Longevity of DS1821+

[Enquiries]

Crystal ball time:

My concern is future proofing what I already have.
I have a DS1821+ with 1 x DX517 (11 disks installed). Should I invest in a second DX517 and say a E10G30-T2 (dual RJ45 10 Gigabit).
I want to preserve the "non Synology" disk support but am concerned about being orphaned by a future version of DSM.

Regards,
Mark

[ed]

Thanks for reaching out.

Your DS1821+ will continue to receive firmware and DSM updates until 2031, after which it will reach end-of-life (EOL). Once it goes EOL, migrating your drives to a newer Synology system could become problematic, especially if you continue using non-Synology drives, as future models may have stricter compatibility.

If you plan to expand now with a second DX517 and the E10G30-T2 10GbE card, that’s a solid way to future-proof your setup. At the same time, you might consider starting to introduce Synology-branded drives gradually—this will make any eventual migration into the Synology ecosystem smoother.

Alternatively, when the time comes to upgrade, you could also consider switching to a QNAP or another NAS brand that supports mixed drives more flexibly.

In summary, your plan to expand now is good, but keep in mind the long-term drive compatibility and firmware support when planning your migration path.