QNAP Unveils TS-431XeU Short-Depth Rackmount 10GbE NAS

Bohs Hansen / 6 years ago

QNAP TS-431XeU Hotswap

QNAP unveils the TS-431XeU NAS which is a short-depth rackmount NAS with 10 Gigabit connectivity. The TS-431XeU features a standard 1U form factor, but it is ideal for space-constrained situations. The chassis is only 291mm deep which is quite a bit less than the average 499 of a standard 4-bay rackmount NAS.

Smaller Size for More Options

QNAP’s TS-431XeU is quite a bit smaller than the average 4-bay rackmount NAS device. It only measures 291mm in depth which is a lot less than the usual 499mm. The small size makes the TS-431XeU an excellent choice for smaller racks. At the same time, unused space can be reserved for cabling or ventilation.

QNAP TS-431XeU angle

The NAS is space-saving and suited for flexible deployment where it can be used in offices, audiovisual rooms, and for security surveillance recording. It comes with a low noise level too which is just about 20.3dBA. The cooling is handled by three 40mm system fans.

The power consumption is just as small as the noise level and physical size with a consumption of less than 13W when sleeping and less than 31W when active.

Processor and Memory

Inside QNAP’s TS-431XeU beats an AnnapurnaLabs Alpine AL-314 processor. The AL-314 is a quad-core processor with a clock speed of 1.7 GHz. There are two base models of the TS-431XeU, one with 2GB memory and one with 8GB DDR3. In both cases, 8GB is the max.

The only downside to the setup is the design with just one SO-DIMM memory slot. Depending on your type of operating, single-channel memory can have a performance impact.

QNAP TS-431XeU front

Connectivity

The TS-431XeU’s connectivity is quite nice for an entry-level device. It comes with one 10 Gigabit SFP+ port as well as two Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports. There are also four USB 3.0 ports for expansion and device connectivity.

Speaking of expansion, you can increase the available drives with expansion units. You can either connect a UX-800U-RP or UX-1200U-RP device, or both, or two UX-800U-RP units. The NAS supports up to 24 drives.

QNAP TS-431XeU rear

Operating System

QNAP’s operating systems is called QTS and version 4.3.4 is almost here. The new version will bring a great bonus for this NAS in the form of an advanced snapshot feature. This kind of feature is normally reserved for more-advanced NAS models. Snapshots form part of a complete disaster recovery plan and can help in minimizing the impact of ransomware attacks.

Other features in the TS-431XeU include support for Container Station. Container Station exclusively integrates LXC and Docker lightweight virtualization technologies, and features the QIoT Containers platform that.

The TS-431XeU is a comprehensive storage solution for data storage, backup, sharing and centralized management. It supports cross-platform file sharing over Windows, Mac and Linux/UNIX, Windows and Mac desktop/laptop backup, RTRR (Real-Time Remote Replication) with backup versioning, rsync and backup to versatile cloud storage services.

Whether you want to use it as VPN server or VPN Client to secure network access, or use the powerful Qsirch full-text search tool helps quickly find files on the NAS, the TS431XeU does it. Qsync provides multiple ways for file synchronization and group file sharing to greatly enhance collaboration of team projects. QmailAgent allows for centralizing multiple email accounts and simplifying daily email management and Surveillance Station provides a professional IP-based surveillance solution.