Probably my last QNAP...

[atomicich]

Hello, in past years I bought several QNAP NAS, at the moment I own 7 of them. My last purchase is a TS-431P. Probably the last one.
First of all I was very disappointed about the firmware that was not updating, spitting out a message like

Failed to update system. A flash read/write error occurred. Error code: FW004

Ok I found how to fix it. Simple, a bug on that version of the firmware that was unable to update correctly to latest firmware. Downloaded last version of that major firmware, updated and then updated again to the very latest one.
Hours spent for nothing.
I bout QNAP because I remember it was the ROLLS ROYCE of NAS devices, everything was almost perfect and the installation was clean and fast.

Ok I set up my nas, configure everything. It is terrible SLOOOOWWWW, of course there are thousands of services that I DON'T need and many of them are not stoppable or removable.

Is it so difficult to get back as in the past where the NAS was a NAS and I was able to ADD services only when needed??? I spent more than a day to remove o stop unwanted services and today the network share and web admin panel was unavailable for about 30 min because NAS was doing "something" that was taking 100% of resources...
Snapshots? good thing! but why don't leave them as an option? what about if I don't need them because I need a larger storage and no snapshots?
Unbelievable that I have to spend so much time to remove things I don't need.
This doesn't mean that I don't use all services, one of my nas is dedicated to streaming services with dlna, other to data storage only and another one to web services. But I was able to install services as well as i needed them, not to remove all the ones I don't need.
It's a waste of time.
Probably my last qnap...

[JCarraze]

Hello, the same for me, QNAP was perfect, but update after update it slow down...

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

u would need to enable snapshots to use it. if u don't setup snapshots, it won't use them, to my understanding. there is even a warning when you try to enable snapshots indicating a potential performance hit (albeit slight afaik), and that it will eat up space (i set a hard limit for reserved space to keep that space utilization to a limited space storage, and it recycles from that limited space when it runs out)

currently i am using snapshots (not as a replacement for backup, merely a convenience and a supplementary method for data recovery via time stamped file changes). and when i am low on space, i plan to remove snapshots, to then use the snapshot reserved space before.

dlna qnap, you can disable. thumbnail generation, disable. multimedia media indexing, also disable. myqnapcloud, cloudlink, photostation etc, uninstall or don't install to begin with.

once setup, you don't need to worry about those things. and if there is a vulnerability e.g. photostation, but you don't use it, then it doesn't concern you.


if you don't want to setup as much, you can go for a dum-b box like drobo personally i prefer the qnap over drobo.


the TS-431P is using an annapura cpu. These are slow as heck. These type of models with slow cpu, the most your gonna get is use as a file storage that is networked. I see someone on reddit said they use a somewhat similar ts-218A, and are able to stream 4k content to their nvidia shield without issue. So streaming to a nvidia shield, or just storing and accessing it over network is the best your gonna get from this model i believe. If you begin enabling apps, thats when you start running into this performance hit, the cpu may not be sufficient to keep up

You can opt for an intel celeron model like the ts-x53D series, or something even beefier like i5,i7 or ryzen. Mines a ts-877 i have no issues in regards to performance

[atomicich]

u would need to enable snapshots to use it. if u don't setup snapshots, it won't use them, to my understanding. there is even a warning when you try to enable snapshots indicating a potential performance hit (albeit slight afaik), and that it will eat

Snapshot are enabled by default. My claim was :"why i have to waste time to remove all the service i don't need, instead of enable the service I really need?"
Do you have a NAS with all services running? web servers, dnls, snapshots? surveillance cameras ? FTP? I don't think so. Every nas has a specific role or task and you should enable when you need it.

Just an example, when you install a Linux distro (not Ubuntu!) do you think you are going to install by default all services?
Of course NOT!

The distro install just the basic and then you add all services you need. Stop.

currently i am using snapshots (not as a replacement for backup, merely a convenience and a supplementary method for data recovery via time stamped file changes). and when i am low on space, i plan to remove snapshots, to then use the snapshot reserved space before.

Of course I do a backup of data, and I scheduled it when I know it is not in use

dlna qnap, you can disable. thumbnail generation, disable. multimedia media indexing, also disable. myqnapcloud, cloudlink, photostation etc, uninstall or don't install to begin with.

Why should I spend my life in disable what I don't need? let me enable and configure what I really need.

if you don't want to setup as much, you can go for a dum-b box like drobo personally i prefer the qnap over drobo.

