Introduction

QNAP has managed to make a name among the manufacturers of network storages (NAS) in a relatively short time. The QNAP TS-409 Pro Turbo NAS offers the Taiwanese company a further, designed for Gigabit Ethernet network storage, which is intended not only for demanding home users, but is also small and medium-sized companies in the line of fire. In addition to four 3, 5 inch SATA additional information for hard drives with a total maximum of 4 terabytes storage capacity awaits you the device with extensive RAID options including hot-swapping, as well as backup and multimedia features. A UPnP Media Server, an iTunes server, of course also the integrated BitTorrent client must not be missed. QNAP called “All in one NAS-Server 12-in 1″, where the twelve on the provided server and multimedia capabilities of the device refers the TS-409 Pro. How to beat the extensive functions in everyday life, and whether you can convince also the performance, quietness and power consumption, clarifies our test.

Scope of delivery

Scope of QNAP TS-409 Pro consists of following components:

• QNAP TS-409 Pro
• External power supply (up to 96 Watt)
• Power cord
• CD-ROM with software
• Quick installation guide
• 16 Plate screws
• Ethernet cable (CAT. 5E)

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Thus the scope of supply provides all components up to the required hard drives immediately in operation to take the QNAP TS-409 Pro. Given the price, we would have expected but also a printed manual included in addition to a quick start guide. The feeling of a “correct” manual with all the same some 200 pages simply cannot replace the PDF on the supplied CD-ROM. First entry into service is however easily without the manual using the Quick Setup Guide from the hand, whereupon we will come later even more precisely to speak.

Hardware

How many other NAS server of TS-409 Pro opts for an integrated solution with embedded Linux installed. System-on-chip (SoC), which is clocked at 500 MHz and lies at the heart of the system is based on the Marvell 5281. Extent to which this fast is enough with 256 MB of DDR2 RAM and 8 MB of Flash memory, to rapidly send data via the Gigabit Ethernet interface, the tests will have to show. In addition, the user can three USB2.0. 0 interfaces (1 x front, 2 x rear) available data, for example, or on external hard drives, USB drives or cameras, or to connect to a network printer. Because the QNAP TS-409 Pro ships in its basic configuration without hard drives, the user can decide which and how many hard drives he wants to use. Maximum four terabytes in the system can accommodate. QNAP offers a list of tested hard drives as support on this models of Samsung missing entirely, because they are simply not available for purchase according to QNAP in Taiwan. It however looks for a way to accommodate future hard drives from Samsung in the compatibility list. Some models of Western Digital, where the stand by mode was not properly implemented so that the TS-409 Pro can put the disks not in sleep seem problematic.

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ESATA you must forgo however completely Pro in the TS-409. The Gigabit Ethernet port, three USB ports are thus the only connection to the outside world. QNAP has decided to integrate the power supply, so that an external universal power supply that works and at the end provides 8 amps and common 12 volt direct current, so that maximum 96 Watts of power available to the system from 100 to 240 volts is included directly in the system. The manufacturer certifies the power supply efficiency of 80% and a mean time between failures (MTBF) of usual 50,000 hours. However, the power supply has a stately size with dimensions of 167 x 65 x 37 mm.

View from outside

Externally the QNAP reminds how to buy him from Shuttle, for example, TS-409 Pro a small mini-PC. Form factor you chose which dimensions 188 x 176 x 225 mm a small Tower, (H x W x D) four integrated hard disk fails not too big and not too small. At the front is found next to an einnehmendem almost the entire surface metal-mesh, which can be opened up and behind which the disk slots hiding, a LED-status bar in addition to USB2. 0 port along with copy button and the power button. To the USB port can be a USB connected, for example, and by a pressure on the copy button next to it the overplay its content on the internal HDD of the QNAP TS-409 Pro. The target folder and other options can be set in advance by the user in the Web interface. The LED bar includes ads for the USB port, the status of the system, the four drives, and the LAN port. She status LED a USB device is connected, lights for the USB port blue. The system status LED glows green for the proper use, the hard drives are still not initialized, so she flashes alternately green and red. The four HDD LEDs are lit green in idle mode and when accessing a disk, the corresponding LED is blinking green. The network indicator flashes orange when accessing the network. With this view the optically successful front of QNAP TS-409 Pro exhausts itself.

