Conclusion
The Synology DiskStation DS3612xs is a very powerful NAS. The hardware looks great and it comes with the DSM 4.0 NAS operating system. It's not only user-friendly but comes with tons of features. Of course the ease of use is a strong point, but we want to emphasise how versatile this NAS really is. It comes closer to being a complete and compact company server than just a NAS, that is also very simple install.
The performance is excellent, but you can tell that it's really worth it to use multiple network connections. In that regard this model is better than its smaller sibling, the DiskStation DS2411+ that just has two gigabit connections. The DS3612xs has four gigabit ports, and has the option for a 10 Gbit adapter as well. It's a bit of a shame that you're limited to four USB 2.0 ports, we would have liked to see a couple USB 3.0 and an eSATA connection as well. You do have the possibility to expand to 36 disks with the additional disk case.
Looking at real-life scenarios, this NAS is perfectly able to deliver enough bandwidth over its ports. The low noise production of the 12-disk NAS is an impressive feat as well, so you can definitely use this device in normal office environments.
The only real drawback is really its price. If you compare it to the DS2411+ then it's not that cheap. So it's a good choice if you really need this type of performance. Compared to other NAS devices in the same class, the price suddenly sounds much better. That is also why the Synology DS3612xs earns the Hardware.Info Bronze Award. The Synology DiskStation DS3612xs comes with three years factory warranty.
Synology DiskStation DS3612xs
