Synology DiskStation Manager 5.2 Beta Released

by Lyle Smith March 12, 2015

written by Lyle Smith March 12, 2015

Synology has announced the beta release of DiskStation Manager (DSM) 5.2, the latest version of their powerful NAS operating system. Specifically designed to make management of private clouds more effective, secure, and intuitive, this new version adds new functionalities and updates under-the-hood.

New DSM 5.2 features include:

Streamlined application deployment and higher productivity:

The Docker has now been integrated with DSM, which allows developers to ship, and users to run, a large number of applications on a Synology NAS with the least amount of time and resources needed.
SSO Server allows users gain access to all services in the same domain using only one single log-in.
File Station now can be connected with public clouds, allowing users to browse and manage files without using bandwidth.

Faster, more customizable cloud syncing with encryption:

The smart polling technology significantly increases Cloud Station’s performance all the while reducing network traffic and server overhead.
The number of file versions is now customizable for each shared folder.
In addition to being compatible with more Amazon S3 and WebDAV storage, users can now set up one-way sync (even encrypt the data before uploading it to public clouds), which immediately turns them to offsite backup destinations without forfeiting data privacy.

File-based backup restoration and smart version control:

DSM’s new file browsing feature gives users the ability to restore a single file, instead of an entire shared folder, from past backups.
Users can now also automatically rotate old backup data or iSCSI LUN snapshots when designated quota has been met or even benefit from the Smart Recycle policy, the latter which helps users minimize storage consumption all the while still maintaining enough flexibility for point-in-time recovery.

Portable task manager and refined multimedia experience:

Synology’s new Web Clipper and the to-do-list-turned-task-manager, as well as the Note Station and DS note, users can now capture content from the web and then organize action points according to your schedule.
The new “preview” feature gives users a sneak peek of what’s being downloaded, which helps to save time and bandwidth from misleading torrents.
Cue file support in Audio Station enables switching between high-quality CD tracks at will.
The support of Chromecast and DLNA TVs in DS photo allows users to display photos on the big screen.

AppArmor and SMB 3 encryption to strengthen security further:

AppArmor now reaches to profiles for packages to effectively restrict malicious software from accessing unauthorized system resources.
With the support of SMB 3 encryption enables, Synology NASs can secure file transfers to Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. As a result, this reduces the possibility of tampering and eavesdropping when data moves across a company’s network.