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At the back of the QNAP TS-409 Pro of the 92 mm fan, the power connector for the external power supply, fan outlet found two USB2. 0 ports, the Gigabit Ethernet port (RJ45), and a reset button to reset the settings of the QNAP TS-409 Pro. The connections of the system are all on a separate cover, which show themselves when you open the system as Mainboardschlitten. Four large rubber feet are attached at the bottom of the Tower, which provide a solid and insulated stand. The cover of the system is fixed at the back with five bolts. To solve this, can coverage back pushed and lifted to the top are, so that the look inside is revealed.

Look inside

While you can look only on the four hard drive bays at the opening of the metal grille at the front, which is kept with two screws, the technical structure of the system is however where must break a warranty seal attached to the back only by removing the complete cover. The easy installation of the disks, which fixed and pushed together with them in the system only with four fasten on the additional information and at the front must be screwed, owes you a simple system inside the QNAP TS-409 Pro. So the connections are put disk directly into corresponding connections in the system, which requires that the connection bar of used hard disks adhere to the standard.

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Of these plug-ins a power and SATA connector go off ever, which connected the motherboard with the including. The power cable are lined up it neatly on the right side and numbered, simplifying very assignment. The same applies to the SATA cables that are lined up on the left side of the mainboard. Here another positive detail of TS-409 Pro shows up: the ATA are equipped with a small holding mechanism, which effectively prevents accidental loosening of the connector from the motherboard. This is especially important that a normal user should never open the system and therefore never get the cables to face. Since SATA ports, but provide no particularly firm grip, QNAP has to play it safe at this point and shows that one of the system has thought design also of little things.

At the back of the system, the 92 mm fan, which air from front to back through the system is promoted. Dust filter QNAP has dispensed but completely, so that the constant air flow time should carry a lot of dust in the system. To remove the bracket for the plug-ins, you can remove also the fan from the back and therefore theoretically replace with a different, possibly quieter model. The installed fan is silent FD129225LB-N with 1900 rpm at 25 dB (manufacturer) and a capacity to a YS-tech 92 x 92 x 25 from 68.3 m³/h at 1.2 Watts. Because the fan connector fortunately not with the mainboard is soldered but stuck, nothing in the way provides an Exchange as well as the possibility of the additional installation of a potentiometer or intermediate resistance. An insulation of the system, to reduce the hard disk noise, QNAP has dispensed also, so here are some ways given the willing Modder.

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To solve the two front screws that the motherboard at the bottom of the case is attached to the motherboard can be backwards from the system pull. The mainboard quickly shows that extensions of hardware cannot easily are possible. All components have been soldered directly onto the Board so that also the memory can not be upgraded from 256 MB. It also falls on that one puts on a completely passive cooling of system components, and even passive heatsinks are superfluous to sufficiently aerate the components. Although corresponding holes on the motherboard are fast for the 500 MHz I/o processor of Marvell, to mount a passive heatsink, used not one but. The four Serial ATA ports are provided by a Marvell 88SX7042 PCIe-to-serial-ATA-controller chip, which provides a dedicated channel for each SATA connector, hot-plug and supports both SATA 1.0 and SATA II including native command Queuing (NCQ). A Marvell 88E1118-NNC1-Chip is used as a Gigabit Ethernet controller. The DDR2 SDRAM with the name HY5PS12821CFP comes from Hynix and is specified as DDR2 667 with timings of 5-5-5. He follows the JEDEC standard and thus in the FBGA package. As a USB hub QNAP a GL852 chip from Genesys logic inserts, from the Genesys logic 8-bit RISC processor family originates.

