QNAP TS-364 NAS Server Review

We present a complete review of the QNAP TS-364 server , a really interesting NAS because it incorporates three bays to house hard drives inside, ideal for configuring a RAID 5 and providing the best read and write speed, as well as data protection. data in case one of the three hard drives fails. This model has renewed hardware with a powerful Intel processor and Multigigabit connectivity to get the most out of it. If you want to know all the secrets of this NAS server, then you can read our complete analysis.

Index

• Main features
  • Processor and RAM
  • Storage
  • connectivity
  • Other features
  • Operating system
• External analysis
• Test laboratory
  • LAN performance tests
  • HDD performance tests in RAID 5 without SSD cache
  • HDD performance tests in RAID 5 + NVMe SSD cache in RAID 1
  • USB 3.2 performance tests with FileStation
  • Other tests
• QTS operating system
• Last conclusions
  • Strengths
  • Weak points

Main features

The manufacturer QNAP is one of the few that have NAS servers with 3 bays for hard drives, the minimum to mount a RAID 5 without the need for extra storage bays. In the past, the manufacturer has already launched several models with this same number of bays, in fact, they are physically the same as this TS-364, but this new model incorporates very powerful hardware capable of moving complete virtual machines without problems and much more.

Processor and RAM

The main processor of this NAS is the Intel Celeron N5105 . The main characteristics of this processor is that it has four cores (Quad-Core) at a speed of 2.0GHz, however, it can work in Turbo mode up to a speed of 2.9GHz for tasks that require more power. This processor incorporates all the necessary features for it to work perfectly:

• AES-NI hardware encryption acceleration : this function allows us to speed up the file transfer when we have an encrypted volume, in this way, reading and writing will be as fast as if they were not encrypted. This feature also allows us to transfer data at high speed when we are using protocols such as FTPES, SFTP and even if we use the VPN server integrated in the equipment. We must also take into account that we can use
• Hardware video transcoding: this processor has an integrated Intel UHD Graphics graphics card, this will allow us to perform hardware video transcoding to make the most of the potential of programs such as Plex Media Server, and that is that we will be able to do the transcoding in real time. real without the processor putting 100% in this process. Having a GPU, we also have an HDMI 1.4b 4K output to connect a TV or monitor.

The RAM that this server has is a 4GB DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM module , however, it can be expanded up to 16GB with two 8GB DDR4 SO-DIMM modules. Thanks to the fact that we have a maximum capacity of up to 16GB of RAM, we will have the possibility of virtualizing complete operating systems, using containers with Docker and Kata Containers and much more, since the processor is powerful enough to support all this burden.

Storage

The storage of this NAS is very complete. The first thing is that we have 3 bays to house 3.5” hard drives and with a SATA3 data interface at 6Gbps. In these bays we can also install 2.5″ hard drives or 2.5″ SSD drives as long as we buy the 2.5″ drive tray base, which is sold separately as an option. If we do not have this base we will not be able to directly install this type of 2.5″ hard drives or SSDs, the tray is mandatory. If we decide to install SSD drives we will be able to use them as a storage pool, as Qtier and also as SSD cache acceleration.

This model also incorporates two M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs, it has a total of two M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x2 slots to use as SSD cache or to use as an all-SSD storage array. Thanks to these two slots, we will be able to greatly speed up the global reading and writing of the NAS server. In the event that you use virtualization of operating systems, you could configure these two slots in a RAID 1 of NVMe SSD to achieve the best possible performance in those virtual machines, the same would happen if you decide to put there the volumes of the Docker or Kata that we configure .

connectivity

This QNAP model is oriented for both home and office environments, so we are going to have truly complete connectivity. The connectivity of the TS-364 is as follows:

• 1 2.5G Multigigabit port, supports 9K Jumbo Frames optionally.
• 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-A ports
• 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port at 5Gbps type A.
• HDMI 1.4b output with a resolution of 4K at 30Hz.

