If your Synology, QNAP or Asustor NAS has 2 network ports, it is possible to speed up transfers thanks to thelink approval or to SMB Multichannel. These are 2 different technologies, which aim to accelerate the throughput of your products. However, they are not without constraints. First, we will detail the 2 features in this first part, then we will see how to take advantage of them on your NAS in a second part.
Speed up your NAS
There are several solutions to accelerate the speeds of your NAS. The first one we are going to scan, because it is not the subject of this folder, is if your NAS has a free PCIe slot. It is then possible to buy and install a 2.5 Gb/s or 10 Gb/s card (or more). However, to take full advantage of these speeds, the entire hardware chain must be up to date: computer, network card, switch and cables (10 Gb/s and more). This can quickly become very expensive. Link aggregation and SMB Multichannel have several advantages, including little or no expense. As mentioned in the introduction, these technologies are aimed at those who have at least two network ports on the back of their NAS.
As a reminder, the notion of Multi-Gig means that you will be able to exceed 1 Gb/s: 2 Gb/s, 2.5 Gb/s, 5 Gb/s, 10 Gb/s…
Link aggregation and NAS, the wrong good idea?
The first and oldest solution is link aggregation. In theory, this will actually speed up throughputs. You plug 2 network cables into your compatible managed switch and put them together virtually. The first constraint is that you will need a switch (network switch) that is manageable and compatible with LACP (acronym for Link Aggregation Control Protocol).
If you do not have an administration interface for your swtich, then there is a 99% chance that the latter will not be able to do link aggregation. This feature is found on business products. In theory, you have 2*1 Gb/s = 2 Gb/s… in theory, because in practice that’s not quite true. First of all, the speeds will be dependent on your hardware and its capabilities. But the most annoying thing is that to take advantage of it, you will need 2 devices. So it’s not 2 Gb/s that you’ll get on a workstation, but up to 1 Gb/s on one computer and up to 1 Gb/s on another. If it is appreciable in business, it loses interest at home with a single PC or Mac.
Link Aggregation and NAS Synology
Benefits : There is little investment and you can take full advantage of improved throughput from 2 workstations.
Disadvantages : You need a compatible switch (minimum 90€) and only one computer will not benefit from improvements.
SMB Multichannel and NAS, the miracle solution?
A new solution has appeared more recently: SMB Multichannel. The latter mixes 2 constraints: having recent and compatible hardware, a relatively powerful processor and an up-to-date operating system. If your hardware is less than 10 years old, then there should be no problem. On the application side, you need a up-to-date operating system (Linux, macOS and Windows). Indeed, SMB Multichannel requires having SMBv3. We will forget computers with Windows 7 (and previous) or even macOS Catalina (and previous). Here, it is not necessary to change the network cable or switch. It will take 2 network ports on the NAS or more, and 2 network ports on the PC (unless the latter has a Multi-Gig card). Yes, because you have to choose, for example:
- 2 network cables plugged in on either side (2 on the NAS and 2 on the computer);
- 2 cables on the NAS and only 1 on the PC (Multi-Gig network card and Multi-Gig switch);
- 1 cable on the NAS (if Multi-Gig) and 2 network cables on the PC.
The SMB Multichannel solution is very flexible and works in many configurations. Note that the latter also works with 2 different network cards on a PC (eg: 1 2.5 Gb/s network card and 1 1 Gb/s network card). The solution will be able to combine the 2. It is also possible to activate it with 2* 2.5 Gb/s network ports or more. The system takes care of gathering the ports and managing them for you. According to some, it would be possible to take advantage of improving speeds thanks to 1 network port and WiFi. Our tests did not reveal a noticeable improvement.
Synology et SMB Multichannel
Benefits : If your hardware is recent and compatible, you don’t have to pay any fees.
Disadvantages : You need 2 network ports available on the computer or a Multi-Gig network card (and therefore a compatible switch).
Conclusion
Here are 2 technologies allowing you to take advantage of speeds higher than the traditional 1 Gb/s. Thanks to two network ports, you will considerably speed up your transfers, provided you have compatible equipment or following some expense.
If you are in business with several workstations, you have certainly already activated link aggregation on your NAS and compatible switch. It allows you to enjoy better throughput overall. Be careful to have activated LACP mode (or IEEE 802.3ad) on your NAS and the switch by combining 2 network ports.
The SMB Multichannel will suit individuals and professionals. The investment may be from 0€, to several hundred depending on the needs. Multichannel SMB is not limited to 2*1 Gb/s but it is possible to apply it with 2* 2.5 Gb/s or even 2* 10 Gb/s with compatible hardware. It can also benefit those who have more network ports (no limit to 2).