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Software

Core of QNAP TS-409 Pro is the integrated embedded Linux, which provides rich capabilities to the NAS server. In addition to the RAID modes 0, 1, 5, 5 + hot spare, 6 and JBOD can be made, for example, the management of the disk completely via the Web interface for Administration. So also the RAID level of the Web interface can be changed at any time and for example RAID 1 easily by adding another hard drive to RAID 5, or by adding two hard disks on RAID 6 or RAID 5 + hot spare be converted. It substitutes for one after the other individual hard drives, you can increase capacity of TS-409 Pro step by step thanks to hot-swapping depending on the mode during operation, without affecting the functionality of the system.

In addition also media services for the Microsoft Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation find themselves due to a built-in TwonkyMedia Server portable. An iTunes server to centrally manage of the music collection must be not omitted also. The support for the NFS protocol should also look Linux users. An integrated print server as well as extensive power management and monitoring functions, including UPS support (uninterruptible power supply – uninterruptible power supply (UPS)), fan control, disk status, and email are additional features of a long list of features of TS-409 Pro. The firmware 2.0.1 use came in the test.

For a better overview, we have collected the specifications of the software in a table:

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The QNAP TS-409 Pro offers a variety of integrated server functionality. In addition to a simple file server – including the directory service for Windows Active Directory (AD) – which exposes the data stored on the system on the network, include iTunes, for example, a Web, MySQL, and download server to the offered built-in Server features. On some servers we will enter into more detail later, why to a collection along with a short explanation of the services is to meet here.

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Configuration

Before you can use this extensive set of features of QNAP TS-409 Pro, however, must it first in operation taken and configure. After you screwed the hard drives using four screws on the slots, they pushed into the system and front mounted, you can start Pro with the installation of TS-409. To do this, it connects the system to the network, it connects to the power, it switches and the software CD included in one defines a all machines on the network. When you turn on the TS-409 Pro sounds a beep first followed after about 45 seconds of a second, which signals the completion of boot. After the automatic start of the CD, choose the QNAP model, which you would like to configure, and then installed the program “QNAP Finder”. The application should normally find the non-configured NAS servers on the network automatically and offer the configuration of the system. After you so starts the installation, you will be prompted to enter of’s user name and password which are both “admin” in the factory. In addition simply follow the wizard, the server name, password, the time and date, the file name encoding, set the IP address, the drive configuration including RAID levels and a firmware update. After a final overview the changes, which can take several minutes depending on the size of the disks. Then the system is already up and running – it is forwarded directly to configure network drives, to make them directly available on Windows. Overall, took this procedure no longer than 15 minutes and is very easy by the hand.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – installation” (23 images)

Web interface

The detailed configuration of QNAP is completely done TS-409 Pro via a Web interface via browser. To do this, the NAS Server provides an Apache Web server safe outward under the port 8080, which sets the CGI scripting language and MySQL database. The used browser must support JavaScript always because QNAP thereof makes much use in the Web interface. Otherwise, it has endeavoured to make an as far as possible compatible with the interface and relies on HTML 4, to support the outdated Internet Explorer 5.0. The language of the Web interface easy depends on the settings of the browser.

The Web interface offers the setting options, which you already have the “QNAP Finder” could make from the PC and that found in the menu under the point “Fast configuration”, a variety of settings that can be made by the user. In addition to the configuration of the actual file, Web, FTP, media, iTunes, MySQL, download, printer and other server, you can set, for example, also the user management, RAID migration and extension, notifications, remote reproduction, system settings, disk tests and the behavior of the fan through the surface. So the fan can be either on the basis of the system temperature rules, where the temperatures can be set manually, or simply by selecting “low”, “medium”, and “high”, which permanently operates the fan at the selected speed.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – Web-interface” (59 images)

The QNAP TS-409 Pro also supports Jumbo frames, which refers to all the frames above 1518 bytes in size; This corresponds to a MTU (maximum transmission unit – maximum amount of transferable data unfragmentiert) of 1500. The TS-409 Pro allows also frames with a size of 4074 next to default of 1518 bytes to 9000 and 7418 bytes for Gigabit networks, which can achieve improved performance from this, all components that support non-standard Jumbo frames by the interrupt load of the NIC – decreases which create less overhead, which in turn increases the available bandwidth.

