Affordable Cloud Object Storage: Synology's C2 offering

With Synology’s C2 Object Storage, the company continues its tradition of delivering a solution that strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and cost-effectiveness in a dynamic market.

Having relied personally on Synology NAS devices for over a decade, I’ve consistently experienced their impressive capabilities. These devices embody a set-and-forget ethos, providing seamless updates throughout their lifespan and never experiencing a failure outside of normal HDD issues. Their inherent simplicity ensures that, unlike the IT challenges I have to navigate at work, managing storage at home is a hassle-free experience.

Synology C2 Object Storage mirrors this user-friendly approach, presenting an S3-compatible Object Storage solution that precisely caters to your needs without unnecessary complexities. Right from the start, its pricing strategy sets it apart from major public cloud providers. Unlike the intricate calculations often required with other providers, Synology simplifies the process with a flat $6.99/month per TB fee. This inclusive pricing covers not only raw storage costs but also eliminates concerns about additional egress fees, as it encompasses total monthly egress equal to the purchased storage capacity.

For my specific use case, focusing on data protection, this pricing model proves exceptional. It ensures that retrieving data from the Object Storage offering doesn’t incur unexpected costs. Even in scenarios where a comprehensive recovery of the entire stored dataset is necessary, the flat monthly fee remains constant. This means I can perform data recoveries without hesitation, knowing that the transparent pricing structure aligns seamlessly with my data protection requirements.

Synology has another storage offering tailored specifically for safeguarding data on their NAS devices—C2 Storage. Following the same all-inclusive pricing as their object storage counterpart, C2 Storage introduces additional features like backup data deduplication, version control, and cross-device syncing for users with multiple NAS devices. Confirming backups with C2 Storage is conveniently done through the HyperBackup application, while C2 Object Storage users rely on the CloudSync app for the same purpose.

You might be wondering why opt for C2 Object Storage when there’s a native solution like C2 Storage designed explicitly for securing NAS data. The answer lies in the flexibility provided by C2 Object Storage. Unlike C2 Storage, exclusively catering to Synology NAS backups, C2 Object Storage functions as a versatile S3-compliant service. Whether hosting website photos or implementing a third-party backup solution (check out Ben Young’s post on Veeam integration), C2 Object Storage emerges as a cost-effective choice with diverse applications.

While Synology’s C2 Object Storage excels in many aspects, it’s essential to acknowledge certain limitations, well-documented on their official website. Notable constraints include the absence of object-level ACLs and public buckets. Despite these limitations, particularly for data protection use cases, these might not be deal-breakers. Additionally, it should be noted that currently, there are only three regions available: Europe (Frankfurt), North America (Seattle), and APAC (Taiwan), each with a slightly different price point.

When comparing Synology’s C2 Object Storage to major hyperscalers, the price difference stands out significantly. However, the market offers other cost-effective options, with Wasabi emerging as a notable competitor. Wasabi has gained attention for its all-inclusive pricing model in Object Storage, mirroring Synology’s $6.99/month per TB rate and no egress fees. Yet, Wasabi has a minimum 90-day storage policy, which may not suit those frequently creating and deleting large datasets. Wasabi boasts 13 regions across 12 cities, outshining Synology’s three regions and potentially offering better geographical proximity.

Another contender is Backblaze B2, offering competitive pricing at approximately $6/month per TB. Similar to Synology, they adopt true monthly pricing, allowing up to 3x the stored data to be downloaded in a month. However, Backblaze B2 introduces charges for some API calls, categorized with included free limits and additional charges, demanding careful consideration to avoid unexpected costs. Like Synology, Backblaze B2 provides data storage in only three regions: US East, US West, or EU Central.

While each affordable provider has its merits, Synology’s C2 Object Storage stands out for its simplicity—a hallmark of the Synology brand. Despite not having the most regions or the highest free data download limits, the peace of mind from not worrying about storage duration or API call usage makes it my preferred choice.

So, the next time you’re in need of an Object Storage service, consider exploring Synology. They offer a free forever tier providing 15GB, providing a risk-free opportunity to experience the capabilities of Synology’s storage solutions firsthand.