It works well for improving the overall workflow of IOPS-demanding applications such as virtualization
QvPC Technology
Qnap's QvPC Technology consolidates a number of technologies including VM integration, multimedia transcoding, HDMI output, cloud integration, and NAS connection technologies, allowing users to operate the TS-253-Pro-8G as a PC when they plug in a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. With QvPC Technology, the TS-253-Pro-8G is gains PC functionality so users may directly access stored data, run multiple applications using Windows/Linux/UNIX/Android-based VMs, surf the web on Google Chrome, enjoy Full HD videos with up to 7.1 channel audio with XBMC, monitor Surveillance Station in real time with local display, and much more
Virtualization Technology
With support for Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x), the TS-253-Pro-8G can operate the Virtualization Station, transforming the TS-253-Pro-8G into a 2-in-a-box NAS that can function as an all-in-one NAS and a virtualization platform that supports multiple operating systems, fast virtual machine (VM) creation, VM import/export, snapshot, and enables desktop operations on web browsers. With a user-friendly interface, you can centrally manage all of the VMs created on the TS-253-Pro-8G. You can also download VMs on demand from online VM markets and import them to the TS-253-Pro-8G
File Sharing
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports SMB/CIFS, NFS, and AFP protocols for file sharing across Windows, Mac, and Linux/UNIX networks. Data, logs, and ISO images of CDs and DVDs can be centrally stored on the TS-253-Pro-8G and protected by an integrated antivirus solution. The Windows AD and LDAP services enable system administrators to configure user permissions by using an existing Windows AD server, LDAP server, or built-in LDAP service. The TS-253-Pro-8G supports SAMBA v4 and can act as a Windows domain controller to manage privilege settings
Backup Solutions
Qnap NetBak Replicator supports real-time and scheduled data backup on Windows including Outlook email archiving. Apple Time Machine is also supported to provide Mac OS X users with a solution to back up data to the TS-253-Pro-8G. The USB 3.0 port on the front panel of the TS-253-Pro-8G features a one-touch-copy function for you to instantly back up data from external drives to the TS-253-Pro-8G with just one click, or alternatively to back up data from the TS-253-Pro-8G to external drives. A wide range of third-party backup software such as Acronis True Image and Symantec Backup Exec
Disaster Recovery Solutions
The TS-253-Pro-8G offers various data recovery options. RTRR (Real-Time Remote Replication) supports real time or scheduled data backup to a remote Turbo NAS or FTP server and synchronizes files to a remote folder from a local folder with better backup efficiency and reduced backup time. The TS-253-Pro-8G also supports rsync protocol to back up data to another remote server on scheduled basis. Data can also be backed up to and restored from a range of cloud storage services, including Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, Microsoft Azure, ElephantDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive
Security Options
In open network environments, business data may be exposed in a potential hack. The TS-253-Pro-8G provides numerous security options, such as encrypted access, IP blocking, and more. IT administrators can also control the access rights of each user to different folders, preventing unauthorized access to important files. The TS-253-Pro-8G is validated with military-level FIPS 140-2 AES 256-bit encryption, preventing sensitive business data from unauthorized access and breach even if the hard drives or the entire system were stolen
Virtualization Storage
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports VMware and Citrix, and is compatible with Microsoft Hyper-V and Windows Server 2012, benefiting deployment and management in the virtualization environments. The TS-253-Pro-8G supports VMware VAAI and Microsoft ODX to increase performance by offloading server loading for ESXi server and Hyper-V respectively, and supports Qnap vSphere Client plug-in and Qnap SMI-S provider with enhanced operational efficiency and management in virtualization applications
Video Transcoding
The TS-253-Pro-8G delivers real-time Full HD video transcoding to convert videos to formats that can be played on PCs, mobile devices, and Smart TVs. It allows for up to 5 devices to simultaneously view different videos stored on the TS-253-Pro-8G with on-the-fly hardware accelerated transcoding. The TS-253-Pro-8G allows you to enjoy instant videos on multiple devices, even those that lack computing power or have limited file format support, without the need for time-consuming file conversion.
With the benefit of offline transcoding, if you can only connect to an Internet connection with limited/restricted bandwidth, you can still enjoy videos by selecting a pre-rendered lower resolution to play the videos via File Station, Video Station, or the Qfile mobile app without affecting the TS-253-Pro-8G's system performance running other applications. This also allows more people to play videos via streaming. The TS-253-Pro-8G also allows you to set a dedicated folder for automatic video transcoding
With the benefit of offline transcoding, if you can only connect to an Internet connection with limited/restricted bandwidth, you can still enjoy videos by selecting a pre-rendered lower resolution to play the videos via File Station, Video Station, or the Qfile mobile app without affecting the TS-253-Pro-8G's system performance running other applications. This also allows more people to play videos via streaming. The TS-253-Pro-8G also allows you to set a dedicated folder for automatic video transcoding
Full HD Videos with HD Station
Qnap HD Station integrates the powerful XBMC v12 media player and web browser. With HDMI 1.4a connectivity, you can connect the TS-253-Pro-8G to a HDTV to enjoy your multimedia on the big screen. The user interface and support for 7.1-surround sound passthrough brings playback of Full HD 1080p videos. You can even watch YouTube videos, surf the web and manage the Turbo NAS using Google Chrome web browser with the HD Station.