As the possibilities of the website are immense, we want to concentrate at this point not to any function in detail, because this is far beyond the scope of article. However above photo gallery, in which we have photographed all setting possibilities of the interface offers a complete insight into the Web interface. In the following we would like to respond now TS-409 Pro some selected server functions and the supplied backup PC software of QNAP.

Web file manager

The integrated file server is directly through the browser, so that accessed the internal file system of TS-409 Pro directly through the browser and can be used basic functions. It is possible that files using browser upload, rename, delete, copy, move and can be new folder to create – which also renamed, moved, copied and deleted. Here, several files can be selected at once and edited.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – Web file manager” (5 images)

Access rights to network segments and shared, important files can be granted to users. To do this, corresponding users must be added via the Administration, if not every user should log on as admin. The arrangement of functions, directories and files is while open, but not suitable for all large amounts of data, because you then quickly across multiple pages scroll must. If you click on a file that displays more information. The browser does not support the file format will open a download window and the file can be stored locally.

Multimedia station

Also, the TS-409 offers a Web management interface for managing and sharing of personal photo albums and multimedia files over the network. Non-administrative user can watch on the multimedia station although shared photos and multimedia files, but only after explicit permission have the right to modify the files. User management is decoupled from the management of the system user, so for this, separate accounts must be set up. As in the file manager, you can manage the multimedia content through the multimedia station. The files are clearly arranged on the basis of a sort function, which can modify the user themselves and adjust its needs. You upload images in the “Qmultimedia” folder of TS-409 Pro, thumbnails will show at the first view of the folder of the multimedia station automatically created, which is a preview of the image. One of the images also serves as an album cover of the containing folder, where here the user explicitly chooses a photograph as a cover. In addition to JPG, but only the GIF and BMP formats are supported for the thumbnail, all other formats will be provided only with a standard logo; However, a thumbnail image cannot be created. You click on a photo, EXIF information to the photo displayed on the right side next to the now larger presented image (such as the file name, resolution, size, camera manufacturer). Using an editable field that is placed below the image, an additional description can be added to the image. Can rotate images or start a slideshow, with the duration of the respective displaying an image can be set via the top menu bar. Images can be printed directly from the multimedia station and stored locally.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – multimedia station” (17 images)

Would you play a music or video file from the multimedia station, not a separate, integrated multimedia player, but only the standard player of the final system opens after clicking on the thumbnail. This does not have the appropriate codec or any appropriate multimedia player, the file cannot be played thus also.

In addition, a Twonkymedia server, a DLNA compatible (digital living network Alliance) UPnP media server is integrated in the TS-409. When this feature is enabled, TS-409 releases certain music, image or video files the DLNA network. To playback on the TS-409 is multimedia files on a television or sound system, a DLNA compatible digital media player (DMP) must be used. Predestined for this are the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PSP, which have already integrated this functionality currently. The setting options are varied, as you are used to from TwonkyVision.

Download station

The TS-409 Pro supports BitTorrent, http and FTP downloads, without having a connected PC must be operated for this. Download jobs can be added via a Web interface or the QGet software from the PC in either the NAS server. The download is made automatically by the server and terminate, even without this is connected to the PC. The features that provides the software QGet to the PC that can be used all through the Web interface of the download station. You therefore only facilitates the download management and offers the ability to simultaneously manage multiple NAS servers download orders. Would you add a BitTorrent download, must the torrent file but first always locally on a PC be saved and then either via the Web interface or the PC software QGet be uploaded. Unfortunately it is not possible to specify only a link to a torrent file, and then the server which automatically lüde file.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – download station” (20 images)

The configuration and the addition of download orders is reserved only to the administrator, no rights can be added for other users. This significantly restricts although legal problems, but also means that any user who is able to make a download in case of doubt, must be communicated to the administrator password, or always, the administrator must be harassed if a download directly on the NAS server is to be made. Once launched download entries can be at any time to pause and delete, where you can choose whether the already downloaded content should then also be removed. In addition, the number of concurrent downloads, set maximum download and upload speed and the port range (including UPnP) can be. The priority of downloads depends on their position in the list, which can be changed each of the users, to assign higher or lower priority to a download. About the “common time to use” a torrents, you can set how long it is to be distributed after a completed download even to other BitTorrent users.

