Synology DSM 7.2.2 - Should You Upgrade?

Summary

In this video, the host discusses the new Synology DSM 7.2.2 update, exploring whether users should upgrade. Key points include added support for security features, customization for package installations, and various bug fixes. The video emphasizes significant changes in multimedia support, particularly the shift from Video Station to third-party apps like Plex and Jellyfin for video streaming. It also addresses the impact on surveillance setups, recommending caution for users with HC or h.265 cameras. The host advises holding off on the update for multimedia users and those heavily invested in Synology's native video station, while others can consider upgrading for the security patches and system improvements.

Takeaways

• 😀 Synology has released a new DSM update, version 7.2.2, which includes various changes and improvements.
• 🔐 DSM 7.2.2 adds support for verifying response or asset signatures for SAML SSO client, enhancing security and authentication.
• 🛠️ The update provides customization for package installation, upgrades, and an installation wizard for third-party package developers.
• 🐞 Numerous bug fixes are included in DSM 7.2.2, addressing issues in the day-to-day usage of Synology devices.
• 🔒 Security patches are introduced to address vulnerabilities, though none are critical and require specific circumstances to exploit.
• 🎥 Synology is moving away from Video Station and instead encourages the use of third-party applications like Plex Media Server and Jellyfin for multimedia streaming.
• 📸 Photography on Synology's Photo Station will still support traditional formats, but handling of H.265/H.264 files will rely more on client hardware.
• 📹 For surveillance setups, if cameras record in H.265/H.264, the update will offload more processing to the cameras themselves, potentially disabling motion detection if the camera can't handle it.
• 🚫 The update deprecates Video Station, and for those heavily invested in it, it's advised to hold off on upgrading until further support or alternatives are clear.
• ✅ For most users, the update to DSM 7.2.2 is recommended for the security patches and general improvements, unless they rely on specific features like Video Station or have complex multimedia setups.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is the discussion of Synology's DSM 7.2.2 software update, including whether users should upgrade and what changes the update brings.

Why might some users be hesitant to upgrade to DSM 7.2.2?

Some users might be hesitant to upgrade due to changes in video station support, potential incompatibility with certain camera recordings in surveillance, and the shift towards third-party applications for multimedia streaming.

What is the significance of the update for users who rely on video stations?

For users who rely on video stations, the update is significant because Synology is moving away from its native video station and recommending third-party applications like Plex Media Server and Jellyfin for multimedia streaming.

What are the new security features introduced in DSM 7.2.2?

DSM 7.2.2 introduces support for verifying response or asset signatures for SAML SSO client, enhancing authentication security by ensuring messages are not tampered with and are coming from authenticated sources.

How does the update affect users who host applications and services on their Synology NAS?

The update includes support for customization of package installation, upgrades, and an installation wizard for third-party package developers, which could benefit users who host applications and services on their Synology NAS.

What are the security vulnerability patches included in DSM 7.2.2?

The update includes patches for several security vulnerabilities, including memory overload, buffer overflow, command execution with heightened privileges, and SSH extension corruption.

What changes should surveillance users expect after upgrading to DSM 7.2.2?

Surveillance users should expect changes in how motion detection is handled, with the system offloading more work to the cameras themselves, especially for cameras that record in H.265 or H.264.

How does the update impact the support for H.264 and H.265 video formats?

The update reduces native support for H.265 and H.264 video formats on Synology's platform, pushing users towards third-party applications for multimedia playback and encouraging the use of client-side hardware for video handling.

What is the recommendation for users who are heavily invested in Synology's first-party software?

For users heavily invested in Synology's first-party software, it is recommended to hold off on upgrading to DSM 7.2.2, especially if they are using video station or have a multimedia setup with a mixed client device ecosystem.

What steps should users take before upgrading to DSM 7.2.2?

Before upgrading to DSM 7.2.2, users should check their camera compatibility, review their multimedia format requirements, and ensure their client devices support the necessary codecs, especially if they are reliant on H.265 or H.264 video formats.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Overview of Synology DSM 7.2.2 Update

The video discusses the new Synology DSM 7.2.2.2 update, addressing whether users should upgrade. It mentions that the update is non-compulsory and that existing DSM 7.2.1 users will continue to receive firmware updates. The video will cover the new features and changes, excluding the previously discussed video station. It highlights the addition of support for verifying response or asset signatures for SAML SSO client, which ensures message integrity and authentication. The update also includes customization support for package installations and an installation wizard for third-party package developers. The presenter suggests that most users won't be affected by these changes unless they host applications or services. The video also mentions bug fixes and security patches, which are important for system updates, but notes that these are not critical issues for most users.

