Towards the end of last year Synology launched DSM 3.1 the next stage in their NAS OS. DSM 3.1 has rich features and a wide array of functionality. The main focus with it, is that it can sustain multi-tasking operation with ease. Upon installing Synology Assistant which can be found on the software CD we are faced with the following screen. This gives us information about the DS411j that is being hosted on our Gigabit network.
Incidentally, installing the NAS is very easy. Slot the drives inside the unit, connect it to the network via the CAT5 cable supplied in the bundle, hook up the DC in power-pack and you are ready to go!
Straight out the box the DS411j doesn't have an OS, so we need to install with the latest version from the Synology website. When download, the .pat file just needs to be selected and the software integrates DSM 3.1 for you.
Installing DSM 3.1
During the installation of DSM 3.1 the software configures the HDDs installed inside the DS411j. This involves applying network protocols, formatting the drives and adding partitions ready to be used for storage. This process doesn't take very long at all - it will of course depend on how large the drives are. The drives I installed are 1TB Samsung F3's.
Configuring drives ready for use within the DS411j
Upon completing the installation of DSM 3.1, we can now log into the NAS. From the Assistant. The default login details are admin and no password. This should be adjusted after first logging in for security measures.
The login screen
Inside the GUI there are lots of features to look at and use. The Control Panel has a wide array of functionality allowing you to take full control of the DS411j. Below is a screenshot showing what is available. The beauty with DSM 3.1 is that you can perform multiple tasks at once unlike in previous version of DSM.
The control panel with a multitude of features
