Synology RS2423+ and RS2423RP+ 10GbE NAS Rackmount Revealed
To say that Synology has been active in the first quarter of 2023 would be a fantastic understatement. In just two short months, they have formally and informally revealed a series of hardware solutions, beta software updates and are now beginning the rollout of their SMB/large-scale solutions. Last week was the release of the DS1823xs+, but possibly more interesting is the RS2423+ – a new 12-Bay Rackstation server that has taken the existing formula of this product series and scaled it up in some surprising ways. For a brand that occasionally gets criticism for being a little bland in it’s hardware choices, the Synology RS2423+ (also RS2423RP+ Redundant PSU version) scales up on it’s DS2421+ predecessor with a noticeably more powerful CPU, twice the memory and a significant increase in base level bandwidth. Indeed, this 12 bay rackmount seemingly matches the recent XS series release, but manages to still remain in the PLUS series. Let’s discuss this new and interesting rackmount NAS and ponder whether this is a turning point in the hardware on offer in the SMB Synology Rackstation tier of their portfolio.
Synology RS2423+ NAS Rackmount Hardware Specifications
The bulk of the physical design of the RS2423+ Rackstation remains the same as the bulk of 12-Bay Rackmounts in Synology’s portfolio. There are the usual 12 SATA slots (all lockable), 2U height with optional handles, half a metre depth and a reliance on LED indicators rather than an LCD screen etc. There isn’t any M.2 NVMe SSD slots (quite rare on Synology Rackstations) but there is the option to them via a PCIe upgrade and as the system is a PLUS series device there is the inclusion of Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) alongside the usual RAID options. But the real question for many is whether this is a suitable upgrade for existing Synology Rackstation users who might well be running an older-gen RS1219+ or RS2418+? Here are the initial specifications:
 |
|
| Model ID | Synology RS2423+ / RS2423RP+ Rackstation |
| Rack Height | 2U |
| Size | RS2423+: = 88 x 482 x 552.
RS2423RP+ = 88 x 482 x 578 (with server handles) |
| # of Bay | 12x SATA Bays for 3.5″ and 2.5″ Media |
| Cooling | PSU Fan(s) and 3x 60x60cm Internal Fans (removable) |
| File System | EXT4 or BTRFS |
| RAID Support | RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and Synology Hybrid RAID |
| Expandable | Yes, x1 RX1223 12-Bay |
| CPU Model | AMD Embedded Ryzen V1780B |
| CPU Power and Cores | Quad Core / Eight Thread 3.35Ghz Processor |
| Default Memory | 8GB UDIMM DDR4 ECC |
| Memory Expandability? | Yes, to 32GB |
| NVMe SSD Bays? | No |
| PCIe Upgrade? | Yes, PCIe Gen 3. Network Upgrades and/or M.2 NVMe SSD Cache Card Upgrades |
| PSU | 350W or 2x 250W (RP Version) |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
Let’s discuss that CPU and Memory. The Synology RS2423+ NAS arrives with an AMD Embedded Ryzen V1780B, a quad-core (8 thread) x86 CPU that has a 3.35Ghz clock speed. Alongside this, the RS2423+ NAS also arrives with 8GB of ECC SODIMM DDR4 Memory that can be upgraded to 32GB over two slots, using Synology branded memory. Synology has been increasing the range of solutions in its portfolio that support ECC memory and as this is rackstation NAS, it was largely inevitable that it would have this high-data-integrity long-term protecting memory in place! Both the clock speed of this processor and the inclusion of twice the standard memory featured in the previous generations of this series are going to be appealing to many users. That 8GB memory MIGHT be down to increasing shortages in available memory at the production level (affecting many brands and changing the base level of quite a large number of releases in the last 6-12months) and therefore it might have just been simpler to include 8GB by default and increase the base price a few % OR swallow the loss a little as 8GB DDR4 (even ECC) is typically still going to be the same module allocation on a RAM PCB, but twice the quantity of MB/GB per cell.
