| Historic Updates | Date |
|---|---|
| Page updated with some further tips on using SSDs for storage and performance improvements | 13/10/2024 |
Installing the Docker Package
Before you can do the majority of the guides on this site you need to Install the Docker package for your Synology. This is available in the Package Center and depending on your DSM version will vary what it is called. (See below).
When you install the package it will automatically create a new shared folder for your configuration files called ‘docker’
Container Manager or Docker?
The version of Diskstation Manager (DSM) you have installed on your Synology will define which Package for Docker itself is available to you.
Each of my guides has the appropriate icon on its featured image, so you know if you are following the correct one for your NAS.
For DSM versions 7.1 and below the package will be called Docker and have this icon – It can be installed via Package Center.
Container Manager is the new UI for Docker on DSM7.2 and above. It received a number of improvements over the previous Docker package including the ability to use Docker Compose from the UI. It can be installed via Package Center.
Performance Recommendations
In general modern applications benefit from having a decent amount of memory available to them and also gain a massive performance boost from running off an SSD. Before starting your journey and likely addiction to Docker have a read of the below and make some purchases up front before getting to far ahead!
Memory
Synology generally includes enough memory out of the box to get basic DSM features running and file serving duties. For example the 220+ and 224+ come with a paltry 2GB of memory. (My first gaming PC I built in 2002 had 2GB of RAM!)
Once you start moving into ‘server’ duties with additional containers and packages you will hit memory limits very quickly. Even if DSM is showing X% of free memory it will begin using swap on disk and killing services when everything is competing for it. This leads to extremely poor performance!
I would recommend upgrading to an absolute minimum of 8 GB of total RAM which will give you overall improvements. If you can afford it, go higher to 16 GB or above.
I have a list of supported memory below curated by my lovely Discord users!
Solid State Storage (NVMe or SATA)
If your new NAS supports m.2 NVMe out of the box this is yet another massive boost in performance for installed packages and Docker.
Cache wise Synology allows the use of any m.2 NVMe however unless you are serving files in a business setup such as 100s of people in an office a cache is largely a waste time in a home environment.
You have two options here, either buy Synology own brand sticks or with the use of a couple of 3rd Party scripts any drives can be used.
I personally use a pair of inexpensive 1TB Crucial and Western Digital sticks in an SHR (RAID1) volume for redundancy.
If you want to go this route head over to https://github.com/007revad GitHub and to get started you will use two scripts. The first adds the drives to DSMs official list and the second will enable them to be setup using DSMs GUI.
(SATA Drives can be used directly in the NAS as a Volume, so I have not talked about them much but provides the same performance boost with no scripts)
I don’t provide step by steps on this currently as the documentation does a fairly decent job, but if you get stuck head over to Discord as a ton of us are using this method.
Synology Unofficially Supported Memory List
This list below is gathered directly from our Discord server and the /r/synology community spreadsheet! Is another great resource!
Ensure you use the exact model number and not a variant, this list is updated as new submissions come in. (Last Update 19th September 2024)
Items with a strikethrough have had mixed reports of working so not recommended.
24 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 224+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Timetec | 1x16GB 76HN26NUS1R |
| 224+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Timetec | 1x16GB 76TT26NUS2R8-16G |
| 224+ | DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 5 | Kingston | 1x16GB KCP426SD8/16 PN: 9905744-091.A00G |
23 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 923+ | DSM 7.2.2 | Virtium | 2x32GB DDR4 ECC 2133 MT/s VL41A4G66A-N6SB-S1 |
| 923+ | DSM 7.2 | Kingston | 1x16GB KSM26SED8/16HD |
| 923+ | DSM 7.1.1 | Kingston | 1x16GB 9965657-035.A00G |
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 5 | Kingston | 1x16GB KCP426SD8/16 PN: 9905744-091.A00G |
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB CT8G4SFRA266.C8FR |
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 5 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB CT8G4SFS832A |
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Timetek | 1x8GB 76HN26NUS1R |
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Timetek | 1x16GB 76TT26NUS2R8-16G |
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB 8ATF1G64HZ-3G2J1 |
CT16G4SFRA32A | |||
| 423+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB CT8G4SF824A.M8FR |
CT16G4SFRA32A.M16FR | |||
| 723+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 2x16GB CT2K16G4SFRA32A |
22 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1522+ | 7.2.2 | Kingston | 2x16GB KSM26SED8/16HD |
21 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1821+ | 7.2.2 | Kingston | 2x16GB FURY Impact PC4-25600 |
| 1821+ | 7.2 | Kingston | 2x16GB KSM26SES8/16ME |
| 1821+ | 7.2 | Crucial (Micron) | 2x16GB Kit MTA9ASF2G72HZ-3G2B2 |
| 1821+ | 7.2.1-69057 Update 4 | Team Group | 1x16GB TED416G2666C19-S01 |
