Synology Ultra-compact RackStation RS1221+ and RS1221RP+
Synology Launches Compact RackStation RS1221+ Series
In January 2021, Synology released the RackStation RS1221+ and RS1221RP+, two ultra-compact 2U rack-mounted storage servers made for businesses that need high performance without taking up a lot of rack space. These systems are made for small to medium-sized businesses that need enterprise-level reliability, scalability, and data protection in places with limited space.
The RS1221+ series gives IT teams a solid base for modern storage and backup strategies that take into account growth, uptime, and physical infrastructure limits.
High Performance in a Small Footprint
The RS1221+ and RS1221RP+ are the first models in their series to use the AMD Ryzen V1500B processor. This architecture delivers a significant leap in compute performance compared to previous generations, enabling faster data processing, improved backup speeds, and more responsive file services.
This increase in compute power is particularly valuable for businesses running multiple workloads on a single platform. File sharing, backup operations, and application hosting can run concurrently without performance degradation, making these systems suitable for multi-purpose deployments.
Designed for Space-Conscious Deployments
The RS1221+ series is known for its shallow depth. At just over a foot deep for the RS1221+ and under 16 inches for the RS1221RP+, these units are well suited for wall-mounted cabinets, branch office racks, and environments where full-depth racks are impractical.
For organizations with distributed offices or limited data room space, compact rack servers reduce infrastructure complexity while maintaining centralized management and security controls. This form factor also makes the RS1221+ series attractive for edge deployments where local storage and backup are required.
Made to be available and dependable
The RS1221RP+ model includes dual redundant power supplies, providing additional resilience for business-critical systems. Redundant power is an important consideration for organizations that cannot afford downtime caused by a single point of failure.
Combined with ECC memory support and Synology’s storage integrity features, these systems are designed to support reliable, always-on operations. This makes them suitable for workloads where data availability and consistency are essential.
Flexible Expansion for Growing Businesses
The RS1221+ series comes with 4 GB of DDR4 ECC memory, but it can be expanded to 32 GB, which lets businesses grow as their workloads do. A PCIe 3.0 expansion slot lets you customize the system even more, such as by adding NVMe SSD caching or upgrading to 10GbE networking.
Businesses can greatly improve the performance of frequently accessed data without having to replace their existing HDD storage by adding NVMe cache support. This approach delivers better responsiveness for file access, virtualization, and database workloads while keeping storage costs under control.
DSM makes managing data easier.
Both models run Synology DiskStation Manager, which provides a unified interface for storage management, backup, and application services. DSM supports the Synology Active Backup suite for protecting servers, PCs, and SaaS platforms, as well as tools for private cloud file sharing, virtualization, and collaboration services.
For IT teams, this integrated software layer reduces administrative overhead while maintaining granular control over data protection policies, user access, and system performance.
Strategic Value for Enterprise IT Planning
The RS1221+ and RS1221RP+ reflect a broader shift toward compact, scalable infrastructure that can adapt to evolving business needs. Rather than overbuilding, organizations can deploy right-sized systems that support backup, file services, and private cloud workloads today, while retaining the ability to expand performance and connectivity over time.
To get the most value, you need to design and deploy things correctly. To make sure long-term performance and reliability, you should look at things like workload analysis, cache sizing, network configuration, and backup architecture all at once.
About Epis Technology
Epis Technology helps businesses design, deploy, and support enterprise IT environments built on Synology platforms. The business focuses on Synology consulting and support, big storage systems, backup solutions for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and full management of PC backups. Epis Technology works with organizations to build secure, scalable, and high-performance infrastructure that supports business continuity and long-term growth.