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Synology DS923+
4-bay DSM NAS running Surveillance Station with up to 40 IP cameras
SPECIFICATIONS · DS923+
Full specifications
Specifications sourced from official manufacturer datasheet (link in hero).
About the Synology DS923+
The Synology DS923+ is an enterprise NVR designed for full-building deployments — campuses, factories, logistics centres and multi-tenant facilities where the camera plan exceeds 32 channels. Storage capacity sits in the comfort zone for month-long retention at typical channel resolutions, with room to drop archived footage onto cold storage as it ages out. The desktop chassis sits on a shelf, IT bench or wall-mount tray and runs cool enough that ventilation is not a serious design constraint. No PoE ports are built into the recorder, so cameras connect through a separate PoE switch. That is the preferred architecture on professional installs because a dedicated managed switch gives finer VLAN control, larger PoE budgets, and easier replacement than an integrated switch tied to the NVR chassis.
Best use cases for this recorder
Campus, factory, logistics & critical infrastructure
At 40 channels per chassis, the unit consolidates what would otherwise be 2-4 mid-range NVRs into a single rack appliance. Useful where licensing per-chassis matters and where consolidating storage onto one RAID set simplifies forensic retrieval.
4K/8MP camera deployments
Native support for 4K per-channel recording matches it to current-generation 4K cameras — useful when the install plan calls for fewer-but-higher-resolution cameras (typical of perimeter, parking, and identification-focused layouts).
Strengths
- •40-channel headroom absorbs phased expansion without forcing a second chassis
- •RAID 0/1/5/6/10/SHR/JBOD support protects archive against single-disk failure
- •H.265 codec roughly halves storage cost over legacy H.264 installs
- •ONVIF compliance lets the unit record from third-party cameras, not just the same-brand catalog
- •Compact chassis fits in a half-height comms cabinet or office bench
Considerations
- •No built-in PoE — budget for a separate managed PoE switch with appropriate per-port wattage for the planned cameras
Storage planning
Running all 40 channels at the industry-typical 4 Mbps/channel H.265 CBR (15 fps, 4 MP scene complexity), the DS923+ produces roughly 1688 GB of footage per day — about 11813 GB/week, 50625 GB/month, and 151875 GB across a 90-day retention window. These figures are deterministic — derived from your bitrate assumption, the channel count, and the calendar — not estimated from a marketing data sheet.
Estimates assume 4 Mbps per channel H.265 CBR continuous recording. Motion-only recording typically reduces storage by 40-70%.
Installation tips for the DS923+
Locate on a shelf in a ventilated, lockable cupboard — desktop units pull dust through the chassis quickly when sat on a carpeted floor, and the HDDs need ambient temperatures under 30 °C for rated life.
Plan storage at roughly 1688 GB/day (≈50625 GB/month) for continuous H.265 recording at 4 Mbps/channel — match HDD capacity to the longest retention window the privacy policy or insurance contract demands.
Use RAID 5 (one-disk parity) for general-purpose archive or RAID 6 (two-disk parity) for evidentiary recording — RAID 10 is fastest but burns half the bays on mirroring, only worth it when write performance is the bottleneck.
Pair with a managed PoE switch sized for the camera plan — choose 802.3at (≤30 W/port) for typical IR-equipped bullets, 802.3bt (≤60-90 W/port) when PTZ or heated housings are in scope.
Power & rack
Power draw sits at roughly 50 W idle and around 50 W under full load (4-bay HDD activity). That dissipates approximately 171 BTU/hour of heat into the rack — size the comms-cabinet ventilation accordingly. On desktop placement, raise the unit on rubber feet or a vented tray rather than directly on carpet — the chassis pulls cooling air through bottom intakes and dust ingress is the primary cause of premature HDD failure.
Installer time & cost (rough estimate)
A typical EU integrator quotes 9-11 h of labour to commission the Synology DS923+ (approximately €405-€495 excluding hardware), broken down as physical install, HDD population and RAID set-up, 40-channel discovery and IP/credential configuration, schedule + retention setup, motion / event rules per camera, mobile-app pairing, and a brief operator handover. Allow extra time for sites with non-standard network topology (multi-VLAN, multi-site bridges) or for migrations from a legacy DVR where camera streams must be re-addressed.
Indicative EU 2024-2025 pricing — actual quotes vary by region, network topology and migration scope. Excludes hardware, HDDs, transport, permits, and VAT.
Frequently asked questions
How many cameras can the Synology DS923+ record?
Up to 40 IP camera channels per chassis. The ingest bandwidth ceiling is not declared in the datasheet — confirm with the vendor before specifying high-bitrate (4K, 12 MP) cameras across all channels.
Does the Synology DS923+ support third-party (ONVIF) cameras?
Yes — ONVIF Profile S/T support means the unit records from third-party cameras as well as the same-brand catalog. Most cameras supporting ONVIF 16.12 or newer plug-and-play; older firmware may require manual stream URL configuration in the NVR web UI.
How much storage does the Synology DS923+ need for 30-day recording?
At the industry-typical 4 Mbps per channel H.265 CBR (15 fps, 4 MP scene), all 40 channels recording continuously for 30 days produces approximately 50625 GB (49.4 TB) of footage. Motion-only or event-triggered recording typically cuts that by 40-70 % depending on scene activity. Plan HDD capacity for the longest retention window your privacy policy or insurance contract demands.
What HDDs are recommended for the Synology DS923+?
Use surveillance-rated HDDs — WD Purple, Seagate SkyHawk, Toshiba S300, or equivalent. Desktop / consumer drives (WD Blue, Seagate Barracuda) are not validated for 24/7 write workloads and typically fail within 12-18 months in CCTV use. Match drive capacity across bays if planning RAID — mixed capacities default to the smallest disk size per stripe.
Does the Synology DS923+ need its own PoE switch?
Yes — the recorder has no built-in PoE, so cameras connect through a separate managed PoE switch. Size the switch's PoE budget for the planned cameras: 802.3at (≤30 W/port) handles typical IR-equipped bullets and domes; 802.3bt (≤60-90 W/port) is needed for PTZ and heated housings.
What power and cooling does the Synology DS923+ need?
Plan for 50 W idle and ~50 W under full load, dissipating roughly 171 BTU/hour into the rack or cupboard. Size the UPS for at least 15-minute hold-up so the unit can flush write buffers and shut down cleanly on mains failure — abrupt power loss is the leading cause of NVR file-system corruption in commercial installs.
Is the Synology DS923+ suitable for evidentiary recording?
Yes — RAID 0/1/5/6/10/SHR/JBOD support protects archive against single-disk (or two-disk on RAID 6) failure, and channel headroom supports the typical 30-90 day retention required by Polish and EU evidentiary policies. Export footage via the web UI or front-USB; native hash signing ties the export to the source archive.
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Helpful Tools & Resources
Storage Calculator
Match HDD capacity to your retention policy
Bandwidth Calculator
Verify your network can carry the ingest load
Camera Quantity Calculator
Match channel count to your site
UPS Sizing Calculator
Hold-up time for clean NVR shutdown on mains failure
System Budget Estimator
Hardware + install + commissioning cost
CCTV Storage Planning Guide
Bitrate, retention, RAID — the full math
Plan your CCTV layout with Synology DS923+
Use our free CCTV planner to lay out cameras feeding this recorder, match HDD capacity to retention windows, and generate a professional PDF report — no signup required.
Free until you outgrow it · No card · No install