Synology significantly relaxes its very strict HDD compatibility requirements with the launch of DSM 7.3. The major update for the NAS operating system also brings other improvements.
Synology launches its third major update for NAS operating system DSM. DSM 7.3 brings various improvements, but one change stands out. The NAS specialist is rolling back the strong restrictions on the use of third-party HDDs.
About a year ago, Synology introduced strict compatibility requirements regarding the use of hard drives in new devices from (semi-)professional series. These effectively meant that you could only use Synology’s own HDDs. Even specialized NAS drives like the Seagate Ironwolf and WD Red drives were excluded.
Reliability vs. Flexibility
Although Synology claims that using their own drives has reduced the number of support tickets with critical HDD problems by 40 percent, the company is now meeting customer demands for more freedom. For the Value, J, and crucially also the Plus models, it will once again be possible to install so-called unverified HDDs without DSM serving you major warnings. DSM 7.3 does not impose restrictions on creating storage pools with such drives.
Moreover, Synology is working with drive manufacturers to expand the list of certified media. While there are no specific names or deadlines mentioned, you can assume that you’ll be able to use NAS drives from major manufacturers again without much hassle. However, Synology itself continues to emphasize that choosing Synology HDDs brings more security.
“Ultimately, we still recommend users to opt for data protection to get the best performance and security with our devices,” says Ivan Gento Pariente, Regional Marketing Manager for Synology Southern Europe and Benelux, to ITdaily. “We are convinced that this balanced approach offers both stability and freedom of choice, which our consumers greatly appreciate.”
Synology Data Tiering
Of course, DSM 7.3 brings more than just a scaled-back HDD restriction. With the update, Synology introduces
Frequently used (hot) data remains on faster storage media such as SSDs, while less active (cold) data is moved to classic and slower disks. Users can set their own data tiering policies based on their needs.
Office and AI
With DSM 7.3, Synology continues to focus on its Office suite. Synology Drive gets additional features such as shared labels, improved file access, and file locking. MailPlus expands security through email moderation and introduces domain partitioning for shared user identities within distributed IT environments.
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The previously launched AI Console has now been installed on more than 430,000 systems. DSM 7.3 adds the ability to locally filter and mask sensitive data before sharing it with external AI services. Synology aims to ensure that customers can use cloud AI services without compromising on data privacy.
Additionally, support for all OpenAI-compatible APIs is planned for future updates. This will allow organizations to connect their own AI infrastructure to Synology systems without data loss or security risks.
Security and Availability
Synology also highlights security. In terms of security, DSM 7.3 builds on the more than 50 security updates that appeared over the past year. In the latest version, threats are now prioritized using internationally recognized risk measurements such as KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities), EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System), and LEV (Local Exploitability Value). This should help in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities more quickly.
Synology makes DSM 7.3 available immediately. You can install the update right away on compatible NAS systems. Note that with the installation of DSM 7.3, some compatibility is lost. DSM 7.3 no longer works with Node.js v14, Node.js v16, PHP7.3, PHP7.4, and PHP8.0. Applications such as the Active Back-up apps, Hyper Back-Up, Log Center, Drive, Mail Server, Photos, and others need to be updated manually.