Thanks to the ultra-fast USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports we will be able to make really fast backups, we can connect an external hard drive or an external SSD and save all the information inside the NAS, although we could also save data from inside the NAS to external storage for backup.

This TS-364 does not have any available PCIe slots to expand the capabilities of the NAS server. If it had a PCIe port we could install a QM2 card from the manufacturer for more NVMe or SATA storage with SSD, we could also have more USB ports and we could even install a 10Gbps network card to have the best possible performance. Taking into account that we only have a 2.5G Multigigabit port for connection to the local network, in the performance tests we will see how we have a bottleneck in wired connectivity.

Other features

This NAS server has dimensions of 142mm high, 150mm wide and 260mm deep with a net weight of 1.64Kg. The power consumption at full capacity is around 30W, a very low value considering that what consumes the most are the 3 hard drives that we are going to be able to install in the computer.

This model has a single 92mm rear fan to extract hot air from inside the computer, finally, it incorporates a Kensington connector to prevent theft. On the front of the NAS we have the button to turn the equipment on and off, we also have the USB copy button to make backup copies quickly. Finally, on the back we have the RESET button to restore the NAS server to factory settings.

Operating system

The operating system incorporated in this NAS server is QTS 5.0, a very important detail is that we do not have compatibility with the popular QuTS hero 5.0 operating system, which incorporates the ZFS file system. This model only supports QTS which uses the Linux EXT4 file system. Of course, the QTS 5.0 incorporated in this model has absolutely all the usual configuration options and possibilities, we will be able to install all the software that we want through the App Center, we will also be able to install Virtualization Station to virtualize operating systems complete, Container Station to use Docker and Kata containers for light virtualization, and we can even install QVR Pro to centralize the visualization and administration of all the IP cameras that we have at home.

QNAP’s QTS operating system is one of the most comprehensive operating systems available today, with almost endless possibilities in terms of configuration options, multimedia, video surveillance, and much more.

Now that you know the main features of this NAS, let’s see how it is externally.

External analysis

This new NAS server comes in the typical QNAP manufacturer’s cardboard box, with a sticker that will tell us exactly what model it is and also what its main technical specifications are. In this sticker we can see the number of internal bays of the NAS, the main processor, the maximum RAM memory, the M.2 NVMe SSD slots and also the connectivity and more. This equipment is perfectly protected by a protective plastic to avoid any possible scratches when transporting it.

Inside the box of all the accessories of this equipment we have:

• Current transformer with 12V and 5.41A to provide us with a power of up to 65W.
• Power cable with shucko connector on one side, and three-pin connector on the other.
• Cat5e Ethernet network cable with four pairs of wires.
• Spare parts to place the hard drives inside the NAS bays.
• Limited Product Warranty
• Product warranty extension.

In the following gallery you can see in detail everything included in the box of this QNAP TS-364 server

This server looks the same as the other 3-bay models from the manufacturer QNAP, however, what changes is the component part, and this model has really powerful hardware to deal with any task, such as virtualization full range of operating systems or use Docker. On the front is where we will find all the equipment status LEDs, from top to bottom we find the NAS general status LED, LAN status, USB ports, status of the three hard drive bays and finally the status of the two M.2 NVMe ports.

In the lower left area we find the power button of the server, as well as the USB 3.2 Gen 1 port at 5Gbps (the typical USB 3.0) and also the fast copy button from this USB port to the storage space inside the NAS . Thanks to this easily accessible port we will be able to configure backup copies of external hard drives via USB within the NAS server.

On the right side we can see a sticker with the necessary data to start up the NAS server and configure it correctly. On the left side we do not find any port, sticker or anything else, nor ventilation grilles so that the internal components are properly cooled.

In the back is where we will find all the ports and buttons of the server. The first thing that catches our attention is the large fan to evacuate the hot air from inside, we will also find the RESET button that we have in the upper right part, and even the Kensington connector in the lower left part to avoid possible robberies. As for the connections, we have the 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports at 10Gbps speed, the 2.5G Multigigabit port for the local network, we also have an HDMI 1.4b port to play 4K content on the TV or monitor, and finally in the lower right part we have the power connector of the server.