It's simple and convenient to control the HD Station. Turn your mobile devices into a remote control by installing the Qremote app, or use the Qnap RM-IR002 remote control and MCE remote controls via the built-in IR receiver of the TS-253-Pro-8G. The HD Station also supports YouTube Pairing, allowing you to select a YouTube video on your smartphone, tablet, or computer and play it on HDTV via the TS-253-Pro-8G
It's simple and convenient to control the HD Station. Turn your mobile devices into a remote control by installing the Qremote app, or use the Qnap RM-IR002 remote control and MCE remote controls via the built-in IR receiver of the TS-253-Pro-8G. The HD Station also supports YouTube Pairing, allowing you to select a YouTube video on your smartphone, tablet, or computer and play it on HDTV via the TS-253-Pro-8G
IT Management Station
IT Management Station, powered by Mandriva Pulse, provides a flexible service for managing multi-OS and multi-site IT assets for business of all sizes. By installing the IT Management Station on the TS-253-Pro-8G, you can centrally manage multiple IT resources with numerous business applications including comprehensive inventory, centralized software deployment & updates, imaging, remote management & support, backup & restore, and more
File Synchronization
The Qsync utility turns your TS-253-Pro-8G into a data center for file synchronization with a large storage capacity. Any file uploaded to the TS-253-Pro-8G will be made available for all linked devices such as computers, laptops, or mobile devices. Qsync is especially useful for frequent travelers to manage files and always have the most updated files on different devices. Qsync provides multiple ways of file synchronization and group file sharing, helping to enhance the flexibility of collaboration
Surveillance Station
Surveillance Station is a professional network surveillance Video Management System (VMS) that offers a user-friendly management interface, over 2,700 compatible IP camera models, and expandable IP camera channel licenses. It supports real-time monitoring, video & audio recording, and playback with a wide range of customizable settings. You can also install the VMobile mobile app on your iOS or Android devices to manage the monitored channels anytime and anywhere to safeguard your office environment, or install the Vcam mobile app to turn your device into a network camera to instantly record to your TS-253-Pro-8G. The TS-253-Pro-8G offers 2 free IP camera channels and you can expand up to 24 channels by purchasing additional licenses
Signage Station
With the Signage Station, you can create content for a wide range of materials such as menu boards, advertisements, posters, and business profiles. The Signage Station is a great tool to invigorate your advertisements or animated materials for promoting your services, and to update contents in a timely manner. The iArtist Lite application, with editing tools, helps you create these signs with drag-and-drop tools
Tablet and Smartphone Sync
The TS-253-Pro-8G is a private cloud storage device that virtually enlarges the capacity of your mobile devices. Qfile allows you to access, upload, download, manage, and share stored files easily as if you are carrying tons of files in your pocket. If Qfile is installed on an iOS device, users can also browse videos and photos stored on the TS-253-Pro-8G and play via Apple TV. Qmanager lets you monitor and manage the TS-253-Pro-8G remotely without turning on a computer, while Qmusic allows you to listen to your music on the TS-253-Pro-8G anytime and anywhere, and download to enjoy offline
On-Demand Apps
The TS-253-Pro-8G has a built-in App Center that provides various install-on-demand apps developed by Qnap and third-party developers, including tools for backup/sync, business, content management, communications, download, entertainment, and more. It is also a centralized location for managing and updating installed apps
Storage Expansion with Scale-up
The TS-253-Pro-8G offers a high performance yet affordable storage solution to fulfill the needs of business in archiving rapidly growing data and large files. The TS-253-Pro-8G supports capacity expansion by connecting a Qnap expansion enclosure. With the Qnap scale-up solution, the raw storage capacity can be expanded on demand, making the TS-253-Pro-8G a file center with a large storage capacity for business data. When connecting the TS-253-Pro-8G to a UX-series expansion enclosure, you will have to create a separate volume and the total usable storage capacity is the volume on the TS-253-Pro-8G plus the volume on the UX-series expansion enclosure
Energy-saving
The TS-253-Pro-8G utilizes a 22nm CPU and DDR3L RAM which feature low voltage requirements and low power consumption whilst maintaining high performance in system operations. Other eco-friendly designs include S3 sleep mode, scheduled power on/off, hard disk standby mode, and Wake on LAN
FTP Server
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports FTP server to share large files, with user-defined settings including bandwidth limitation, number of connections, and write-only permissions
Web Server
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports Web server which allows numerous websites to be built on the same server. Administrators can manage up to 32 websites on one Turbo NAS with a reduced IT cost
RADIUS Server
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports RADIUS server which provides centralized authorization management for computers to connect and use a network service
VPN Server
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports VPN server which provides an way for IT administrators to build up a secure private network and allows the staff to log on from outside the office and access business resources securely such as files and Internet connections
Printer Server
The TS-253-Pro-8G supports printer server to send remote printing request over the Internet (max. 3 USB printers), and supports IPP (Internet Printing Protocol), Samba, print job management, and Bonjour printing for Mac OS X