I don't want to have my data outside my boundaries because it networks fail I have no data but I can't wait half hour to wait for the nas to be available because it is doing its own stuffs due to a services overloading cpu?

the TS-431P is using an annapura cpu. These are slow as heck.

A reason more to don't overload it with unwanted services. Let the cpu be free, I know what I am going to buy and for this I just needed a storage. Of course I can buy a Ferrari spending hundreds time more but I don't need a Ferrari, I need a reliable QNAP NAS that is going to do what I need for given task. Of course if you buy a SMART just as a city car because you need to stroll in the city but they put tow hook with trailer perhaps you will have difficulties to go around with the Smart unless you start to remove the trailer, remove the hook and so on.

You can opt for an intel celeron model like the ts-x53D series, or something even beefier like i5,i7 or ryzen. Mines a ts-877 i have no issues in regards to performance

I don't. I don't want to spend more than the budget only because the Smart have trailer "because it is included" if I need trailer I would buy a Truck.

[QNAPDanielFL]

The TS-431P has only a dual-core ARM CPU instead of a 4 core ARM on the P2 version.
And 1GB RAM also slows it down. Even the very low-cost TS-230 4 core CPU 2GB RAM should be faster.

So it makes sense you would want fewer features to help with speed. It won't take snapshots by default, though the feature is present. If you don't take any snapshots, I don't expect the fact that the feature exists to slow down your NAS in a significant way.

You could make a static volume and then snapshots won't even be an option. Static volumes also run a bit faster.

Most of the apps can be turned off, and the apps that can't be turned off usually won't take many resources when you are not using them. For example, DLNA being present as a feature won't take much CPU power if you don't ever stream videos, surveillance station can be turned off and uninstalled. FTP service can be disabled and, even if enabled, does not take much CPU power unless you are transferring data through FTP?

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Snapshot are enabled by default.

i'm pretty sure it isn't on by default..... snapshots have to be enabled by the user for it to be active. even daniel the qnap rep said the same thing. maybe u enabled it yourself but then you forgot perhaps? What qts firmware and build r u using?

My claim was :"why i have to waste time to remove all the service i don't need, instead of enable the service I really need?"

a qnap is not a drobo. you have to configure to use it especially during the initial setup. if you dont' want to fiddle around with many settings for initial setup, get a drobo instead although personally i don't like drobo, but to each their own.

Do you have a NAS with all services running? web servers, dnls, snapshots? surveillance cameras ? FTP? I don't think so.

nope. i disabled what i don't use. i do however have snapshots enabled (which i manually enabled to turn it on. i already said i do use this). And my device is quite capable of running all those stuff if wanted to. But like i said... your model is best not used for running too many of these things so i am not surprised if you didn't like the performance when you turned on stuff that tipped it over it's limit.

Every nas has a specific role or task and you should enable when you need it.

Just an example, when you install a Linux distro (not Ubuntu!) do you think you are going to install by default all services?
Of course NOT!

The distro install just the basic and then you add all services you need. Stop.

dont enable services, or install apps u don't need. some by default don't have them installed or enabled. and some you need to disable/remove in qts. and some, are just hard coded into qts and can't be removed.

Of course I do a backup of data, and I scheduled it when I know it is not in use

good



and yes i agree for this model with a low performance cpu, you shouldn't be running many tasks that would tax this already low performance model. but this will require configuration on your part. if you refuse to do much configuring during initial setup, then go drobo :X

Hello, the same for me, QNAP was perfect, but update after update it slow down...

slow down by how much and in what way? are you sure you didn't check that your hdd went bad and the nas is operating in a degraded mode? or were you at the time running a scheduled raid scrub (this will make performance degrade while it's running, which is normal and expected).

[atomicich]

Well I understand all point of views but I can understand also that you use them just for fun not for business.
to those who asked, the Current firmware version is 4.5.1.1480 (lasted available for this hardware-checked online)

in a scenario where your time is money, your target is to install an empty box, enable ONLY services you need and forget it. as faster as possible.

In a SOHO scenario or domestic scenario of course you can play to explore all functions and start disable this or that service because maybe you are not going to use them and spend all the time you want/need.

The main concept is wrong. this has to be a tool not a funny game.

QNAP Started in a wonderful way, a rational and serious way keeping an eye to performances and roles; just the basic functions out of the box and several and useful services/application to add as NAS role was promoted to other tasks

And to be honest several services are enabled by default at least on mine NAS out of the box. After initial setup I started disabling all unwanted services and I disabled Malmware remover since it is not possible to UNINSTALL and guess what? in the log I see right now that at 3am it started for a whole check. So it runs even if service is stopped. so? the interface is just there but it doesn't do what is designed for.
10 services are not possible to uninstall and 8 of them are not stoppable.

