Hybrid Share

DSM Version

Application component

Hybrid Share

Features

  • Hybrid cloud solution: integrates cloud storage with multi-site on-premises NAS, gathering stability, reliability, and flexibility for better collaboration of your workforce
  • Global file synchronization:
    • Allows mounting the same Hybrid Share folders on multiple NAS for seamless multi-site file access
    • Supports global file locking for data consistency in collaboration across locations
  • Data protection:
    • Supports restoring to a snapshot recovery point, protecting Hybrid Share folders from malicious attacks or accidental actions
    • Supports automatic DSM configuration backup and restoration for instant data recovery
  • Smart cache:
    • Centrally stores data on C2 Storage while caching frequently accessed data (or "hot data") on local NAS for low-latency performance, balancing the needs for saving local storage and network bandwidth
    • Supports pinning files and folders to the local cache of Hybrid Share folders
  • Centralized management:
    • Web-based C2 Storage portal for easy management of Hybrid Share folders and their connection to each NAS host
    • Detailed logs for monitoring and auditing file access activities
  • Military-grade encryption: ensures data security with end-to-end AES-256 encryption
  • Efficiency: optimizes data transfer to C2 Storage by uploading the changed data only

Specifications

  • Requires a Synology NAS model that supports the Btrfs file system, has 2 GB of memory, and is updated to DSM 7.0.1 or above
  • Requires a Synology Account with a subscription to the C2 Storage - Advanced Plan
    • Offers new subscribers a 30-day free trial without credit card information
    • Supports third-party login using Apple and Google
  • Maximum single file size: 768 GB
  • Maximum path name length: 4 KB (4,000 bytes)
  • Snapshot feature is supported on Hybrid Share 1.3.0 and above
    • Maximum number of retained snapshots: 32
      • Set a schedule to automatically take one snapshot within 24 hours
      • Manually take an unlimited number of snapshots within 24 hours
  • Logs and global file locking features are supported on Hybrid Share 1.4.0 and above
    • C2 Encryption Key is required to enable file transfer logs
  • Allows the same Hybrid Share folder to be mounted concurrently on up to 10 Synology NAS hosts
  • Allows a Synology NAS host to concurrently mount 5 to 30 Hybrid Share folders, depending on the hardware specifications of the NAS host
  • Only allows administrators (or users delegated with sufficient permissions) to mount a Hybrid Share folder or convert a shared folder to a Hybrid Share folder at DSM Control Panel > Shared Folder (Learn more)
  • Supports file access via the following protocols/packages:
    • SMB/CIFS
    • AFP
    • NFS
    • FTP
    • WebDAV
    • File Station
    • Synology Drive
  • Supports the following applications, packages, and services:
    • File Station: access and manage the contents of a Hybrid Share folder from DSM or DS file (mobile)
    • Synology Drive: access and manage the contents of a Hybrid Share folder with versioning and collaborating on Synology Office files
    • Hyper Backup: backs up and recovers Hybrid Share folders
    • Cloud Sync: sync and share files and folders to other supported cloud services
    • Web Station: set up web portals to manage files and folders
    • USB Copy: copy files and folders between a Synology NAS and external USB/SD storage devices
    • Presto File Server: transfer files and folders between multiple Synology NAS hosts, or between personal computers and Synology NAS
    • Synology Universal Search: search for files and folders by the names on a Synology NAS (Contents in Hybrid Share folders cannot be indexed)
    • Document/PDF Viewer: view documents and PDF files
    • Log Center: monitors and records file transfer activities on Synology NAS
    • Express Box: a physical file transfer service that bypasses connectivity limitations for initial deployments
      • The minimum storage requirement for the local NAS is the total size of the data to be migrated, plus the planned local cache capacity (at least 500 GB)
  • Stores frequently accessed cloud data in the local cache to reduce access latency. Note that:
    • The reserved local cache size must be at least 500 GB
    • The reserved local cache size cannot exceed 90% of the Btrfs volume size
    • The reserved local cache size cannot exceed the quota of the Hybrid Share folder on C2 Storage
  • Evicts data with the oldest access time from the local cache to make space for new data. Note that:
    • Oldest accessed data (excluding pinned files and folders) are evicted automatically when the local cache usage reaches the reserved local cache size
    • Users can also go to File Station to select and manually release local files from the local cache
  • Cache throttling mechanism slows down writing data to the mounted Hybrid Share folder when the Btrfs volume's capacity is running low. Note that:
    • Read speed is unaffected
    • Write speed is throttled when volume usage reaches 80% (for a volume smaller than 1 TB) or when volume space is less than 200 GB (for a volume larger than 1 TB)
    • Minimum write speed (128 KB/s) is applied when the volume usage reaches 95% (for a volume smaller than 1 TB) or when volume space is less than 50 GB (for a volume larger than 1 TB)
  • Synchronizes file privileges exclusively for domain users
  • Synchronizes permission inheritance and removal of inherited permissions (including local and domain users) for any subfolders across all NAS with the Hybrid Share folder mounted

