I have a Synology DS1621xs+ amazon.com or amazon.com.au (affiliate links) currently running DSM (DiskStation Manager) 6.2.4.

The latest major release of the DSM is now being rolled out as a publicly available update. Being a major update, it doesn’t automatically install, and indeed if you are still on 6.2.4 they’re still making bug fix releases for that series.

There’s a detailed overview of new features and enhancements in DSM 7 that’s worth reviewing. The headlines for this are:

  • A brand-new Storage Manager, new performance optimization features, and more safeguards against data degradation.
  • Manage Synology NAS across locations with a performance monitoring and automated warning system hosted in the cloud.
  • Powerful domain, system, and identity management features help you guard and maintain your IT setup as your business or project grows.
  • Synology Drive’s enhanced security and management features help admins keep track of users, permissions, and data.
  • New Synology Photos combines the functions you trust with powerful new features in a beautiful new layout.
  • Synology Hybrid Share stores shared data in the cloud and retains frequently used data in a local cache for fast and low-latency access. Combine the speed of on-premises Synology NAS with the scalability of Synology C2 Storage.
  • Efficiently build and administrate iSCSI and Fibre Channel SAN with our most comprehensive and effective virtualization storage proposition yet.

I decided it was time to move to the next version. Here’s what I did.

  1. Click Download

DSM 7 Update

  1. Wait for download to complete

DSM 7 Update

  1. Click Upgrade

DSM 7 Update

  1. Review the Update Notice.

DSM 7 Update

In summary:

  • DSM updates take 10 to 20 minutes, while package update may take more than an hour
  • Some of your packages are automatically updated, while others will require a manual update (via Package Center after the update)
  • QuickConnect will get a new SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt
  • Review this article for third-party package support on DSM 7

(I have Plex Media Server installed. It is listed as supported)

  1. Select I understand and agree to update the system then click Next

  2. On the confirmation dialog reminding you not to power off the system during the update, click Yes.

DSM 7 Update

  1. The update then proceeds, with progress being shown

DSM 7 Update

DSM 7 Update

DSM 7 Update

  1. Eventually you’ll be prompted to sign in

DSM 7 Update

  1. And now you’re greeted with the updated interface! You can now click Start.

DSM 7 Update

  1. You can optionally enable additional services. If you decide to skip this you can always configure them later in Control Panel.

DSM 7 Update

Now head over to Package Center to attend to any packages that need manual updates, and you’re done.

Do also check out my other Synology posts.