How to migrate from one Synology NAS to another

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Synology makes some excellent Network Attached Storage (NAS) solutions, and migrating between models has always been relatively easy. As long as you didn't mismatch series, you could transfer everything to a new NAS. With Migration Assistant, Synology has made migrating from one brand of NAS to another a breeze. All you need to do is read through this guide and follow a few steps, and you'll be up and running in no time.



The migration assistant takes care of everything

Screenshot of Synology DSM 7 Migration Assistant package center

Synology offers the Migration Assistant app that allows you to move files, configurations, apps, and other data to another Synology NAS. If you have a supported NAS and want to use new drives, you can use Migration Assistant to easily complete the transfer with minimal downtime. Migration Assistant works with the following Synology NAS:

  • FS series:FS6400, FS3600, FS3410, FS3400, FS3017, FS2500, FS2017, FS1018
  • SA series:SA6400, SA3610, SA3600, SA3410, SA3400D, SA3400, SA3200D
  • 24 series:DS224+
  • 23 series:RS2423RP+, RS2423+, DS1823xs+, DS923+, DS723+, DS423+
  • 22 series:RS822RP+, RS822+, RS422+, DS3622xs+, DS2422+, DS1522+

  • 21 series:RS4021xs+, RS3621xs+, RS3621RPxs, RS2821RP+, RS2421RP+, RS2421+, RS1221RP+, RS1221+, DS1821+, DS1621xs+, DS1621+
  • 20 series:RS820RP+, RS820+, DS1520+, DS920+, DS720+, DS620slim, DS420+, DS220+
  • 19 series:RS1619xs+, RS1219+, DS2419+II, DS2419+, DS1819+, DS1019+
  • 18 series:RS3618xs, RS2818RP+, RS2418RP+, RS2418+, RS818RP+, RS818+, DS3018xs, DS1618+, DS918+, DS718+, DS418play, DS218+
  • 17 series:RS18017xs+, RS4017xs+, RS3617xs+, RS3617RPxs, RS3617xs, DS3617xsII, DS3617xs, DS1817+, DS1817, DS1517+, DS1517
  • 16 series:RS18016xs+, RS2416RP+, RS2416+, DS916+, DS716+II, DS716+, DS416play, DS216+II, DS216+


With this in mind, you need to do the following:

  1. Contact your new Synology NAS.
  2. Open Package Manager.
  3. Install Migration Assistant.
  4. Open Migration Assistant.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Enter your old Synology NAS IP address, administrator account and password.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Click Apply.
  9. Click Continue.
  10. Enter the administrator password for the new Synology NAS.
  11. Click Submit.

The migration process will now begin and transfer everything from your old NAS to the new one. After the system phase is complete, the wizard will ask you how you want to handle the services on the old Synology NAS. You can leave all services running for a manual transfer later, or disable them all for an immediate transfer. Once the process is fully completed, you can shut down the old NAS and continue using the new one.


How to manually move to a new Synology NAS

DSM configuration backup screen on a Synology NAS

Switching to a new Synology NAS without Migration Assistant is also quite straightforward. You need to use this method if you don't want to add more drives to the destination NAS, are switching to the same model, or have other needs that Migration Assistant is not suitable for. I recommend switching to a NAS with the same or better specifications and drive bays. In this guide, I will describe two methods, one for migrating data to the same NAS model and one for migrating data to a different model.


  • You cannot migrate drives between all NAS enclosures.
  • The DSM operating system running on the target NAS must must be the same or a newer version.
  • The target NAS must support the same file system and have enough drive slots for all source drives.

You can move drives from one Synology NAS series to another, but not all of them are supported. For example, you cannot move from a DS218j to a DS923+. See the table below for reference:

source

J

Value

Plus

XS/XS+

S.A.

FS

DVA

J

✓

✓

–

–

–

–

–

Value

✓

✓

–

–

–

–

–

Plus

–

–

✓

✓

✓

–

✓

XS/XS+

–

–

✓

✓

✓

–

✓

S.A.

–

–

–

✓

✓

✓

–

FS

–

–

–

–

–

✓

–

DVA

–

–

✓

✓

✓

–

✓


It is important that the drives in the new NAS are installed in the same order as in the old enclosure, otherwise data loss may occur.

The same NAS model

  1. Sign up at old Synology NAS.
  2. Go to Control Panel > Update and Restore.
  3. Check for available updates and install them.
    Synology DSM 7 Updates

  4. Install an empty temporary drive in the new Synology NAS.
  5. Boot and connect to the new Synology NAS IP in a browser.
  6. Click Next(If you see a warning message similar to “Notice: All data on the hard drive(s) will be deleted”, turn off the NAS and check the drive order.)
  7. Download the latest DSM operating system from Synology.
  8. Click Install now.
  9. Create an administrator account.
  10. Click Next.
  11. Shut down both Synology NAS units once the installation is complete.
  12. Remove the temporary SATA drive from the new Synology NAS.
  13. Remove the Hard drives from the source NAS. (Note the order in which they were installed.)
  14. Install the Hard drives into the new NAS in same order like the previous system.
  15. Boot and connect to the new Synology NAS IP in a browser.

Other NAS model

  1. Sign up at old Synology NAS.
  2. Go to Control Panel > Update and Restore.
  3. Check for available updates and install them.
  4. Click on the Configuration backup
    Synology DiskStation DSM7 configuration backups

  5. Choose Backing up the configuration to create a .dss configuration file.

  1. Go to Hyper Backup.
  2. Follow the on-screen wizard and back up your NAS data.
  3. Turn on the old Synology NAS complete.
  4. Remove the Hard drives from the source NAS. (Note the order in which they were installed.)
  5. Install the Hard drives into the new NAS in same order like the previous system.

  1. Boot and connect to the new Synology NAS IP in a browser.
  2. Click Install to continue. (If you see a warning message similar to “Note: All data on the hard drive(s) will be deleted”, turn off the NAS and check the drive order.)
  3. Choose migration.
  4. Choose Download and install the latest version of DSM.
  5. Enter a New password for the administrator account.

  1. Click Install now.
  2. Once the NAS is ready, go to Control Panel > Update and Restore.
    Synology DSM 7 Updates

  3. Choose Configuration backup Tab.
  4. Choose Restore configuration.
    Synology DiskStation DSM7 restores backup files

  5. Download the .dss configuration file.
  6. Choose All system configurations
  7. Click OK.
  8. Click Yes.


If you need help choosing new NAS drives to use with your Synology NAS enclosure, we have compiled a selection of the best storage drives for NAS use.

TerraMaster and Asustor NAS

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