How to Migrate Your Synology NAS: 4 Methods Compared

Whether you’re upgrading to a newer Synology, consolidating multiple NAS units, or moving to a different platform entirely, choosing the right migration method can save you days of downtime. This guide compares all four approaches and tells you when each one makes sense.

Method Comparison at a Glance

Method 1: Synology Migration Assistant

Best for: Synology-to-Synology upgrades when you want to preserve everything.

Migration Assistant is Synology’s built-in tool for migrating from one Synology NAS to another. It transfers data, shared folders, packages, and system configuration over the network.

How It Works

1. Set up the new Synology with DSM
2. Open Migration Assistant on the new NAS (Control Panel > Migration)
3. Select the source NAS on your network
4. Choose what to migrate (data, users, packages, configuration)
5. Migration runs over the network — source remains readable during transfer
6. Final sync requires source to be offline briefly

Pros

• Migrates everything: data, user accounts, shared folders, packages, Docker containers
• Minimal manual configuration on the new NAS
• Built into DSM — no extra software needed

Cons

• Synology-to-Synology only — can’t migrate to TrueNAS, QNAP, or generic Linux
• Source and destination must be on the same network
• No checksum verification — you’re trusting the process
• Not all packages are migratable (check Synology’s compatibility list)
• The source NAS must run DSM 6.2.2+ or 7.0+

Synology Migration Assistant — Workflow

Source

DS920+

DSM 7.2

→

Migrates

Data & Shared Folders

User Accounts

Packages & Docker

System Config

→

Destination

DS1522+

DSM 7.2

Both NAS units must be on the same network • Synology-to-Synology only

Method 2: HDD Migration (Physical Disk Swap)

Best for: Upgrading hardware when you can tolerate downtime.

If you’re moving to a newer Synology model and the new unit supports the same drive format, you can physically move the drives.

How It Works

1. Shut down the old NAS
2. Remove the drives (note the order!)
3. Insert drives into the new NAS in the same order
4. Power on — DSM recognizes the existing volume
5. DSM may prompt for an update — follow the wizard

Pros

• Fastest method for large datasets (no network copy)
• Preserves everything — volumes, data, configuration
• No network infrastructure needed

Cons

• Requires physical access to both NAS units
• Full downtime while drives are being swapped
• New NAS must support the existing RAID type and disk format
• Can’t resize volumes or change RAID type during migration
• Risky if drive bays have different physical layouts

Method 3: Hyper Backup

Best for: Backup-and-restore workflows, especially when you want a verified copy before switching.

Hyper Backup is Synology’s backup tool. While not designed specifically for migration, it’s effective for moving data to another Synology or to any storage target.

How It Works

1. Install Hyper Backup on the source NAS
2. Create a backup task targeting the new NAS (or external storage)
3. Run initial backup (can take hours/days for large datasets)
4. Run incremental backups to catch changes
5. On the new NAS, install Hyper Backup Vault
6. Restore from the backup

Pros

• Incremental backups — only changed files transfer on subsequent runs
• Supports external USB drives, remote Synology, rsync-compatible servers, and cloud
• Backup integrity verification built in
• Can restore to a non-Synology target (rsync destination)

Cons

• Backup + restore is slower than direct copy (compression/decompression overhead)
• Restoring packages and configuration requires additional steps
• UI is designed for backup, not migration — the workflow is indirect
• Large initial backup can take days over slow networks

Method 4: Manual rsync / syncopio

Best for: Cross-platform migrations, maximum control, or when you need verification.

Using rsync (or syncopio) gives you the most control over the migration process. This is the only method that works across platforms — Synology to TrueNAS, QNAP to Synology, or any combination.

Using rsync via SSH

Enable SSH on the source Synology (Control Panel > Terminal & SNMP), then:

rsync -avz --progress \
  admin@synology-source:/volume1/shared/ \
  /destination/shared/

For preserving permissions and extended attributes:

rsync -avHAX --progress --stats \
  admin@synology-source:/volume1/shared/ \
  /destination/shared/

Using syncopio

1. Add both NAS units as endpoints in syncopio (NFS or SMB)
2. Create a migration job with source and destination datasets
3. Run a discovery scan to analyze the data
4. Start the migration — monitor progress in the web dashboard
5. Run incremental syncs until cutover
6. Final verification pass with checksums

syncopio job wizard configuring a Synology-to-TrueNAS migration 1200x800

Pros

• Cross-platform — works with any NAS that supports NFS, SMB, or SSH
• Incremental sync — run multiple pre-migration syncs with minimal downtime
• Checksum verification — confirm data integrity after transfer
• Full visibility — syncopio dashboard shows real-time progress

Cons

• Doesn’t migrate Synology packages, Docker containers, or system config
• Requires NFS/SMB exports or SSH access to be configured
• More setup than Migration Assistant for simple Synology-to-Synology upgrades

Cross-Platform Migration Guide

Synology to TrueNAS

1. Export NFS shares from Synology (Control Panel > File Services > NFS)
2. Create datasets on TrueNAS (Storage > Pools > Add Dataset)
3. rsync or syncopio the data across
4. Recreate shares on TrueNAS (Sharing > NFS / SMB)
5. Update DNS/mount points for client access

Synology to QNAP

1. Enable NFS on both NAS units
2. Create shared folders on QNAP matching the Synology structure
3. rsync or syncopio the data
4. Recreate user accounts on QNAP
5. Test ACL/permission mapping before cutover

Any NAS to Any NAS

The universal approach:

1. Enable NFS or SMB on both source and destination
2. Use rsync (CLI) or syncopio (web UI) for the transfer
3. Run incremental syncs to minimize cutover window
4. Verify with checksums
5. Update client mount points

For the complete methodology, see our Data Migration Complete Guide.

Choosing the Right Method

Your Situation	Recommended Method
Synology → same-gen Synology, small data	Migration Assistant
Hardware upgrade, can tolerate downtime	HDD Migration
Need a verified backup before switching	Hyper Backup
Cross-platform migration (any NAS)	rsync / syncopio
Large dataset (50TB+), need visibility	syncopio
Multiple NAS units → single destination	syncopio

Further Reading

• Data Migration: The Complete Guide — end-to-end methodology
• Setting Up NFS Exports — configure NFS on any platform
• The Complete rsync Guide — master rsync for migrations
• NFS vs SMB: When to Use Each — protocol selection