The 8GB will certainly be a welcome increase, given the potentially high storage capabilities + the cost of Synology’s official Memory right now vs 3rd party and/or non-ECC memory by comparison (which is not officially supported) for many users. Moving over to the CPU, Synology have once again opted for this rackstation solution to feature an AMD-embedded Ryzen processor (now the 2nd gen of solutions by the brand to make the switch from Intel to AMD). If you look at how it compares below with the current V1500B embedded Ryzen in the RS2421+, it largely improves upon it (whilst still remaining in the ZEN CPU family and allowing Synology to maintain the existing hardware construction on the board/installation). Once again, the fact that this exact same processor appeared in the DS1823xs+ Enterprise series last week is also (frankly) an absolute BONUS in my eyes! Aside from the 4 cores and 8 threads up for allocation in VMs, its also more than 1Ghz higher in clock speed (without even mentioning burst/boost) per core than the V1500B that the brand has used on around 10 of their systems in the last two years. This means that those looking to take advantage of fast internal AND external throughout will see some great gains to be made here. See below:
| MODEL | Synology DS1823xs+ NAS CPU
AMD RYZEN™ EMBEDDED V1780B |
Synology DS1821+ NAS CPU
AMD RYZEN™ EMBEDDED V1500B |
|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT TYPE | SOC | SOC |
| FAMILY | AMD Ryzen™ Embedded V-series Processors | AMD Ryzen™ Embedded V-series Processors |
| LINE | V-Series V1000 | V-Series V1000 |
| OPN | YE1780C3T4MFB | YE1500C4T4MFB |
| TDP | 35-54W | 12-25W |
| CPU TYPE | Zen | Zen |
| CPU BASE FREQ. | 3.35GHz | 2.2GHz |
| # OF CPU CORES | 4 | 4 |
| # OF THREADS | 8 | 8 |
| SECURITY PROCESSOR | Yes | Yes |
| TOTAL L2 CACHE | 2MB | 2MB |
| TOTAL L3 CACHE | 4MB | 4MB |
| SYSTEM MEMORY TYPE | DDR4@3200 MHz | DDR4@2400 MHz |
| MEMORY CONTROLLER | Dual Channel w/ECC | Dual Channel w/ECC |
| ETHERNET | 2x 10GbE | 2x 10GbE |
| USB | 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.1 Gen1, 4x USB 3.1 Gen2 | 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.1 Gen1, 4x USB 3.1 Gen2 |
| SATA | 2 | 2 |
| LOW-SPEED INTERFACES | AZ, EMMC, eSPI, GPIO, I2C, LPC, SD, SMBus, SPI, UART | AZ, EMMC, eSPI, GPIO, I2C, LPC, SD, SMBus, SPI, UART |
| PCIE LANES | 16L Gen3 | 16L Gen3 |
All this said, there is no avoiding that in order for the V1780B CPU in the RS2423+ NAS to be as high performance in ability as it is, results in a noted increase in TDP (i.e how this translates into typical CPU power use) compared to the older gen NAS using the AMD V1500B. In most conventional computer use, the impact of this is generally relative to ‘you use it, fine, you switch it off, no hassle’. But in the case of a high-performance, 24×7 NAS solution, a higher TDP will likely mean higher power use/bills in the long run. This is all going to be relative to the amount you use it and the weight of those processes – but given this device’s status as a 12x SATA, expandable, 10GbE and 1xPCIe Upgradable system – it is largely tailored towards 24×7 heavier use!
Synology RS2423+ NAS – Ports and Connections
The ports and connections of the RS2423+ NAS have really only seen one change over it’s predecessor, and that is in the area of network connectivity. The system still arrives in a 1 PSU or Redundant (2 PSU) version as needed, it still has the USB ports that are arguably diminishing in their utility on this platform, a COMs port (no OoB support gigabit port), a miniSAS expansion port for the RX1223RP and a PCIe upgrade slot. However, i think we need to focus on that main change in network connectivity here:
 |
|
| 10GbE Ports | x1 10GBASE-T |
| 1GbE Ports | x2 1GbE RJ45 |
| Expansion Ports | 1x miniSAS (for 1x 12-Bay RX1223RP) |
| COMS Port | x1 |
| USB Ports | x2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) |
So, alongside that CPU improvement and double memory, there is another upgrade in the RS2421+ > RS2423+ refresh that we need to talk about, which is the RS2423+ arrives with a default 10GbE network connection – possibly the FIRST TIME I have sever seen a Synology PLUS series device to arrive with a 10GbE port by default. Now, there are alot of long time rackmount users that will be thinking ‘wait… who WOULDN’T have 10GbE on a 12xSATA rackmount???’, and you would be right to wonder that. 12x SATA (even bog standard HDDs at 160-200MB/s) are going to EASILY saturate a 1,000MB/s connection with change! However, Synology have always stated that in order to make their complete hardware+software systems more accessible/affordable, that some system options are made optional (i.e, via that PCIe upgrade slot – with 1/2x 10GbE and 25GbE options available, as well as cache cards and combo cards). So, MOST users kind of expected this system to be another standard 1GbE system like the 30-40 that came before it in the Rackstation series. So, I was as surprised as anyone else that the RS2423+/RS2423RP+ is 10GbE right out the box AND as its a main port, it leaves the PCIe upgrade slot for even more network connection options down the line.
Overall, the default ports and connections of the Synology RS2423+ NAS leave me quite impressed, especially when you compare it with the last few generations of this rackstation series. Let’s briefly discuss the DSM 7.1/7.2 (beta just around the corner) Support that this system will feature.
