Qnap QTS 4.3.5 NAS OS With SSD Extra Over-Provisioning, and Network and Virtual Switch

Qnap Systems, Inc. officially released QTS 4.3.5 NAS OS.

Designed to unleash the advantages of SSDs to meet the demands of the high-speed networking era, QTS 4.3.5 marks a milestone for NAS OSs. Alongside the software-defined network architecture and additional functionality, it delivers a performance-driven and streamlined user experience.

“During the QTS 4.3.5 beta testing, we gathered valuable user feedback that helped us put the finishing touches to the official release,” said Cherry Chen, product manager, Qnap.

QTS 4.3.5 packs numerous detailed improvements and enhancement, including:

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The company’s NAS with AnnapurnaLabs processors support Virtual and Network Switch.
SSD Profiling Tool adds more viewing modes for test results.
Mac users with macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 (or later) can use Time Machine for backing up Mac data to the firm’s NAS via SAMBA shared folders.
Microsoft Networking Advanced Options for ABE (access-based enumeration) and ABSE (access-based share enumeration) is added.
After installing Qsirch, Mac users can use Spotlight to search for files in their mounted NAS.
File Station supports SMBv2 and SMBv3 with the remote mount service, and Image2PDF has been optimized.
CPU utilization has been reduced when operating Qsync Central.
HD Station can be installed and managed directly through the QTS App Center.
Users of certain NAS can assign discrete graphics card resources to Container Station (QuAI).
Selected NAS support multiple discrete graphics cards.

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Features and benefits of QTS 4.3.5:

Storage – Unleash the advantages of SSD, streamline storage management and data recovery [presentation video]
Software-defined SSD extra over-provisioning: Users can allocate additional SSD over-provisioning space (from 1% to 60%) to help optimize SSD random write speeds and lifespan/endurance. A SSD Profiling Tool helps evaluate the best over-provisioning ratio based on the target IO/s performance of users.
Restoring from remotely-stored snapshots: Snapshot restoration from a remote snapshot replica can be directly written back to the local NAS through the network without manually restoring all folders and files at the backup destination then copying them back to local NAS. This saves time and effort by streamlining operations.
Flexible volume configuration and conversion: Volumes can be converted between thin- and thick-provisioning, providing maximum flexibility of storage space allocation. Volumes sizes can be shrunk as well, ensuring the NAS can adapt to changing needs of storage allocation.
Boosting VJBOD performance with iSER: The company’s proprietary Virtual JBOD (VJBOD) technology is boosted by iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER) support from Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. compatible network cards, enhancing transmission speeds for a more efficient storage expansion.

Network – Supercharge workflows with high-speed connectivity and flexibility [presentation video]

Software-Defined Network and Virtual Switch app: Revamped with new features including network topology, device diagram to identify physical ports, customizable multiple DDNS, NCSI service, static route, software-defined switch mode, IPv6 complete function, and DHCPv4 reserved IP addresses, the app streamlines operations and improves performances at the center of the user experience. UI improvements for Thunderbolt and wireless settings make their statuses more straightforward and settings more convenient.
Advanced support for SmartNICs: QTS supports features that are built into network interface controllers (NICs), such as the Mellanox ConnectX-4 for iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER).
QBelt virtual private network (VPN) protocol: The company’s proprietary QBelt VPN protocol added into the QVPN Services app increases network security by encrypting traffic and decreasing chances of being detected. Geo-blocked web content and/or enterprise intranet resources can also be accessed by using QBelt to circumvent such restrictions.

More features include:

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Notification Center – Never miss another system notification
The new Notification Center consolidates system logs and notifications for all NAS apps into a single app with flexible rule settings, facilitating smooth and easy NAS managements. There are also more notification methods, including email, SMS, instant message, and push notification.

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Security Counselor – Security portal for company’s NAS
Security Counselor checks for weaknesses and offers recommendations to enhance NAS security and to protect data against multiple attack methods. It also integrates anti-virus and anti-malware scanning software to ensure the complete protection of NAS.

Features and functionality are subject to change and may not be available for all firm’s NAS models.

Video: QTS 4.3.5 introduction

Read also:
Qnap QTS 4.3.5 Beta NAS OS
Including SSD extra over-provisioning to optimize SSD performance and endurance, upgraded software-defined network and virtual switch to simplify network management, and Security Counselor security portal
2018.09.07 | Press Release