05:02

🎥 Changes in Video and Multimedia Support

The video details the significant changes in video and multimedia support with the DSM 7.2.2 update. It emphasizes the shift towards H.264 and H.265 support and the discontinuation of Video Station, encouraging users to use third-party applications like Plex Media Server and Jellyfin. The update requires downloading the advanced media extension, which is modified for DSM 7.2.2 and no longer applicable to Video Station. The presenter advises users who prioritize multimedia streaming to wait before upgrading, as Plex has recently updated to accommodate the changes in DSM 7.2.2. The video also discusses the impact on Photography, where server-side management of H.265 files is reduced, and client hardware is increasingly relied upon for playback. Surveillance playback is also affected, with changes to how motion detection is handled, offloading more work to the cameras themselves.

10:05

🔍 Detailed Analysis of Surveillance and Multimedia Playback

This section delves into the specifics of how the DSM 7.2.2 update affects surveillance and multimedia playback. For surveillance, the update shifts the responsibility of handling H.265/H.264 footage and motion detection to the cameras, which could be an issue if the cameras do not support these features. This change may disable motion detection and related features if the cameras are not capable. The video suggests that users with a surveillance setup should double-check their camera compatibility and recording techniques before upgrading. For multimedia, the update limits transcoding options and pushes more processing to client devices, which may not be ideal for users with mixed client devices and multimedia formats. The presenter recommends that users with a heavy reliance on H.265 footage or those using Synology Video Station to hold off on the update.

15:06

🛠️ Final Thoughts on DSM 7.2.2 Upgrade

The video concludes with final considerations for upgrading to DSM 7.2.2. It suggests that most users can safely upgrade, especially if they are not heavily invested in surveillance or multimedia setups. However, for those with a surveillance setup or a mixed multimedia environment, the presenter advises caution and a thorough check of compatibility and recording formats. The video appreciates the security updates and patches included in the update but advises against a hasty upgrade, especially for dedicated Synology Video Station users. The presenter wishes viewers a good week and hopes the video has been helpful in deciding whether to upgrade to DSM 7.2.2.

Keywords

💡Synology DSM

Synology DSM, or DiskStation Manager, is the operating system developed by Synology for its network-attached storage (NAS) devices. It is a key component that allows users to manage and access their data on Synology NAS. In the video, the discussion revolves around the release of DSM 7.2.2, an update to this operating system, and its implications for users.

💡Software Update

A software update refers to the release of new versions of software, which includes bug fixes, security patches, and new features. In the context of the video, the host is discussing the new features and changes brought by the DSM 7.2.2 update, advising users on whether they should upgrade to this version.

💡Video Station

Video Station is a multimedia server application that comes pre-installed on Synology NAS devices, allowing users to organize and stream their video collection. The video script mentions that Synology is moving away from Video Station, suggesting users to consider third-party applications like Plex for multimedia streaming.

💡H.264

H.264, also known as AVC, is a widely used video compression standard. It is mentioned in the script as a format that is still supported in the new DSM update, whereas H.265/HEVC support is being handled differently, indicating a shift in how Synology is managing video codecs.

💡HEVC

HEVC, or H.265, is a video compression standard that offers better compression than H.264. The script discusses how Synology's new DSM update is changing its approach to HEVC, potentially offloading more processing to the client devices or cameras themselves, which could impact users with surveillance setups.

💡SAML SSO

SAML SSO stands for Security Assertion Markup Language Single Sign-On, a standard for authenticating users across multiple systems. The script mentions added support for verifying response or asset signatures for SAML SSO client, indicating an enhancement in security and authentication processes within the DSM update.

💡Package Installation

Package installation refers to the process of adding new software packages to a system. The video discusses customization of package installation upgrades and an installation wizard for third-party package developers, which is relevant for users who host applications on their Synology NAS.

💡Security Vulnerabilities

Security vulnerabilities are weaknesses in software that can be exploited by attackers. The script highlights patches for security vulnerabilities as one of the main reasons to update to the latest DSM version, emphasizing the importance of staying up-to-date with security patches.

💡Surveillance Station

Surveillance Station is a software application for managing IP cameras and video surveillance on Synology NAS devices. The video discusses changes in how this application handles video recording and motion detection after the DSM 7.2.2 update, particularly in relation to HEVC/H.265 video formats.

💡Plex Media Server

Plex Media Server is a popular third-party media server application that can be used as an alternative to Synology's Video Station. The script suggests Plex as a solution for users who want to continue using their Synology NAS for multimedia streaming, given the changes in the native Video Station support.