As you can see, this NAS is really complete in terms of connections and internal storage, however, we miss the addition of an additional 2.5G Multigigabit port, not only to do a Link Aggregation and have up to 5Gbps speed in reading and writing, but it would have given the NAS greater versatility at the network level.

In order to access the hard drive bays it is absolutely necessary to remove the case from the equipment, we must remove a total of 3 screws from the back to slide the case and be able to remove it correctly. Once we have done it, we will be able to access the bays for internal hard drives and proceed with their installation. When disassembling it, we can also see the main processor heatsink, the installed DDR4 RAM memory and even the fan that we have to extract the hot air from its interior.

If we look at the motherboard, we will be able to see one of the M.2 NVMe slots that we have just below the 3.5” bays, the other M.2 NVMe slot for we have right next to the RAM memory DDR4 installed on this server. In our performance tests we have used a Kingston DC1000B as M.2 NVMe drives to perform all tests using it as SSD cache.

Regarding the hard drives, we are going to use a Seagate IronWolf with a capacity of 4TB each, the configuration that we will use will be the typical RAID 5 within the QTS 5.0 operating system. In the following images you can see how the different disks would look on our NAS:

Now that you know what this new QNAP TS-364 NAS server is like, let’s see the real performance that we have achieved in the speed tests, both for reading and writing.

Test laboratory

This QNAP TS-364 NAS server is a very powerful piece of equipment, so we used our main testing equipment to avoid any kind of bottleneck. Next, you can see the main hardware of this computer:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X.
• RAM: 32GB RAM DDR4 3200MHz.
• Storage: Samsung 970 Pro NVMe SSD.
• Network connectivity: ASUS XG-C100C at 10Gbps.
• Operating system used in the tests: Windows 10 latest version.

The switch we have used to connect the NAS and PC to the local network, and proceed with all the performance tests, is the high-performance QNAP QSW-M408-4C managed switch , and Cat 8 cabling for the best possible performance. .

Now that you know how the hardware used is, we are going to see the results of all the performance tests carried out.

LAN performance tests

In this performance test we have used the iperf 3 tool on Windows and for the QNAP NAS, all the network is 10Gbps except the NAS which is 2.5G Multigigabit. We have used Jumbo Frames at 9K on the network cards, both in Windows and on the server.

In this first test we have used client PC as “iPerf 3 client”, and QNAP server as “iPerf3 server”, iperf 3 application on NAS is installed natively, no virtualization. In this test we will check the “upload” performance, from the PC to the NAS server. We have carried out two tests, one gives us values ​​in Gbps and the other test in MB/s, so that you can see below that the reading speed of the server is limited by the network interface.

In the case of doing a reverse test, where the NAS is connected to the PC, the speed that we have obtained is exactly the same, something expected because generally we will always have the same download and upload speed.

As you can see, we have achieved the expected performance of 2.45Gbps in this speed test with the 2.5G Multigigabit server, however, the processor of this NAS could still give more of itself if it had a 10Gbps card. because the CPU consumption has hardly increased, it is clear that the Intel Celeron N5105 processor is really powerful.

HDD performance tests in RAID 5 without SSD cache

In this performance test we have used three 4TB Seagate Ironwolf hard drives configured in RAID 5 and without SSD cache . Having a total of three disks we have different possibilities when configuring the RAID, such as JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 5, but we have chosen one of the most used for carrying out these tests, RAID 5 .

Buy Seagate Ironwolf 4TB

buy it at

EUR

121,73

The following speeds are with the data volume without data encryption.

Samba speed test:

• Read (NAS to PC): 267MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 90MB/s

FTP speed test

• Read (NAS to PC): 270MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 93MB/s

FTPES speed test

• Read (NAS to PC): 262MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 87MB/s

SFTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 256MB/s
• Writing (PC to NAS): 126MB/s

The reading performance is excellent, reaching almost the maximum speed of the interface, however, the writing performance is remarkable, but this speed will increase enormously when we use NVMe SSD cache, which is what it is for.

