Immutable and air gap backups are crucial for ransomware protection, according to Synology, which also believes network-attached storage solutions can help beyond data storage for enterprises.

Data backups are no longer optional for organisations as ransomware attacks can lock critical files in seconds, forcing businesses to pay a ransom or halt operations. According to The State of Ransomware Report 2024 by cybersecurity firm Sophos, 94% of ransomware-hit companies saw attackers targeting their backups, and 56% of those with encrypted data still paid to recover it.

Recognising this, Synology’s line of enterprise data protection appliances, called ActiveProtect, offers immutable backups, air-gap capabilities, and regulatory compliance to guard against cyber threats. “With ransomware increasingly targeting backups, it’s no longer enough to rely on traditional backups. Backups today need to be immutable and offline [or air-gapped] to ensure data integrity and enable quick restoration, [which ultimately enhance cyber resilience],” says Antoine Yang, Synology’s Singapore country manager, at a recent media roundtable.

An immutable backup locks data from being altered or deleted for a set time. Unlike its software-only competitors, Synology’s ActiveProtect unifies backup, recovery, and management into a single appliance. This cuts out the complexity of separate hardware, software, and upkeep, says Yang.

ActiveProtect’s air-gap capability strengthens defence against ransomware and insider threats by isolating backups from potential attacks. Yang explains that air gapping separates backup data physically or from publicly accessible networks, ensuring it remains untouched by cyberattacks including ransomware.

To help address common data backup challenges, ActiveProtect also offers:

• Comprehensive workload support
  Protects personal computers, Macs, file and physical servers, virtual machines, databases, and Microsoft 365 services through a single intuitive interface.
• Scalable management
  The ActiveProtect Manager (APM) console supports users in viewing or monitoring up to 150,000 workloads or 2,500 sites, providing scalability, enterprise-grade data visibility, and control.
• Efficiency at scale
  Delivers fast incremental backups with global source-side deduplication, reducing network load by up to 99% and storage needs by 50%, empowering backup performance and minimising operational costs.
• Unique pricing model
  Businesses can access full platform support and complete advanced protection features with a one-time purchase. Managing up to three backup servers is also license-free, with optional central management system (CMS) licences available for larger deployments involving more appliances.

ActiveProtect simplifies complex data protection and offers comprehensive platform support, advanced security and scalability, with a transparent pricing model. Photo: Synology

Enterprise use cases for NAS

Synology is commonly known as a network-attached storage (NAS) provider in the consumer space. Yet, it has a big presence in the enterprise space too, with over half of Fortune 500 businesses trusting Synology with their digital assets.

In Southeast Asia, 70% of its customers or revenue in Southeast Asia comes from small and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, says Thachawan Chinchanakarn, Synology’s Asean regional manager, at the same media briefing. The top three industries that use Synology in the region are manufacturing, government and financial services.

For instance, Toyota Motor Vietnam leverages Synology's Active Backup for Business to protect its on-premises virtual environments and uses Snapshot Replication for offsite backup. The move has reduced data backup costs by 75% while enhancing data protection against threats like ransomware.

Chinchanakarn also shares that the company is positioning itself as a solutions provider by showcasing the different functionalities of NAS. “NAS is more than just data storage. NAS can enable data and workload protection, business productivity and video surveillance too,” she says.

This is exemplified in the case of I Love Taimei, a Singaporean F&B brand. The company upgraded its surveillance system with 18 Synology NAS devices across its locations, including one AI-powered unit, for local video recording. These devices connect to a centralised server at the headquarters, allowing staff to monitor all branches on large screens. The company also uses AI-powered video analytics at its flagship store, gaining valuable business insights and enhancing operational oversight through this integrated system.

Moreover, I Love Taimei can easily add more servers to Synology’s CMS (central management system) when they have new branches. In short, Synology helps I Love Taimei centralise cross-site data management as it grows while empowering data-driven decision-making.

When asked about future plans, Chinchanakarn says Synology will continue developing innovative and reliable solutions to help organisations protect and manage their critical data. The company will expand its market presence in the region and globally through its distributor and partner network.