Highlights

Discussion on Synology's DSM 7.2.2 update and its implications for users.

DSM 7.2.2 is a non-compulsory update, and users on 7.2.1 will continue to receive firmware updates.

Added support for verifying response or asset signatures for SAML SSO client, enhancing security.

Introduction of customization for package installation and upgrades for third-party developers.

Numerous bug fixes and improvements in system performance and stability.

Patches for security vulnerabilities, though none are critical on their own.

Changes in video station support, with Synology moving away from its own video station application.

Recommendations for using third-party apps like Plex Media Server and Jellyfin for multimedia streaming.

Updated support for H.264 and H.265 codecs, with a shift towards client-side handling for efficiency.

DSM 7.2.2 will automatically switch surveillance station motion detection to camera handling for HC/H.265 footage.

Surveillance users with HC/H.265 cameras may face changes in how alerts and recognition are managed.

For multimedia users with an HC library, it's advised to wait before updating to assess compatibility.

Surveillance users should double-check their camera's compression and recording techniques before updating.

The update emphasizes efficiency and offloading operations to edge devices, reflecting a trend in technology.

Most users can safely update to DSM 7.2.2, except for those heavily invested in multimedia or surveillance setups.

Synology's push towards third-party apps may not align with users who value the brand's first-party software ecosystem.

The video concludes with a recommendation to hold off on updating for dedicated Synology video station users.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello and welcome back atad is Ry today