The results achieved with CrystalDiskMark 7 are as follows:

In the case of using a volume with data encryption, the speeds we have achieved are the following:

Samba speed test:

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 210MB/s
• Writing (PC to NAS): 86MB/s

FTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 209MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 87MB/s

FTPES speed test

• Read (NAS to PC): 206MB/s
• Writing (PC to NAS): 86MB/s

SFTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 200MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 98MB/s

The results achieved with CrystalDiskMark 7 are as follows:

As you have seen, there is hardly any loss of speed in reading and writing if we use data encryption, therefore, we recommend that you have it activated to protect the confidentiality of the data.

HDD performance tests in RAID 5 + NVMe SSD cache in RAID 1

In this performance test we have used three Seagate IronWolf 4TB hard drives configured in RAID 5 . We have used the two Kingston DC1000B SSDs as SSD cache to accelerate the overall read and/or write performance of the NAS. The SSD cache configuration wizard will allow us to configure a RAID 0 for reading or a RAID 1 for reading/writing. In addition, we also have the possibility to speed up only the random I/O or all of them. The configuration made is to put the SSD cache as RAID 1, with read/write and for all I/O.

The following speeds are with the data volume without data encryption.

Samba speed test:

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 295MB/s
• Escritura (PC a NAS): 195MB/s

FTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 295MB/s
• Escritura (PC a NAS): 195MB/s

FTPES speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 295MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 178MB/s

SFTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 292MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 164MB/s

The results achieved with CrystalDiskMark 7 are as follows:

In the case of using a dataset with data encryption, the speeds we have achieved are the following:

Samba speed test:

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 295MB/s
• Writing (PC to NAS): 130MB/s

FTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 295MB/s
• Writing (PC to NAS): 130MB/s

FTPES speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 295MB/s
• Writing (PC to NAS): 120MB/s

SFTP speed test

• Lectura (NAS a PC): 292MB/s
• Write (PC to NAS): 113MB/s

The results achieved with CrystalDiskMark 7 are as follows:

As you have seen, if we use SSD cache we will gain a lot of speed in writing, in the case of reading in many cases we find that the limitation is the 2.5Gbps connection that we have on the server, so we can not do anything. The SSD cache also improves the performance of the CrystalDiskMark test in the third write test, so it will always be worth using.

USB 3.2 performance tests with FileStation

Another test that we have carried out is reading and writing with the USB ports that this server incorporates. We have two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, so we’ve tested performance on both. In these tests we have used an ASUS ROG Strix ARION and an M.2 NVMe SSD with the aim of not having any kind of bottleneck.

The internal storage of the NAS that we have configured is a storage pool with the two NVMe SSDs inside, to rule out any possible bottleneck in the writing of the storage pool, which would affect the USB read tests.

Speed ​​tests on USB 3.2 Gen 2 port at 10Gbps type A:

• Read: 460MB/s (SSD to NAS)
• Write: 830MB/s (SSD to NAS)

Speed ​​tests on USB 3.2 Gen 1 port at 5Gbps type A:

• Read: 287MB/s (SSD to NAS)
• Write: 404MB/s (SSD to NAS)

As you have seen, we have a very high speed, reaching almost the theoretical 10Gbps writing speed promised in the first case, a really high speed to achieve 830MB/s in writing. Regarding reading, the maximum achieved has been 460MB/s, a speed that is also really good.

Other tests

Other tests we have done with this NAS is to use Virtualization Station to virtualize both Windows and Linux operating systems. In the first case, the operation is good but the RAM memory will be quite fair, so it is not completely smooth because we can only provide 2GB of RAM for its operation. In the case of Debian, the operation has been optimal with this amount of RAM, however, if you are going to virtualize operating systems, it is almost mandatory to have 8GB of RAM and even directly 16GB DDR4, since they are not that expensive nowadays RAM modules. Regarding Container Station with Docker, the operation has been perfect at all times, because its processor is really powerful and we will be able to deploy different containers with Docker-compose very quickly.