| 1821+ | 7.2.1-69057 Update 4 | Timetec | 1x16GB 79TT26EUS2R8-16G |
| 1621+ | DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 1 | V-Color | 2x32GB TES432G26D819K-VC |
| RS1221+ | 7.2 | Kingston | 2x16GB KSM26SED8/16MR |
20 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1520+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x16GB Kit CT16G4SFD8266.C16FN |
| 1520+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Samsung | 1x16GB Kit M471A2K43EB1-CTD |
| 920+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial | 1x8GB Kit CT8G4SFRA266.M8FRS |
| 920+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial | 1x16GB Kit CT16G4SFD824A.C16FP |
| 920+ | DSM 7.2 | CT16G4SFRA32A | |
| 920+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial | 1x16GB CT16G4SFD8266 |
| 920+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial | 1x16GB CT16G4S266M |
| 920+ | DSM 7.2 | Samsung | 1x16GB M471A2K43CB1-CTD |
| 720+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Kingston | 1x16GB KCP432SD8/16 |
| 220+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Timetec | 1x16GB 76TT26NUS2R8-16G |
| 220+ | DSM 7.2.2 | Corsair | 1x16GB CMSX16GX4M1A2400C16 |
| 220+ | DSM 7.2 | Kingston | 1x16GB KCP426SD8/16 |
| 220+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB CT8G4SFRA266.C8FP |
| 220+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x16GB CT16G4SFD8266.M16FRS |
| 220+ | DSM 7.2.2 | Samsung | 1x16GB M471A2K43CB1-CRC |
19 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1019+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 2x8GB CT102464BF160B.C16 |
18 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 918+ | DSM 7.2 | Samsung | 1x4GB M471B5173QH0-YK0 |
| 918+ | DSM 7.2 | SK Hynix | 1x4GB D3SH56162XL10AA |
| 718+ | DSM 7.2 | Crucial (Micron) | 2x8GB CT2KIT102464BF160B |
| 218+ | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB CT102464BF160B |
16 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 416play | DSM 7.2.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 1x8GB CT102464BF160B.M16 |
15 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1815+ | DSM 7.1.1 | Crucial (Micron) | 2x8GB CT102464BF160B.M16FP |
| 1515+ | DSM 6.x | Crucial (Micron) | 2x8GB CT2KIT102464BF160B |
12 Series
| Model No | DSM Version Tested | Manufacturer | Module Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 412+ | DSM 6.x | Kingston | 1x4GB KCP313SS8/4 |
Can confirm that the CT16G4SFRA32A does NOT work in a 920+ running DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 1. Blinking blue light and no official boot.
I have a CT16G4SFRA266 on it’s way and will hope for better results.
Thanks – I wonder why it’s not working for you as had one person with a confirmed working stick – I will pop a warning/remove it from the list if It’s going to be iffy..
I didn’t research it much after a couple of failed boots.
Today the CT16G4SFRA266 arrived and that came right up on the first boot as usual. DSM reports 20gb and all is stable for now. No warnings or errors to report.
Perfect – I will keep an eye out for anyone else with issues, maybe a faulty stick? Good thing is there are a few to choose from, that extra will really make things snappy
Hi there, I used your guide years ago and it’s been working fantastic, thank you! I am currently running DSM 7.1.1-xxxx and would like to update my DSM to the latest release. Is there a documented process to update and restore functionality to all of this or will it “just work”? I’m sure that’s a loaded question however having difficulty finding info about it. Thank you very much in advance
Hey, it should just work, obviously make sure you have a backup first but the containers should carry over fine.
Thanks so much, agree backup is key! Appreciate it!
So is there real risk using unapproved RAM in a Synology NAS? I have a 923+ and there is real difference in price between what you are recommending and what is approved by Synology. I am interested in your thoughts.
The only ‘risk’ is that Synology deny support requests while the RAM is installed. Hardware wise there are none.
I have DS 224+ but added 4gb as I was told it could only do 6gb max and synology states this too
Im going to buy the 16gb stick and see, I have seen others put more ram in than 6gb and it work, I just wonder even if it shows 18gb, can it actually use the 18gb or is it just visual?
I am unsure due to conflicting reports, I will buy some anyway and see how it goes.
Heard many conflicting bits of info as well, it will 100% use all 16GB for file caching so that will provide a ton of benefit. Apps wise I have read that it’s the 6GB, however that just feels kind of weird that they could limit apps..which ever way you will get a nice speed boost for a relatively inexpensive upgrade.
I can confirm the upgrade of a additional 16GB works.
I have added a Crucial 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 SODIMM (1x16GB) (CT16G4SFD824A)
I do see it’s upgraded to 18GB now. And i have updated /etc.defaults/synoinfo.conf to 18GB.
All seems to work just fine.
can you elaborate on updating synoinfo.conf? i installed the recommended ram listed above in my 923+ and resource monitor is not detecting the new module. wondering if i got a defective stick
You shouldn’t need to update anything other than installing the module. Make sure you have seated the stick fully.
Hello I wish to join your discord but the link is invaild. Thanks
Is it the one on the left menu? Or have I missed one somewhere..
https://discord.com/invite/X2QSA2WcFW
Thanks that link worked the one in the top left just provided an invalid invite somehow