The integrated BitTorrent client also supports DHT (distributed hash table) – distributed hash table. This distributed the hashes on the clients, so that the network theoretically can do without an additional server, since each client at the same time acts as a server of the hash table.

Web server

Via the built-in Web server of TS-409 Pro Web pages can be made available. As long as you have no own website has created and uploaded to the “Qweb” directory, there are only a prefabricated index.html to face, which explains the use of the Web server under the IP of the NAS server. In addition to PHP also SQLite and MySQL is supported, so that also databases can be address. First-time installation of the system, the phpMyAdmin software is automatically as MySQL management tool installed. On a manually create Web page also links to the other functions of TS-409 can be set per such as download station, multimedia station, and Web file server.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – Web server” (12 images)

More recently, QNAP also provides the TS-409 Pro with the Joomla! Content management system (CMS), which is the GNU General Public License. With the CMS Joomla! can be the content of your own website. Above all a quick success with your own website is to help newbies. The project Joomla! is Mambo a further development of the CMS. We want to not dwell but at this point on the CMS, because it would exceed the scope of the article.

NetBak Replicator

The NetBak Replicator is a backup program for Windows, with which is a backup of data on the NAS server can make. Thus, any file or folder of the local PC to specific, shared folder of TS-409 can be secured. Of the instant backup can files and folders from the local PC are selected and backed up in a network share folders of TS-409 Pro. A file filter, the user can exclude certain file types from the backup. A little to back up the data can be predefined with the option of “Schedule”. For example, the selected files can be backed up so every day at 20: 00. The monitoring option is a continuous backup of the data on the QNAP TS-409 Pro as soon as they have been changed on the connected PC. In addition to the pure backup functions the software also offers an option to restore the backed-up data to the original or a chosen, different location. Logging function, which records the events of the software, completes the offer.

&Lt; div > Photo Gallery “QNAP TS-409 Pro – NetBak Replicator” (14 images)

In a short test run, we made up a folder structure could secure from 4028 files in 286 total 2.01 gigabyte in 312 seconds. This corresponds to a data transfer rate of 6.44 MB/s.

Test system

• Processor
  • Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 (2 x 3.0 GHz)
• Motherboard
  • ASUS P5N32-E SLI, S775, nForce 680i SLI
• Memory
  • 2 GB Super Talent T800UX2GC4 @ DDR2-667
• Graphics card
  • MSI NX8800GT-T2D512E-OC, GeForce 8800 GT, 512 MB
• Internal hard disks
  • Samsung HD501LJ SATAII, 500 GB
• Driver version LAN chipset
  • nForce Ethernet driver v67. 72
• Operating system
  • Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Service Pack 1-32-bit
  • Microsoft PowerShell 1.0
• Ethernet switch
  • NETGEAR WNR854T RangeMax Wireless-N 300 Gigabit Ethernet router
• Network attached storage
  • QNAP TS-409 Pro with 4 x Samsung P80SD HD080HJ SATA II, 80 GB

Benchmarks

• Jumbo frames
• Intel NAS performance Toolkit
• CIFS file transfer
• FTP-file transfer
• ATTO disk benchmark

Jumbo frames

Because of the QNAP TS-409 Pro helps Gigabit networks of also Jumbo frames, we would like to talk very briefly about performance with and without activated Jumbo frames. To do this once to the default value of 1500 (1518 bytes) and once to the maximum possible value of 9000 set the MTU and tested both the FTP and CIFS file transfer from and to the NAS. Can in theory increase performance by the decreased interrupt load and the minimized overhead.

Impressively, the results show that the performance can purchase through activation of Jumbo frames, especially in the transfer of data from the NAS to the PC (get). As processor of TS-409 Pro is already overloaded with the transfer of data on the internal hard drives (put), she can achieve no significant performance gains by the Jumbo frames.

