Trending NAS Features Users Want in Next DSM Releases
What People Want from the Next Generation of NAS Software
As NAS platforms change from basic file servers to full infrastructure components, users’ expectations keep going up. Enterprise deployments, IT forums, and professional settings all show that users are no longer only interested in storage space. They want systems that are smarter, safer, and more automated, which will lower costs and make them more reliable.
In 2025 and beyond, the next generation of NAS software should show how businesses really use storage, even in hybrid environments, distributed offices, and workloads that need extra security.
Built-in threat detection and better security visibility
Better security visibility is one of the most popular requests for improvements. Users want to be able to see authentication attempts, file access problems, and suspicious behavior more clearly without having to rely on outside tools.
Instead of just basic alerts, administrators want contextual security signals that show unusual patterns, like strange login behavior, too many file changes, or changes to the configuration that weren’t expected. Teams would be able to respond faster and have fewer false positives if reporting were integrated and risk indicators were clearer.
More intelligent backup and recovery information
NAS platforms already have backup features at their core, but users want more information about the health of their backups. Requests often ask for clearer backup validation, automated restore testing, and alerts that tell you when backups are likely to fail.
Users want software to look at trends like growing backup windows, storage saturation, or inconsistent snapshots instead of just telling them if a job was successful or not. These insights help avoid failures that go unnoticed and make people more sure that they are ready to recover.
Backup awareness is moving from reporting problems after they happen to making sure they don’t happen in the first place.
Better analytics for performance and predictions for capacity
A lot of the time, performance complaints are caused by not being able to see things clearly instead of actual hardware problems. Users want analytics that are more detailed and easy to understand, and that show how workload behavior affects performance.
Some of the most popular requests are for better I/O visualization, clearer breakdowns of which services use resources, and built-in capacity forecasting. There is also a lot of demand for predictive alerts that let administrators know when volumes are about to reach dangerous levels.
Easier automation and management based on rules
As NAS systems add more services, it’s no longer possible to manage them by hand. Users want more powerful automation tools that don’t need a lot of scripting knowledge.
Policy-based management keeps coming up. Some examples are automated snapshot policies based on how important the data is, scheduled performance tuning based on the type of workload, and rule-based access changes.
Better management of the lifecycle of containers and applications
Container use on NAS platforms is still growing, but users want more built-in lifecycle controls. People often ask for easier version tracking, safer update workflows, and clearer resource isolation.
Administrators also want to be able to see more clearly how container dependencies affect storage and network performance. Simplified rollback and health monitoring would make it safer to run business-critical apps.
Instead of being an advanced option, application hosting is becoming a common use case for NAS.
Better understanding of multi-site and hybrid cloud
It’s common now to have distributed environments. Users want NAS software to be able to better understand how to set up multi-site deployments and integrate hybrid clouds.
Some of the requested features are clearer replication health dashboards, easier failover visibility, and a single view of data that is stored both on-premises and in the cloud. Administrators want to know not just if replication is working, but also if it is meeting its goals for recovery.
Making things easier to use in complicated settings
Users want interfaces that are still easy to use as they add more features. Feedback always points out the need for clearer workflows, better contextual help, and less reliance on outside documentation.
In big places where changes need to be made carefully and consistently, small changes to usability can have a big effect.
Synology and DSM’s Future
Synology has always changed DSM based on how people actually use it, not on what they think it should be able to do. Many of the popular requests fit well with the platform’s strengths, like centralized management, backups that are built in, and support for a wide range of workloads.
Future DSM releases are expected to build on this by adding more intelligence, automation, and visibility while keeping things easy to use. Users clearly value the balance of being able to do more without making things more complicated.
Why These Features Are Important to Businesses
These trends are part of a bigger change. NAS platforms are no longer just add-ons. They are very important for security, continuity, and running things smoothly.
Features that make things less uncertain, make things easier to see, and automate routine tasks lower risk and the amount of work that needs to be done. Early adopters of these features gain advantages in resilience and scalability.
Epis Technology is
Epis Technology helps businesses create and run NAS environments that keep up with changes in software capabilities. The company focuses on helping businesses with Synology, enterprise storage architecture, big storage solutions, backups for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, fully managed PC backups, and planning for business continuity. Epis Technology helps businesses test out new DSM features, use best practices, and set up storage platforms that strike a balance between performance, security, and long-term operational efficiency.