I want to discuss sonology DSM

7.2.2 something we've already talked

about in the last 24 hours sonology

rolling out a new update for their

software and a number of you are

wondering should you upgrade what is

there in this software update that is

going to be good for you and what you're

going to be missing out on other than

what we've already discussed video

stations so what we're going to do is

quickly squeeze oursel there into the

top of the screen and talk a little bit

more about the DSM 7.2.2 we've already

got a system here with it installed and

we're going to be going through this

software update we're going to be going

through what's included what's changed

and hopefully by the end of this video

you'll decide whether you want to

upgrade towards it now we could spend a

lot of time talking about the whole

video station thing we could talk about

hvc and video session we will certainly

touch on that but because we've already

discussed it in a video that went out

live yesterday I believe at the time of

recording this at the very least um with

that going out with that video I wanted

sort of talk about that later in the

video and this one we're going to be

talking about everything else in the DSM

software update because a lot of you are

just wondering is it worth hopping on

this or sticking on

7.2.1 where you're still going to get

firmware updates cuz that's really

important it's worth keeping in mind if

you are an existing DSM

7.2.1 user you don't necessarily have to

upgrade

DSM 7.2.2 is non-compulsory at least at

this time and as you can see 7.2.1 has

had several different updates over time

and the same goes when you look at

previous revisions you're not going to

be forced into this or at least it's not

going to become a deal breaker for many

of you at least on a security imp page

and update level for quite a while so if

we move forward into the release notes

again we're going to skip over all the

stuff at least for now about transcoding

and Har updates and talk about the rest

of the stuff that's included so number

one we can see here added support for

whether to verify response or asset

signatures for saml SSO client that

ultimately means it's kind of an

authentication sh handshake in the

background with regards to internal

messages to verify that not only is the

message not been tampered with but that

that message is coming from

authenticated sources at the beginning

and arriving towards the authenticated t

as well that there's been no messed

around in the middle that the file

itself has not been ified there at least

in terms of the messaging and

correspondence there the next thing is a

support of customization of package

installation upgrades and an

installation wizard for third party

package developers now for the majority

of you this is irrelevant all that's

going to come down to is if you are

hosting applications and services that

you're hoping to submit to the sonology

App Center or even some of those third

party apps that live outside of that

that's going to be beneficial to you but

not much more than that for the majority

of you this isn't even really going to

be an appliance to be concerned with if

you're already using security Asser

markup language for those correspondent

inside or just single sign on kind of

authentication you're going to like to

see this but again this doesn't

represent a huge number of sonology

users now we do see a lot of kind of bug

fixy type stuff stuff that was

recognized in presumably flag technology

in the day-to-day usage of their

appliances lots of kind of stuff where

it falls into the cranks in between

again you can go through the and chances

are the majority of these are not really

going to impact many people it's always

nice to theology working on these but

they're not going to be a dealbreaker

for many they're just little trying kind

of blips in between applications and

exchanges that have been remedied

apologies for the noisiest mobile phone

in the world and finally there there is

uh patches for security vulnerabilities

now these are obviously one of the main

reasons that you should always update

your system software to the latest

revision these once you break down into

all of them one by one you will find

that the risk assessment on many of

these isn't exactly gamebreaking many of

these don't even really appear in the

most recent updates on sonology security

advisory isn't to say that they are

completely harmless but to uh we've got

for example this one with a memory

overload there another one with the

buffer being overloaded there to allow

executing of command with heightened

privilege and finally you got an open

SSH extension corruption here that can

be utilized to gain again in elevated

access but none of them are really kind

of 10 out of 10 scary time they're

pretty bad but again they require very

preset circumstance there if you are

susceptible to these do I'll link to

them all in the description then perhaps

it might be worth looking into the

upgrade just for that sake because let's

face it any attack Vector is an attack

Vector waiting to happen in the right

circumstance but if you don't feel that

these are going to be applicable to your

own personal setup then I don't think

any one of these alone is reason enough

to upgrade but just take the time to

look into the circumstance for yourself

VI those links but we of course have to

return to that subject probably the

biggest detail in this upgrade is of

course to do with the change towards

support of HG VC vc1 even support of um

h.264 otherwise known as AVC now how

things have changed can be broken down

into several different categories

because it's can to be very dependent on

the application in question much like

previously prior to this um update you

are going to need to download the

advanced media extension which has been

modified for DSM

7.2.2 it no longer applies by the way to

video station why is that well because

video station is not a thing we talked

about in a deeper video which I'll link

below but long story short the smm 7.2.2

will no longer contain video stations s

has made it abundantly clear that if you

do want to utilize your sonology as for

video based multimedia streaming in the

the conventional sofa sense then you're

going to need to take advantage of

applications like Plex Media Server and

jelly finin and MB uh two of which are

available if you go into the third party

supported app area of the sonology

application center again you can get a

hold of them it's very very

straightforward and they are very easy

to install they require a little bit

more of the applications and handling in

the back end to give certain access to

Shared folders and give read only or

read and write privileges and depending

on the metod DAT you to choose to use

but they are moving away from video

station video station is no longer a

thing on the sonology platform moving

forward into DSM 7.2.2 audio station is

still there sonology photos is still

there but even sonology photos has had

to take something with change in the way

it supports a number of its services

with regard to these particular

compression codecs and formats it's also

worth highlighting that sonology have

updated the number of their knowledge

centers with regard to these chain is in

a very much case app by app basis you've

got multiple articles linked in these

release notes to find out more about

them but I think the main ones we have

to look at is of course traditional

multimedia so if you are running h.264

or h265 uh video files there if you're

using the third party apps you're going

to be fine there although do keep in

mind as techology reduces the number of

systems in its portfolio with Hardware

trans coding uh abilities in other words

integrated graphics then the abilities

for using transcoding is going to be

limited somewhat and be less efficient

overall and that is something that a

Plex pass user traditionally goes for

Plex pass for to take advantage of

Hardware transcoding now for example

when we go through some of these

listings we can see for example when

they go into photography and videos they

break down into each of the individual

services and functions and I would say

