Synology DS716+II NAS using Link Aggregation

With the new Synology NAS set up and running with a default configuration, it was time to move on to a bit of customization.

First up was to address the networking.  The DS716 comes with two NICs, but with the default configuration, both are addressed separately using DHCP.  The network switch we have supports link aggregation, so that was implemented first on the switch, then on the NAS.

Mileage may vary depending on your switch, but for the Cisco SG200-26, the settings below can be used to convert two ports on the switch into a Link Aggregation Group (LAG).

On the NAS, converting to a static IP and bonding the ports was a two step process.  For step 1, using the Synology console (Control Panel | Network | Network Interface) for network management, modify the first link, unchecking DHCP and selecting your desired static IP address.  For the second step, choose the option Create | Create Bond and chose the option for IEEE 802.3ad dynamic link aggregation.  After applying, this will grind for a bit, then you should be successfully setup for a link aggregated connection (see below).

Now on the network with a 2 Gbps pipe, the NAS should have been cruising, but was actually moving at a snails pace.  The solution to this is documented in the next post.