Intel NAS performance Toolkit

The NAS performance toolkit made by Intel designed specifically for performance measurements of storage systems, in particular small office-NAS systems developed. The nearly 60 MB software on basis of Microsoft.NET Framework includes a total of 18 individual tests, where the focus has been placed mainly on applications with high definition video content. Backup & restore belong to the portfolio as just copying files and directories in both directions. Tests for content creation, as well as a photo album access pattern round off the package. The NAS performance toolkit is freely available for download for everyone according to the E-Mail address on the homepage of the manufacturer. In our measurements, the value “Multiple I/O” was increased to 8. To eliminate any break in the readings, all of the tests carried out three times and formed at the end of the respective average.

The NAS performance toolkit Intel reveals that the QNAP can achieve a speed advantage over a Einzeldiskkonfiguration TS-409 Pro by RAID 5 in most cases when reading from the NAS server. It also shows that the server functions, where on the internal hard drives, it is written back remains far behind its possibilities and performance loses by a RAID and the computational this increased further.

FTP-file transfer

The integrated Microsoft Windows FTP function is used in the FTP file transfer test. Using the FTP “put” and “get” commands, the files from PC to copy to the NAS or vice versa. The test file has a size of 1024 MB. To eliminate any break in the readings, all of the tests carried out three times and formed at the end of the respective average.

The FTP file transfer confirmed by the NAS performance tool derived image. When reading the TS-409 Pro, the RAID configuration can place very well themselves, must the Einzeldiskkonfiguration beaten however when writing again, and suffers from a relatively weak performance of used Marvell 5281. In addition the writing speed of about 20 MB / s SAG significantly to only 10 MB / s, as soon as the 256 MB of RAM of the NAS server are completely filled and this can serve no more than buffer. For large files a larger memory of write speed can benefit thereby.

CIFS file transfer

The common Internet file system (or CIFS) is typically used in Windows-based networks. It is a further development of server message block (or SMB) Protocol and was introduced by Microsoft in 1996. In contrast to SMB or SMB with NetBIOS over TCP/IP, the data directly from the TCP protocol transmitted during CIFS so that saves significantly in overhead. Also additional services such as Microsoft remote procedure call or the NT domain service be offered in addition to the file and print sharing. In contrast to FTP, it is therefore not a pure file transfer protocol. Tested is using a small Microsoft PowerShell script, which transmits an a gigabyte large file between PC and NAS. Thanks to the integrated function of time, also the duration of the transmission can be determined exactly. The measured values from the chart result “File size divided by the measured time” from the simple calculation. Also in this test, each operation has been performed three times.

At the CIFS file transfer the already known by the FTP transfer shows up.

ATTO disk benchmark

To assess the performance in the transfer of multiple small files, the ATTO is finally disk benchmark used, which is an SMB test.

The charts confirm the results in the test. With a write performance nearly 30 MB / s, the NAS configuration with a hard drive on average is again slightly before a TS-409 Pro operated with RAID 5. The RAID-5 configuration can break away, however, again at the read access of the individual hard drives configuration.

Power consumption

The power consumption of the complete system is measured:

Especially with only an installed hard drive, the power consumption of the TS-409 Pro can convince. By adding a hard drive increases fuel consumption by just the seven watts consumed by the hard drive. The typical consumption refers to the normal access to the NAS server power consumption and is a guideline for the usage in regular operation together with the power consumption during idle. Maximum consumption refers to the power in the switch-on moment but never achieved during normal operation. He shows that a power supply with 96 Watts for the operation of four disks is quite justified. In standby mode, the disk – as the name suggests – are placed in standby mode. The time after which switch the disks in the standby mode, can be set by the user in small intervals from five minutes. When turned off, the QNAP TS-409 Pro consumes actually so little, that our meter displays 0.0 Watt – very commendable Turbo NAS.