right now if your priority for your

sonology NZ is streaming multimedia even

if it's in Plex I would maybe sit on the

fence just a wee bit longer the reason

being that Plex has only just recently

rolled out an update for this particular

version of the SM

7.2.2 and it's been rolled out

presumably in conjunction where they've

had to update towards this because of

this change in privilege that Plex needs

to have within their systems ever so

slightly at least now on top of that we

can look at some of the changes for

something like photography now

photography on the system photus is

still going to support all the

traditional formats but anything that

requires server side management of and

handling of hvvc files is going to be

significantly reduced this page here own

for onology own resource Pages details

it a little bit more with regards to

heic photography and HC media that you

may be recording on your phone and

uploading to the N technology Fighters

will become increasingly reliant on your

client Hardware to take care of a lot of

the the play back there and if you don't

have support of hgic locally or support

of hgvc then what's going to happen is

you're not going to be able to view

those files you're going to again if you

don't have the ability locally to play

that file you still don't have the

ability to modify it unless you are

using the sonology application in

conjunction with a video player on your

client device like VLC for example that

actually features the ability to modify

files luckily sonology has not

completely shut the door they image

assistant add-on fory photos that does

improve a lot of the output thumbnails

and previews for web browser and some of

the applications in the backend has been

rolled out so the recent changes in hvc

support and a number of other

compressions and codecs AR completely

Final in at least in terms of

Photography now when it comes to

streaming these kinds of multimedia in

both file station and on sonology drive

again we are seeing limitations in DSM

7.2.2 some of these already exist

but it has to be said that these new

changes to supported codec formats and

compression have made their Mark for

example is a breakdown on their own

Pages talking about what is supported

and possible via those two applications

and services as you can see transcoding

high medium low Etc is no longer a thing

on there you don't have that option and

although you have got that media

extension installed it still won't make

a big difference at least with regards

to streaming those services from the web

browser versus the applications and

again the client device will be expected

to take a lot more of the load in

efforts to keep things as efficient as

possible on the server side it would be

very easy for me to just say sonology

are recommending you use MB or Plex for

a lot of these services but I will say

I'm less keen on that if you're buying a

sonology now you're buying it for its

first party software you're buying it

for its ecosystem I think a lot andology

you promote that so pushing users

towards these third party apps is not

great but this video is about whether

you should upgrade and not about

criticisms of Plex and multimedia

support and right now if you're already

using Plex or MB I still wouldn't update

because you would need to update a few

extra things and I would give it a bit

of time while you've got a window but

what about surveillance because there is

a huge degree of playback support

required in surveillance how will things

change there in terms of surveillance

playback there have been significant

changes some of which by the way if you

do install this update are going to

happen without you realizing now one of

the main ones is if you are using

cameras that record in HC or h.265 it's

worth highlighting that if you're using

h.264 you're going to be absolutely fine

very little has changed there in terms

of sonology support and if you're

running cameras on that already you're

going to be absolutely fine but if

you're using cameras that take advantage

of

HC as you can see how detailed most

h.265 or HGC cameras offer more accurate

intelligent detection than traditional

motion detection now as good as that all

sounds what that means is after the

update cameras set by motion detection

by the surveillance station which is

when you set a camera up within

surveillance station and check whether

you want the system or the camera the

end point to manage a lot of the alert

will be switched automatically to camera

handling in other words offloading the

work of hvvc handling to the camera

rather than the system there again some

cameras will not actually support that

feature on the camera and therefore

things will change accordingly and this

has been reflected by the way across a

number of their systems the DVA system

which has uh a GPU or integrated

Graphics in place depending on which

unit you look at will have thanks to a

multimedia extension support of h.265

and HC already but the non dedicated NVR

systems or d uh in DVA systems are going

to be switched down to H 264 handling on

the uh footage with the cameras taking

advantage of all of the yeah the cameras

being used for all of the hard work the

big takeaway is that if right now you

are taking advantage of cameras and hvc

footage and you were relying on the

sonology nas to take care of all of the

alerts and recognition and stuff like

that this update will force it onto the

cameras to do it and if the cameras

aren't able to do that job are not able

in other words for techology systems to

read the alerts that being managed by

the camera rather than the system for

the sake of efficiency the result is

going to be as they say that if you

can't use motion detection by camera the

function will be disabled and any

pre-existing alerts schedule alerts

action rules and more will all be

disabled that's going to be a real pain

for those larger surveillance makeups

that are deeply in HC recorded um feeds

and this bleeds all the way through the

press releases and the information that

surrounds DSM

7.2.2 the brand is clearly pushing

further for efficiency trying to move as

much of the operations and resource

consumption onto Edge devices now it's

worth remembering that when it comes to

cameras most modern cameras arrived with

support of hvvc and therefore management

of alerts and the handling of the alerts

by the camera on the edge is more than

feasible it does bring into question

camera compatibility long-term anology

software but that's a conf ation for

another day but much like multimedia

playback and streaming towards third

party client devices if most of your

client devices were released after about

201617 a lot of them will already have

HC support or vc1 support already and

it's only really budget items or much

much older devices that don't arrive

with that support and therefore that is

where the need for or at least uh the

drive towards Edge and client devices is

taking over the load can be complicated

ultimately if you are looking at the smm

7.2 and you're running a multimedia

setup and your library is predominantly

HC I would maybe hold out a little bit

longer before you jump on board with

this update if you're running a

surveillance setup I strongly strongly

suggest double-checking your compression

and recording uh qu um techniques that

are being used if you are reliant on

hvvc or if your cameras themselves are

able to out put towards h.264 instead

before pursuing this update I like the

security updates here I like the patches

and fixes and there was a decent number

of them all broken down also the

widespread nature of this update it's

not really a tightly exclusive one it is

available on a numerous different

systems overall unless you are running a

surveillance setup or a multi home

multimedia setup of mixed uh client

devices and mixed multimedia formats I

think most other users will can happily

press forward with installing DSM

7.2.2 just if you are a multimedia user

keep an eye on it and certainly if you

are a dedicated sonology video station

user hold off for as long as you can but

this has been should you update to DSM

7.2.2 I hope you found this video

helpful and apart from this have

yourselves a fantastic week