Snapshot were enabled by default at least in this device, the first question of the client was "why I have in my share a folder named @snapshot?"

[jaysona]

Just an example, when you install a Linux distro (not Ubuntu!) do you think you are going to install by default all services?
Of course NOT!

The distro install just the basic and then you add all services you need. Stop.

This is one of the biggest issues I have with QTS, too many services enabled by default, and the presumptive arrogance exhibited by QNAP in their thinking that they know better than the user. Give the user the choice, but ultimately leave all configuration decisions up to the user to make.

QTS 4.x is when things really started to slide in to the sewer, and with the release QTS 4.5.x QNAP has really gone down the toilet.

[homerbrew]

Yup, QNAP has gotten to the point where I am 99% sure I will just build my own NAS. I have already spec'd out a 10th Gen i3 motherboard/CPU with 32gb of ram and a fractal node 304 case, total cost is a little less than their TS-453d but with a lot more horsepower, the ability to have 6 3.5' drives plus the 2 M.2 SSDs on the motherboard and a 2.5 Gigabit LAN.

I don't really need a fancy GUI to perform everything I do with my current QNAP, most everything I need my QNAP to do is configured once and runs automatically. With most Linux distros this is very simple to do without a GUI. I spend more time logging into my QNAP to look for updates (for security reasons) than anything else, I could do that much quicker via command line and ssh.

It is getting old to have to verify each and every service I have running on it to make sure it started properly when my QNAP is rebooted or takes a firmware update. Then when it doesn't start, I have to fight with the system to get it to work (i.e. last firmware update borked Entware). Then their horrendous track record for security issues, is another I think it would be a ton safer to go my route. Still haven't settled on the exact OS/distro but so far I am leaning toward Openmediavault and creating a ZFS shared pool. It might also be my quickest and cheapest way to get ZFS since QNAP is dragging their feet on adding ZFS to their existing NAS base.

[spile]

If you had any issues updating the firmware on your device...
Did you open a call?
What was the response?
Any issues I have had with my device were all resolved by Qnap support.

[coltswalker]

Oh geez I was just looking at buying the model TS-431P. It seemed pretty basic which is all I need. For example, I don't have ANY interest in... Stream your multimedia library via DLNA, Airplay & Chromecast Build a surveillance center to safeguard your home and office .... which are listed features. This thread gives me caution. I don't care to have a bunch of bloatware enabled by default. I need low maintenance and minimal tinkering machine...

[jaysona]

Oh geez I was just looking at buying the model TS-431P. It seemed pretty basic which is all I need. For example, I don't have ANY interest in... Stream your multimedia library via DLNA, Airplay & Chromecast Build a surveillance center to safeguard your home and office .... which are listed features. This thread gives me caution. I don't care to have a bunch of bloatware enabled by default. I need low maintenance and minimal tinkering machine...

In some cases the bloatware can not be disabled/removed either. However, that said, a QNAP NAS can be fairly low maintenance after its initial setup and config. If used just as NAS and nothing else, QNAP is fine.

[atomicich]

This is one of the biggest issues I have with QTS, too many services enabled by default, and the presumptive arrogance exhibited by QNAP in their thinking that they know better than the user. Give the use the choice, but ultimately leave all configuration decisions up to the user to make.
QTS 4.x is when things really started to slide in to the sewer, and with the release QTS 4.5.x QNAP has really gone down the toilet.

That's what I really mean.
QNAP devices are not at all for beginners. Only professional, skilled users or in-field users are going to buy them. A standard user will stop at the first setup and call the IT expert.

If I were a newbie I was going to buy a Western Digital my cloud (which I buy and offer for standard users with no skills) There you just turn it on, log in and you have to configure, just users and shares. It is all done.

If someone is going to buy QNAP is because he is approaching to specific tasks with reliability and performances.

And moreover I really hate to spend time for disabling all the services I don't need....

[atomicich]

If you had any issues updating the firmware on your device...
Did you open a call?
What was the response?
Any issues I have had with my device were all resolved by Qnap support.

Well, it is not an ISSUE, all are FEATURES....
I need to open a call to claim that the NAS is doing exactly what it was designed for???
I had firmware upgrade ISSUE but online I found how to fix it, and I did and it worked perfectly.
Now I have the latest firmware and this are all FEATURES not ISSUES...

[spile]

My suggestion related to the resolving of issues such as implementing firmware update problems.