Volume

For the measurement of the volume we use Voltcrafts SL100 sound level meter, which emits the adjoining sound pressure in a range of 30 to 130 decibels after the famous A-rating curves. Because the measurements take place in a normal working area under laboratory conditions, the results obtained can be used only as a approximate Guide. The measurements are made at a distance of only 30 centimeters to the NAS server. The four drives in the RAID 5 array, used in the test run in the server. In addition to the distinction, whether on the disk is accessed or not, the measurements were both conducted with maximum and minimum fan speed.

Negative in the weight in particular the integrated 92 mm fan falls which is noticeable even at low speed adjustment by a clearly audible buzz, which is generated by the fan itself and not about the generated air stream TS-409 Pro at the volume of QNAP. Because the fan also in standby mode as opposed to the hard drives are not spinning, this mode reveals the actual noise emanating from the fan only. It separates the fan from the Board, sound loud alarm sounds, which should draw attention to the malfunction. An operation without fan – such as the use of only a hard drive – is not possible, in continuous operation for thermal reasons but also not advisable. The volume of the TS-409 Pro naturally depends heavily used hard drives, but the NAS server because of the disturbing long-term fan for continuous operation in the living room is suitable also for very quiet models. Due to the actual purpose of the use of QNAP TS-409 Pro in small businesses, this point must be not overvalued however. We can only recommend home users, to seek a secluded corner for permanent operation or to break the warranty seals on their own responsibility and to change the internal fan against a quieter model.

Conclusion

The QNAP TS-409 Pro Turbo NAS has left a very good impression in the test. Just little things spoil the extremely positive overall picture. But let’s start with the positive aspects, which are already indicate in the very ease of use. The Web interface and the software are overall very user friendly and give no cause for criticism. The installation of the disks is without opening of the case by the hand, which considerably facilitates also the hot-swap function to change the disk during operation. In also supports the NAS server any commercially available 3, 5-inch SATA hard drive – where there may be for models of Western Digital incompatibilities, which has however to blame for not QNAP. The TS-409 Pro supports a variety of features that are by far not used by most users. In addition, it is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux networks. In addition to the good RAID options, which offers several parallel RAIDs as well as allow a migration and expansion during operation, the system very solid Server services such as, for example, FTP, DHCP, WINS, SSH, Telnet, NFS, MySQL, domain master, PrintServer, iTunes and media server. In addition, the intelligent fan control, which can be manually adjusted in three stages, and the hard drives monitoring including test functions can convince. Also, you can increase the performance on Gigabit networks with support for Jumbo frames. The system power consumption is low and is minimized in addition by the stand by mode. 256 MB of RAM must be recorded positive as well as the function of a network Recycle Bin. You can access finally QNAP on a good community, which are in the official forum in addition to the HowTos published anyway by QNAP provides not only additional instructions, but always stands with advice and practical assistance. A German 3rd party has formed also already Forum with support from QNAP. The door for extensions is also open to brave users – appropriate communities of hackers have already formed the NAS devices.

Main point of criticism on the QNAP TS-409 Pro is that a lot of potential – just when written to the internal hard drives – is presented quite slow processor, the Marvell 5281 500 MHz. The other points of criticism are rather marginaler. So the RAID options and security features of TS-409 Pro are indeed exemplary, is however not possible to combine of multiple RAID modes such as a RAID 10. The hot-swapping of a hard disk on the fly whether the slow processor, is also quite time-intensive and slows down somewhat transactions running at the same time, works but perfectly and contributes to the security of the data. An eSATA port would also be an option that would be gratefully accepted by some users. In addition we would have liked a printed manual. For the consumer, for which the QNAP TS-409 Pro in contrast to the QNAP TS-409 (not Pro) in the first place but not designed is, is expected in addition to the slightly too noisy fan in particular, the price of 538,-euros (EIA) dissuasive. He is led from about 430 euro – miser and is thus minimal even cheaper than the QNAP TS-409 for almost 435,-euros. The QNAP TS-409 must renounce in contrast to the Pro version on the NFS and Active Directory support. Preconfigured systems with integrated hard drives can acquire customers, for example, for computer, Litec, business customers will find for example, when the German distributor of Xen micro. Despite the price it is overall very well advised to TS-409 Pro from our point of view with the QNAP so that we make him our recommendation.