UniFI UNAS Pro NAS Software Deep Dive (Drive Review)

A Review and Full Overview of the UniFi UNAS NAS OS

Update – The UniFi UNAS Pro is now back in stock in the U.S and UK HERE. EU Stocks have been good regardless!

The UniFi UNAS Pro is Ubiquiti’s first serious foray into the NAS market, and it introduces a distinct software platform designed to cater to users already embedded in the UniFi ecosystem. While UniFi is more renowned for its networking hardware and software, the UNAS Pro represents a bold attempt to bring a streamlined, cloud-connected NAS solution that mirrors the simplicity of their existing products. The UNAS Pro offers a single-pane-of-glass interface that simplifies complex NAS management tasks. This makes it particularly attractive to users who may be transitioning from more established brands like Synology or QNAP, but are looking for a solution that integrates easily with their current UniFi products. As we dive deeper into the system, it becomes clear that while it is in its early stages, the software holds promise for both individual users and organizations seeking a hybrid storage and backup solution.

Logging into UniFi UNAS Pro and Remote Access

Accessing the UniFi UNAS Pro can be done through both local network connections and remote access via the UniFi Site Manager. The interface is designed to feel intuitive and familiar to users who have interacted with other UniFi products. For remote access, users can authenticate their credentials through the UniFi Identity application, which enhances security by providing a layer of credential verification and access control.

This ensures that both administrators and regular users can securely log in, regardless of whether they are on the same local network or accessing the NAS from a remote location. One of the most anticipated features is the upcoming SMB mounting tools, which will allow users to mount the drives directly to their local file manager – an extension of the ‘Identity’ application, that will allow for faster and easier local drive mounting. This addition will provide a more seamless experience for local network users, making file management significantly easier.

System Overview: Storage, Temperature, and Resource Utilization

Once logged in, users are presented with a dashboard that provides a comprehensive overview of system resources, storage, and temperature. The software offers real-time data on total storage usage, system temperature, and resource utilization, such as the percentage of CPU and memory currently being used. The NAS is powered by a quad-core ARM-based processor and comes with 8GB of RAM, which provides ample power for handling standard NAS tasks such as backups, file sharing, and even moderate multi-user environments.

While the system temperature is shown, the current version does not yet display individual drive temperatures, although this is expected in future updates. The resource usage breakdown is clear and easy to understand, showing memory consumption, which hovered around 31% in testing. This indicates that the NAS has more than enough headroom for moderate workloads and remains responsive even during peak activity.

Storage Management: Drive Population and RAID Configuration

The storage management tools in the UniFi UNAS Pro are designed to accommodate a variety of setups, making it flexible enough for both beginners and seasoned NAS users. One notable feature is the ability to gradually populate the NAS with drives over time.

This means that users don’t have to fill all the drive bays at once and can expand their storage capacity as needed. New drives are automatically absorbed into the single storage pool, although the current system only supports a single pool, which limits more advanced multi-pool configurations.

The system does support mixed drive configurations, but all drives are classified based on the smallest capacity drive in the array (AKA – you CAN use different drives, but you will lose the extra storage benefits of alternatives such as Synology Hybrid RAID SHR or Terramaster TRAID).

At launch, the system supports RAID 10 for data protection, which offers a good balance between redundancy and performance. However, RAID 6, which provides better redundancy at the cost of performance, is expected to be introduced in future software updates. Users can also configure a hot spare, ensuring that a spare drive is ready to automatically rebuild the array if another drive fails.

Backup Tasks: Setup and Options

UniFi UNAS Pro includes a straightforward and intuitive backup task setup process, allowing users to create both local and remote backups with minimal effort. The software supports backups to other UNAS systems within the same network or linked through the UniFi Site Manager, and it can also integrate with popular cloud storage services like Google Drive.

The backup system is flexible enough to allow users to schedule backups, decide whether to overwrite existing backups, or create entirely new directories for each backup session. However, the software is currently lacking advanced features like automated failure handling, where the system would retry a failed backup or send an alert. This is something that is expected to improve in future software versions. Cloud backup integration is user-friendly, leveraging QR codes for simple account linking, and users have the ability to set detailed rules for backup frequency and data retention.