Limitations

  • C2 Storage / Hybrid Share is not supported in China
  • Shared folders in one of the following conditions cannot be converted to a Hybrid Share folder:
    • Your shared folder is larger than the quota of the Hybrid Share folder on C2 Storage
    • Your shared folder has data checksum for advanced data integrity enabled
    • Your shared folder contains any file exceeding 768 GB
    • Your shared folder hosts any of the following packages: Active Backup for Business, Active Backup for Google Workspace, Active Backup for Microsoft 365, Antivirus by McAfee, Antivirus Essential, Audio Station, Container Manager, iTunes Server, Log Center, Media Server (including Media Indexing), Shared Folder Sync, Snapshot Replication, Storage Analyzer, Synology Chat Server, Synology MailPlus, Synology Photos, Surveillance Station, Video Station, and Virtual Machine Manager
  • If a shared folder has been enabled with shared folder quota, the shared folder quota function will be disabled once the shared folder conversion process starts
  • Hybrid Share folders on the local Synology NAS cannot be snapshot using Snapshot Replication
  • Hybrid Share folders cannot be mounted on a high-availability cluster created with two different Synology NAS models
  • Hybrid Share folders cannot be set as sync folders in Synology Drive ShareSync
  • Mounting remote CIFS/NFS folders or virtual drives to a Hybrid Share folder using File Station is not supported
  • Hybrid Share folders cannot be moved to another volume once mounted on a Synology NAS
  • When modifying permissions with Windows File Explorer, "Deny" rules applied to the "Domain Admins" group are ignored
  • For more limitations regarding package integration, refer to this article

C2 Storage Web Portal

Features

  • File management
    • Access a Hybrid Share folder directly from C2 Storage
    • Download data from a Hybrid Share folder
    • Upload data to a Hybrid Share folder
    • Share data with others
    • Access data shared by others
  • Recovery point management
    • View recovery points' contents
    • Download individual files from a recovery point
    • Restore folders to a previous recovery point

Specifications

  • Synology Account and C2 Encryption Key are required to access shared data
  • Maximum single-file upload size: 16 GB
  • Maximum number of users to share a single file with: 20
  • Maximum daily downloads for a single file: 50
  • Maximum daily downloads for a single folder: 20
    • File and folder download counts are tracked separately
  • Maximum number of users to delegate a single Hybrid Share folder to: 10

Limitations

  • Restoring a Hybrid Share folder to a recovery point will:
    • Unpin all files and folders that were previously pinned in DSM > File Station
    • Lose all historical versions if the folder meets both of the following conditions:
      • It is enabled as a Team folder in Synology Drive Admin Console > Team Folder
      • Versioning function is enabled in Synology Drive Admin Console > Team Folder > Versioning
  • Maximum single-file download size is limited to 1 GB when using C2 Storage Explorer with the following browsers:
    • Safari (desktop and iOS)
    • Firefox
  • When accessing data with C2 Storage Explorer on a Linux computer:
    • Symbolic links are not displayed
    • Symbolic link information is not downloaded when downloading a folder