The processor of this NAS is an Intel Celeron N5105 so we have the integrated GPU, in this case, the operation of the Plex Media Server has been perfect in all the Full HD and also 4K content playback tests, so it is a great news for lovers of multimedia content. By having hardware transcoding, the CPU does not go to 95% at any time as it happens with other QNAP models that do not incorporate this feature.

Finally, this model allows you to connect it to a TV or monitor with resolutions of up to 4K thanks to its HDMI 1.4b, in this case we will have the same options as always, in this aspect nothing has changed.

QTS operating system

The QTS 5.0 operating system on this QNAP NAS server is exactly the same as ever. We have the same default applications installed, the same graphical user interface and the same default settings as always, in this case nothing has changed. In the main menu we will be able to access the main configuration options, such as the control panel, File Station, the storage and snapshot menu, and even the App Center to install all the additional software that we want.

In the “Control Panel” section we will be able to configure each and every one of the server parameters, we will have direct access to all the submenus, the possibility of configuring the Samba server, different services that we have installed by default, access via SSH o Telnet to the NAS and much more. At the top we can see both the firmware version (QTS 5.0 operating system) as well as the processor used, the serial number and even the RAM memory.

In this NAS we have installed a total of 3 Seagate ironwolf 4TB HDDs in a RAID 5 configuration, in addition, we have also installed 2 Kingston DC1000B NVMe M.2 SSDs to use as SSD cache and main storage array in RAID 0 ( to test high-performance USB ports).

In the “Storage and snapshots” section we can see the typical step-by-step configuration wizard to create a storage pool. In our case, we have chosen RAID 5 to have the best reading speed and the certainty that, if a hard drive crashes, we will be able to recover all our files.

Regarding the volumes that we have created, we have a first system volume of 100GB, and then two test volumes with data encryption and without data encryption, to carry out the different performance tests that you have seen previously.

As for SSD cache acceleration, we used the two SSDs in RAID 1 configuration for both read and write caching. Also, we have cached all files and not just for random I/O. In the following gallery you can see all the configuration we have made.

In the “Cache acceleration” section you can see that it is already at full capacity and working for all I/O, as we have explained. Setting up SSD cache acceleration will take a couple of minutes, and it will greatly improve the overall read and write speed of the NAS, however, if you are going to use virtual machines or Docker, we recommend that you set it as a storage pool. home where you host this.

In the “Control Panel” section we will see all the usual administration options, both for the system, user and group privileges, network services, and other applications that we have installed by default on the NAS.

Of course, in the “App Center” section we will have all the applications available to install on our NAS server, in case you need even more software, you can always use Virtualization Station to virtualize complete operating systems, or you can install Container Station to use Docker or Kata Containers. Another option is to directly install the application downloaded from the Internet.

So far we have arrived with our complete analysis of the QNAP TS-364 server, a really interesting high-performance equipment because it has 3 bays for hard drives, which will allow us to form a RAID 5, in addition, we can install M.2 NVMe units for further speed up the read and write speed of the server.

Last conclusions

This QNAP TS-364 NAS server is one of the most interesting models that we have tested because it has the minimum number of bays to form a RAID 5, that is, we have 3 bays to house hard drives inside and enjoy the performance of this type of RAID as well as the data security it provides. The operating system is QTS 5.0, so we have the popular EXT4 file system that we all know, however, this model does not allow the installation of QuTS hero and enjoy the ZFS file system with all that it implies. Only the highest-end NAS servers allow the installation of either operating system.