File Services: SMB, Time Machine, and Connectivity

The file-sharing capabilities of UniFi UNAS Pro are built around widely used protocols such as SMB, which ensures compatibility with Windows environments, and Time Machine, which offers seamless integration with macOS for backups. Users can access their files via local network connections or remotely through a variety of interfaces provided by the system.

The NAS supports both 10G SFP and traditional copper-based Ethernet connections, providing high-speed local access, which is ideal for demanding workflows like video editing or large-scale file transfers.

In addition to these standard file services, the software allows for encrypted drives, which can be locked and unlocked as needed. These encrypted drives provide an extra layer of security, especially for sensitive data, by ensuring that data remains inaccessible during system reboots or maintenance.

User Management: Roles and Permissions

The user management system within the UniFi UNAS Pro software is both flexible and secure, offering administrators the ability to create both local and remote users with varying access levels. Admins can easily create different roles and assign them to users, providing granular control over which storage areas and features each user can access.

For instance, it is possible to create a user with read-only access to specific drives or folders while granting full access to others. Integration with UniFi Identity enables more advanced features, such as role-based access control and multi-factor authentication.

For organizations, this system is invaluable as it allows each user to have a dedicated storage area, with the ability to assign access rights to shared folders. This makes it particularly suitable for businesses where different departments or teams may need different levels of access to shared resources.

Snapshots and Shared Folder Management

Snapshots are a useful feature in the UniFi UNAS Pro software, providing a way to restore previous versions of files or entire folders. However, snapshots are not a true backup solution; they are better described as a tool for turning back time on specific data. One limitation of the snapshot system is that if a snapshot in the middle of a series is deleted, all subsequent snapshots become invalid.

This can create challenges when managing long-term data versions, so careful management of snapshots is essential. Creating and managing shared folders is a straightforward process. Admins can easily set up new shared folders, assign users, and configure storage limits. The system also supports share links, which allow users to share files and folders with external users through expiring links or password-protected URLs. These features are critical for users needing to collaborate or share large amounts of data with others outside their immediate organization.

System Responsiveness and Performance

Despite its relatively simple design, the UniFi UNAS Pro software is responsive and efficient, even under load. During testing, the system remained responsive while accessed remotely over a 100 Mbps connection, which is far from the fastest available bandwidth. This is a testament to the system’s resource management, where memory usage generally remains around 31% of the total 8GB. The software is capable of intelligently managing resources, allowing it to keep performance smooth even during periods of high demand. This level of responsiveness is particularly important for users accessing the system remotely or those relying on it for critical business operations, as it ensures that the system remains functional even when bandwidth is limited.

Settings and System Configuration

The settings and system configuration options within UniFi UNAS Pro are comprehensive, offering everything from backup management to network configuration. One standout feature is the ability to schedule system configuration backups to UniFi’s cloud platform. This ensures that users can quickly restore system settings, user configurations, and shared folder structures in the event of system failure or data loss.

The system also allows for local backups, which can be restored when necessary. Console settings allow users to adjust basic parameters like LED behavior and display options, but more advanced features like hard drive hibernation and scheduled power management are still absent. Future updates are expected to introduce these features, making the system more competitive with established platforms like Synology and QNAP.

Network Configuration and Final Thoughts

The network configuration options in UniFi UNAS Pro are somewhat limited compared to more advanced NAS platforms. While users can adjust settings for individual network ports, features like jumbo frame control and MTU adjustments are currently missing. This may not be a significant issue for most users, but those with more demanding network setups may find these omissions limiting. Overall, UniFi UNAS Pro presents a compelling option for users already invested in the UniFi ecosystem. While it lacks some of the advanced features found in Synology and QNAP systems, it is clear that the platform is evolving rapidly. As Ubiquiti continues to develop the software, users can expect additional functionality, such as container deployment, deeper integration with UniFi Protect, and better file-sharing tools. For those looking for a NAS solution that integrates seamlessly with their UniFi environment, the UNAS Pro is a promising choice with plenty of room for growth.

Feature Comparison Table: UniFi UNAS Pro vs Synology and QNAP

This table provides a comprehensive comparison of UniFi UNAS Pro’s software features alongside those offered by Synology and QNAP, highlighting where UniFi’s NAS platform currently stands in relation to the competition. The missing features, such as iSCSI, NFS, and containerization, indicate areas for future development.

Why is a UniFi NAS a big deal?