Synology RS2423+ NAS DSM Software and Services Support
Needless to say, the Synology RS2423+ NAS will support the bulk of DSM applications, features and services. Longtime followers of Synology (and NASCompres) will be familiar with the huge range of first-party applications and features of DSM, but for those less familiar, here are some highlights:
Synology Office – Create documents, spreadsheets, and slides in a multi-user environment. Real-time synchronization and saving make collaboration a breeze.
Synology Chat – Aimed at businesses, Synology Chat is an IM service that transforms the way users collaborate and communicate.
Synology Drive – Host your own private cloud behind the safety of your NAS with 100% data ownership and no subscription fees. Drive has become one of the premier applications of DSM and allows uses to create intelligent shared team folders that support versioning, file streaming+pinning, encryption, Windows AD support (soon) and native file system support with Windows and macOS.
Synology Photos – Manage your photos and videos with deep-learning algorithms that automatically group photos with similar faces, subjects, and places. Designed after the merger of Synology Photo Station and Moments, it also includes tailored folder, sharing and categorization features to help photographers manage their photos and share them with clients for feedback or business development.
Synology Calendar – Stay on track, share calendars, and schedule meetings, while ensuring sensitive information remains safely stored on company premises.
Synology Active Backup for Business (ABB) – Consolidate backup tasks for virtualized environments, physical servers, and personal computers, and rapidly restore files, entire machines, or VMs – license-free. This software also arrives as a specialised Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace platform to sync with those platforms and allow a bare metal tier to your cloud office services
Synology Hyper Backup – Backup your NAS safely and efficiently to multiple destinations with deduplication, integrity checks, compression, and versioning.
Synology Surveillance Station – Safeguard your business, home, and other valuable assets with reliable video surveillance tools. With improved AI services being accessible thanks to Synology BC500 and TC500 Cameras arriving in 2023. Additionally, you can connect this platform with Synology’s cloud platform to use ‘C2 Surveillance’ and bolster the odds of recordings being maintained in the event of accidental/malicious damage to your surveillance system.
Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) – An intuitive hypervisor that supports Windows, Linux, and Virtual DSM virtual machines. Its powerful disaster recovery tools help users achieve maximum service uptime.
Synology High Availability – Synology High Availability (SHA) combines two Synology NAS servers into one active-passive high-availability cluster, alleviating service disruptions while mirroring data.
Synology Central Management System (CMS) – Synology CMS allows you to manage multiple Synology NAS servers quickly and conveniently from a single location.
Synology Video Station – Manage all your movies, TV shows, and home videos. Stream them to multiple devices or share them with friends and family.
Synology Audio Station – Manage your music collection, create personal playlists, stream them to your own devices, or share with family or friends.
Synology File Station – Manage your Synology NAS files remotely through web browsers or mobile devices. This tool allows complete file management and contains all the features and services of your own native file management platform (archiving, extracting, Copy, Cut, Paste, Sharing, native file format opening, integration with the rest of the Synology applications, property/metadata access, etc)
Synology RS2423+ NAS Rackstation Release Date and Price
To be frank, there is ALOT to like about this new Synology RS2423+ Rackstation. Alot of users have been hitting at Synology for its slightly lacklustre approach to hardware in recent years, providing genuinely ground breaking hardware only to the Enterprise tier. The RS2423+ could have so easily been a cookie-cutter refresh of the RS2421+… New CPU… close the box, ship it! The RS2423+’s CPU is a genuinely beefy upgrade on the V1500B (despite being in the same V1000 series), the default 8GB of memory (for whatever the reason/motivation by the brand) is going to be extremely welcomed by rackmount users and the inclusion of day one 10GbE somewhat silences discussion here of a lock of 2.5GbE. Back in my days of retail/service in storage, a decent % of rackmount buyers (easily half, but likely more) would pursue a day 1 increase of the network connectivity and/or memory – something that is inclusive here. It may seem slightly that we are giving Synology credit for ‘common sense’, but you have to also factor in the value of DSM and the work that has/will go into it. Overall, this might be one of the most interesting rackstation NAS systems that I have ever seen Synology roll out. I will be watching the RS2423+/RS2423RP+ with great interest!
Need More Help Choosing the right NAS?
Choosing the right data storage solution for your needs can be very intimidating and it’s never too late to ask for help. With options ranging from NAS to DAS, Thunderbolt to SAS and connecting everything up so you can access all your lovely data at the touch of a button can be a lot simpler than you think. If you want some tips, guidance or help with everything from compatibility to suitability of a solution for you, why not drop me a message below and I will get back to you as soon as possible with what you should go for, its suitability and the best place to get it. This service is designed without profit in mind and in order to help you with your data storage needs, so I will try to answer your questions as soon as possible.
📧 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER 🔔
🔒 Join Inner Circle
Get an alert every time something gets added to this specific article!
This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below
Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?
Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you.
 |
 |
