Synology unveils PAS7700 NVMe storage to meet AI data surge

As the world races toward AI‑driven transformation, enterprises are facing unprecedented storage demands. The rise of large language models (LLMs), real‑time analytics, and automation has redefined what "mission‑critical" means. The publication CIO warns that "AI's massive appetite for data is breaking old storage systems, pushing companies to rebuild for speed and reliability before their budgets go up in smoke." Meanwhile, Gartner predicts that through 2026, "organisations will abandon 60% of AI projects unsupported by AI-ready data," underscoring the critical need for secure, high-performance, and highly available storage infrastructure.

"In our conversations with enterprise clients, it's clear that the shift toward AI and real-time analytics is transforming how organisations think about infrastructure," said Derek Chiu, Senior Manager of System Group at Synology. "IT teams are no longer just managing storage; they're building data pipelines that must be fast, resilient, and always available. Yet balancing performance, reliability, and manageability remains one of the biggest challenges we see in the field."

To meet these demands, Synology introduces its first dual-active all-NVMe storage system - the PAS7700. Designed for enterprises seeking high availability without sacrificing ease of use, the PAS7700 delivers secure, efficient, and reliable data access for mission-critical workloads.

"The PAS series was built precisely for these evolving workloads," Chiu explained. "We focused on delivering high performance, true active-active reliability, and robust security to ensure data remains available and AI-ready at all times."

Multi-layered high availability ensures stability from network to drive

As the foundation for enterprise-critical storage, the PAS7700's high-availability design spans every layer of the system, ensuring continuous service even in the face of failures. At the core, it features a new RAID-TP (triple parity) array, adding a third layer of protection beyond traditional RAID 6. This means data integrity is maintained even if three drives fail simultaneously. When a rebuild is required, the system performs targeted repairs, only addressing affected segments, which shortens recovery time and reduces the risk of secondary failures.

The PAS7700 also uses a dual-active (Active-Active) controller architecture, where both controllers handle I/O simultaneously and synchronize in real-time. If one controller goes offline or requires a firmware update, the other can take over all services within approximately five seconds, minimizing any disruption.

At the network level, additional safeguards are in place. IP Failover allows clients to maintain connection using the same IP address even during failures by transferring IPs, without needing to re-establish connections. For block protocols like iSCSI, FC, and NVMe-oF, the PAS7700's built-in MPIO (Multi-Path I/O) ensures alternative paths are available if any single route fails, keeping data flowing without interruption.

From triple parity and targeted repairs to second-level controller failover and intelligent network redundancy, the PAS7700 integrates multiple layers of protection. Enterprises can confidently withstand hardware failures, firmware updates, or network disruptions, ensuring critical workloads remain operational.

Storage efficiency for maximising value of NVMe

With performance and stability addressed, cost efficiency becomes the next priority - NVMe storage is expensive, and every terabyte counts. To maximize storage utilisation, the PAS7700 uses dual-layer de-duplication:

1. Inline de-duplication: As data is written, the system checks for duplicates. If a new block matches an existing one, it simply references the original, saving space and reducing write cycles to extend NVMe SSD lifespan. For example, a 20GB virtual machine deployed multiple times only stores one copy, with subsequent instances pointing to it, instantly saving tens of gigabytes.
2. Post-process deduplication: During low system load, the PAS7700 performs deep scans across files, folders, and LUNs to detect and reclaim duplicate blocks that could not be removed in real-time. This "deduplicate first, reclaim later" strategy preserves write performance while gradually increasing usable capacity, extending SSD life and reducing storage costs.

Security and data protection achieving zero downtime

To achieve true "zero downtime" for critical services, high availability alone is not enough. The PAS7700 incorporates comprehensive data protection and system security. Immutable snapshots allow data to be restored within seconds in the event of ransomware attacks, while Hyper Backup ensures long-term retention, compliance with regulations, and multi-destination redundancy.

On the security front, the PAS7700 fully supports SED self-encrypting drives, protecting data even if disks are physically removed. Combined with multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative accounts, it creates an additional security layer. By combining robust data protection with strong system security, the PAS7700 builds a virtually impenetrable defense, minimizing operational risk and safeguarding enterprise-critical workloads.

Enterprise value without the premium cost

Synology designed the PAS7700 to deliver high-performance NVMe storage and continuous availability without the premium price tag. By combining ease of use, robust performance, and enterprise-grade security, the PAS7700 empowers organisations to keep critical workloads running seamlessly while maintaining AI-ready infrastructure within a reasonable budget. Whether it's financial institutions processing real-time transactions, healthcare providers managing massive imaging data, or manufacturers leveraging AI for predictive operations, the PAS7700 ensures data remains secure, accessible, and ready when it matters most.

"PAS7700 is more than just a storage solution; it's a reliable partner that supports enterprise growth and ensures business continuity," said Chiu. "We believe it will help organisations keep their data accessible, secure, and always ready to power the next wave of AI innovation."