It’s a good question. When it comes to turnkey, ready-to-deploy NAS systems for enthusiasts and businesses, there are already some very well-experienced and established providers in the market. Why is it that Ubiquiti and UniFi think they can bring something new into this already well-fleshed-out solutions game? That single ecosystem advantage. That is pretty much what UniFi is all about. UniFi, as the name suggests, is about the unification of all of the devices in your network, all being managed, controlled, and securely gated by the UniFi network controller. The terminology has changed a few times in recent years, but the end result is the same—having your network equipment, wireless connectivity, surveillance systems, and security all managed within a single one-party ecosystem. With NAS products and private servers growing ever more popular, many long-established UniFi users have had to inject a third-party NAS solution from the likes of Synology or QNAP into this clean ecosystem. This means bringing parallel software UIs and UXs into the equation, as well as increasing the attack surface and vectors that managing multiple security updates across the board can introduce.

Equally, UniFi has an exceptionally well-established history for its network and internet security services, combined with an increasing number of their solutions arriving with storage services in place already. Systems like the UNVR series and the UniFi Dream Machine systems all arrive with SATA storage capabilities included, and some more hands-on users have gone ahead and soft-modded UniFi Protect surveillance systems into having a modicum of NAS ability. It doesn’t take much searching online to see that there has been a demand for a first-party network-attached storage solution by UniFi users for an exceptionally long time. Although they have clearly taken their time on it, is this the NAS system that users have been waiting for?

UniFi UNAS Pro Review – Quick Conclusion

I keep coming back to two words for the UniFi UNAS Pro—fundamentals and consistency. UniFi has clearly focused on making this system a strong addition to their ecosystem, prioritizing the essential storage needs of a NAS. They’ve succeeded in this, but comparisons with long-established competitors are inevitable. While solid, reliable, and stable, the UniFi UNAS Pro will take time to be competitive on the software front. If you’re deeply invested in the UniFi ecosystem, you’ll appreciate its ease of use and integration. However, outside of a UniFi network, it may feel feature-light compared to alternatives. The pricing is competitive for a launch product at $499, and while it’s not the best NAS on the market, it’s the most user-friendly and UniFi-ready. It will likely satisfy many users’ needs. I can certainly see this being integrated into existing UniFi networks as a 2nd stage backup alongside their already existing 3rd party NAS solution, with the potential to graduating to their primary storage as Ubiquiti continue to evolve this platform above and beyond the fundamentals their have nailed down in the UNAS Pro system.

BUILD QUALITY - 10/10

HARDWARE - 7/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 9/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.2

PROS

👍🏻Nails down the fundamentals of NAS Storage very well
👍🏻Easy to use GUI and well suited in the UniFi Ecosystem/UX
👍🏻Complete Offline Use is supported
👍🏻Use of a UI account is NOT compulsory
👍🏻Excellently deployed Snapshot Features
👍🏻10GbE out-the-box
👍🏻Open HDD Compatibility, but also 1st party options too
👍🏻Backup and Restoration Options Nailed down perfectly
👍🏻Very power efficient and CPU/, Memory utilization rarely high
👍🏻Compact, Quite and well designed chassis
👍🏻The LCD controls are completely \'different level\' compared to other brands in the market
👍🏻Promised competitive pricing
👍🏻FAST deployment (3-5mins tops)
👍🏻Reactive Storage expandability and easy-to-understand storage failover options
👍🏻Mobile app deployment is intuitive/fast
👍🏻Feels stable, secure and reliable at all times
👍🏻Performance is respectable (considering SATA Bay count and CPU) but also sustained performance is very good
👍🏻Single screen dashboard is clear and intuitive
👍🏻Ditto for the native file explorer

CONS

👎🏻7 Bays is a bit unusual, plus feels like the existing UNVR with different firmware
👎🏻Additional App installation (eg. \'Protect\') not currently supported. So no container support for 3rd party apps
👎🏻Network Controls are limited
👎🏻Works at it\'s best in an existing UniFi managed network, feels a little limited in \'standalone\'
👎🏻Multiple storage pools not supported (nor is RAID 0)
👎🏻Lack of Scheduled On/Off
👎🏻Lack of redundant PSU
👎🏻Only 1 10Gb port and 1x 1GbE, no USBs for expanded storage or an expansion

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