Synology SHR lets you mix drives of different sizes and recover more usable space than classic RAID, while keeping one- or two-drive failure protection. Unlike RAID 1, SHR can pair a 2TB and 4TB drive and use capacity from both rather than capping at the smaller drive.
Mixing a leftover 2TB drive with a new 4TB one in a classic RAID array wastes half the bigger disk, because traditional RAID caps every drive at the size of the smallest. Synology SHR, or Synology Hybrid RAID, is built to solve exactly that, letting you combine drives of different sizes and reclaim capacity that classic RAID throws away, while still protecting you against a drive failure.
Synology SHR lets you mix different-size drives and use more of their combined capacity than classic RAID, while keeping protection against one drive failing (SHR-1) or two (SHR-2). Pair a 2TB and a 4TB drive and SHR uses capacity from both rather than capping at the smaller 2TB drive the way RAID 1 would.
The difference is in how usable capacity is calculated. In traditional RAID 5, every drive is limited to the size of the smallest one in the array. Put three 8TB drives and one 4TB drive into RAID 5 and you get only 3 times 4TB, which is 12TB usable, leaving a large chunk of your raw capacity sitting idle and unusable.
SHR handles the same drives differently. It splits each drive into matching capacity tiers and builds a separate RAID group for each tier. With that 3 times 8TB plus 1 times 4TB example, SHR-1 creates a RAID 5 array across the first 4TB of every drive, giving 12TB, then adds a second RAID 1 group across the leftover 4TB on the three 8TB drives, giving another 4TB. The total comes to 20TB usable versus 12TB on classic RAID 5 with the identical hardware. That extra space is the whole point of SHR.
If you are putting a Synology NAS together, the drives are the part worth planning, and the diskless NAS and storage range at Evetech covers the enclosures you populate with your own disks.
SHR comes in two protection levels. SHR-1 tolerates a single drive failing without losing data, behaving like RAID 5. SHR-2 adds a second layer of redundancy, surviving two simultaneous drive failures like RAID 6, at the cost of more capacity given over to protection. For a small NAS with a handful of drives, SHR-1 is the usual choice. SHR-2 makes sense once you run more drives and the array holds data you cannot afford to rebuild, since the odds of a second drive failing during a rebuild rise with drive count and capacity.
One rule matters when you expand later: a drive you add to an existing SHR pool should be at least as large as the biggest drive already in it, otherwise you will not unlock the full extra capacity. Planning your upgrade path around that keeps SHR's flexibility working for you.
SHR is the recommended default for most modern Synology setups, but it is not always the answer. If all your drives are already the same size, SHR and classic RAID give you the same usable capacity, so there is no space advantage either way. Some larger Synology models and certain advanced configurations only support classic RAID, and a few specialised use cases call for the exact, predictable behaviour of standard RAID levels. SHR also stays within the Synology ecosystem, so if portability of the array to non-Synology hardware ever matters to you, classic RAID is more universal. For mixed-size drives in a typical home or small-office NAS, though, SHR is the easier, more space-efficient pick.
For everyday home and small-office use the difference is negligible. SHR is built on standard RAID underneath and reads and writes at speeds comparable to the equivalent classic RAID level, so its convenience and capacity gains rarely cost you noticeable speed.
Not by a simple toggle. Converting between SHR and classic RAID generally means backing up your data, recreating the storage pool, and restoring, because the underlying layout differs. Decide before you populate the NAS, and keep a backup regardless.
SHR-1 protects against one drive failing without data loss, the same as RAID 5. SHR-2 protects against two drives failing at once, like RAID 6, but uses more capacity for redundancy. Choose SHR-2 for larger arrays holding critical data.
No. SHR works with the drives you choose, as long as the NAS supports them. You buy a diskless enclosure and fit your own disks, which is how most people build out a Synology NAS.
Add a drive at least as large as the biggest one already in the SHR pool. A smaller drive will work but will not let you reclaim the extra capacity SHR is designed to unlock, so matching or exceeding the largest existing drive is the way to grow the array efficiently.
Building a NAS starts with the right enclosure and drives for your needs. Browse the diskless NAS and storage range at Evetech (https://www.evetech.co.za/PC-Components/diskless-nas-storage-183) and check the SSD best sellers (https://www.evetech.co.za/ssd-best-sellers/x/1926) to put together a setup that grows with you.
For everyday home and small-office use the difference is negligible. SHR is built on standard RAID underneath and reads and writes at speeds comparable to the equivalent classic RAID level, so its convenience and capacity gains rarely cost you noticeable speed.
Not by a simple toggle. Converting between SHR and classic RAID generally means backing up your data, recreating the storage pool, and restoring, because the underlying layout differs. Decide before you populate the NAS, and keep a backup regardless.
SHR-1 protects against one drive failing without data loss, the same as RAID 5. SHR-2 protects against two drives failing at once, like RAID 6, but uses more capacity for redundancy. Choose SHR-2 for larger arrays holding critical data.
No. SHR works with the drives you choose, as long as the NAS supports them. You buy a diskless enclosure and fit your own disks, which is how most people build out a Synology NAS.
Add a drive at least as large as the biggest one already in the SHR pool. A smaller drive will work but will not let you reclaim the extra capacity SHR is designed to unlock, so matching or exceeding the largest existing drive is the way to grow the array efficiently.
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