DiskStation Manager

DSM is a windowed operating system based on Linux. Synology custom-tailored it around novice users, but it still offers enhanced functions/abilities to cover the needs of advanced users. It makes the most of the hardware in Synology's NAS servers and is very light since it only needs a minimal amount of system resources to operate. The DSM operating system is stored across all installed disks, which allows you to boot and use the DiskStation after removing any of the hard drives. This provides some extra security since all the crucial system files are stored on every disk. Only if all fail will you lose your configuration files.


Once you log into DSM, you will see the desktop, several icons, widgets, and the taskbar. You can create shortcuts of your favorite applications on the desktop for quick and easy access—simply create a desktop shortcut by dragging the icon from the Main Menu to the desktop and remove it by right-clicking on it and picking the remove shortcut option. The "start" button revealing the main menu is located in the top-right corner, on the taskbar. Next to it are the icons of all open applications. The notification button and all notifications are on the right (you will recognize it by the exclamation mark).


Next to the notification button is the options menu. It allows you to log out of DSM or manage all user account settings. The search icon is on its right.


On the far right of the taskbar resides the pilot-view button. It gives you an instant preview of all open applications.


A widget at the right side of the desktop contains the NAS's system information. You can reveal or close the widget panel by clicking the upward/downward triangle in the bottom-right corner.


The main menu with all DSM applications and settings.

Quick Start Wizard

You will be greeted by the Quick Start Wizard the first time you start DSM—it will walk you through the a couple steps to quickly configuring the NAS. You will have to first open the Storage Manager to create single or multiple volumes. You can't create RAID 5, 6, and 10 arrays since the DS713+ can only take two HDDs, but those Raid options become available to you once you install the Synology DX513 expansion unit. The DS713+ alone only has SHR RAID, RAID 1, RAID 0, and JBOD.


The Hybrid RAID level (SHR), available through the "quick" option of the Volume Creation Wizard, is an automated RAID Management system exclusively offered by Synology. It is meant for users who do not care for and do not want to acquaint themselves with the finer aspects of various RAID setups. The SHR level of the DS713+ allows for a single disk worth of redundancy, allowing the SHR volume to suffer the loss of one out of two disks, which it has in common with RAID 1. SHR is also the best option if you plan on installing differently sized disks into the NAS, as it creates ideal partitions to exploit the full capacity of all disks. Not a single byte of disk space is left unused. More information about SHR is available here.

We also found Synology's option to skip the disk check during RAID initialization handy because it significantly accelerated RAID setup times, but you have to be sure of your disks being in good condition and without any bad sectors or your RAID will fail, which would endanger the data on those disks.


The second step of the Quick Start Wizard will prompt you to share some folders on your NAS server, which would make them available to users throughout the network. You can set the access rights for all users and groups once you create your shared folder.


The third step guides you through the process of enabling Windows, MAC, or NFS networking and introduces you to the File Station through which you can move files between your workstation and the NAS server.


The fourth step will prompt you to open the Package Manager to take a look at all available NAS packages/applications. You can install the ones you are interested in with the press of a button. Some of the more interesting packages are: Antivirus, Audio Station, Cloud Station, Download Station, Media Server, Photo Station, Surveillance Station, Time Backup, and, if you have an iPhone or an iPad, iTunes. There are many more packages available for download. You can take a look at some of the most interesting application packages here.


You will be prompted to install the Cloud Station package next; that is, if you haven't installed it already through step number four. Another relevant application for client PCs can be downloaded from the Synology Download center (the link is given by corresponding icons). You can also sync files between your mobile devices and the NAS if you install DS Cloud on your smartphone.


The final step helps you build your own cloud on the Internet, giving you to access DiskStation from anywhere in the world. Both are possible through the EZ-Internet Wizard that guides you through the entire process of setting up your Internet connection, doing the appropriate port forwarding on your router, setting up the firewall, and, finally, setting up the DDNS service to locate your NAS server IP after it changes (if you have an Internet connection with a dynamic IP like most home users).