The hardware of this NAS is mid-high range, incorporating a powerful Intel Celeron N5105 Quad-Core processor at 2.0GHz and up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, so the performance you are going to have is outstanding, as we have seen us in our test lab. This equipment has a very complete storage, and we have 3 bays for 3.5” hard drives plus 2 M.2 NVMe slots, so we can have SSD cache acceleration without any problem. In the speed tests you have been able to see that the SSD cache acceleration makes a difference in terms of writing speed, making use of Samba, FTP, FTPES and SFTP, since it is clearly superior to not using the cache.

The only hardware handicap that we find is that we only have a 2.5G Multigigabit port, and we do not have 2 ports or a 10Gbps port, therefore, we will have a bottleneck in the data interface. In addition, this model does not allow to install a PCIe card, so we cannot buy a 10G network card and increase the speed of the local network enormously. The USB ports that we have in this model are 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 and another USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, both with outstanding reading and excellent writing performance, so if you are going to use these USB ports intensively, you are going to to be able to do it with a really high speed.

As for the QTS 5.0 operating system, it is the most complete and advanced QNAP operating system to date, with a large number of default features and also a large number of software that you will be able to install through the App Center and also with containers of Docker, so you will have great versatility.

The price of this NAS server is around €500 approximately, it may seem a high price for a three-bay NAS, but we must take into account its technical specifications and the real performance that we have achieved in the tests. In addition, the performance achieved is excellent overall.

Strengths

• The NAS box has good materials, although the finish is always plastic, both in the box and in the internal bays.
• At the hardware level, it is a mid-high-end device, it is appreciated that it has such a powerful and versatile Intel Celeron N5105 processor, in addition, having up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM is a point in favor for operating system virtualization tasks.
• It has 3 bays for 3.5″ hard drives, as well as 2 M.2 NVMe slots for SSD cache.
• Includes 1 2.5GbE ports for the LAN.
• Excellent performance both in reading and writing, whether in Samba, FTP, FTPES and SFTP, and even if the shared data folder is encrypted or not, since the processor has AES-NI.
• Excellent performance in writing of the USB 3.2 Gen 2 type A port, in reading we have an outstanding performance.
• Excellent performance in writing of the USB 3.2 Gen 1 type A port, in reading we have an outstanding performance.
• QTS 5.0 operating system, with all the configuration options, possibilities to install additional software and much more. The operating system allows you to install additional software through the App Center, for example, we can have Container Station to use Docker, Virtualization Station and many other programs to squeeze the most out of the hardware.
• Free applications for mobile devices that will allow us to carry out any action, they are very intuitive and with a very renewed and intuitive design.
• The fan of this computer is very quiet, the cooling of the internal components is optimal and the disks do not get too hot.
• Price: outstanding, worth about €500 VAT included.

Weak points

• It does not have 10G Multigigabit ports nor does it allow its installation as it does not have PCIe ports available.
• The 2.5G Multigigabit port is a bottleneck, we could have a better reading performance with this NAS.
• It does not allow to install the QuTS hero operating system.

This QNAP TS-364 is ideal for demanding home environments and even also for small and medium-sized offices, where we need a lot of storage capacity and power. If we take into account the technical characteristics, the performance achieved and the price of the equipment, the final evaluation of RedesZone is 9/10 and is as follows:

We hope you liked the analysis, if you have any questions you can leave us a comment.

QNAP TS-364

The best

• Excellent read and write performance with HDDs and SSD cache.
• Excellent read performance and remarkable write performance without the SSD cache.
• The two M.2 NVMe are essential for SSD cache or storage pool.
• Excellent performance with the USB 3.2 Gen 2 port at 10Gbps in writing, and outstanding in reading.
• Excellent performance with the USB 3.2 Gen 1 port at 5Gbps, and excellent reading.
• QTS 5.0 operating system as complete as ever
• Outstanding value for money: 500 euros.

Worst

• We do not have the possibility of expansion with PCIe.
• Bottleneck with the 2.5G Multigigabit port, it should be 10G.
• It is not allowed to install QuTS hero to have ZFS.

NAS performance

9

USB 3.0 performance

9

Configuration options

9.5

Easy to use

9.5

Precio

9

OVERALL SCORE