Synology NAS Migration via Hyper Backup (DSM 6.0+)

Section: Backup & Recovery Tags: synology, migration, hyper-backup, dsm, nas-upgrade, data-migration Source tickets: #24250 Confidence: High — procedure confirmed using Synology official migration guide

Overview

When replacing an existing Synology NAS with a new unit (e.g., upgrading from DS218 to DS420+), Hyper Backup provides the cleanest migration path. It migrates all shared folders, user accounts, settings, and package configurations. Reference: https://www.synology.com/en-uk/knowledgebase/DSM/tutorial/General/How_to_migrate_between_Synology_NAS_DSM_6_0_and_later

Prerequisites

Both NAS units on the same network
Sufficient free space on the new NAS for all data from the old NAS
DSM 6.0 or later on both units (verify in Control Panel → DSM Update)
Scheduled during a period of low NAS usage (overnight preferred)

Phase 1 — Prepare the New NAS

Set up the new Synology with a basic volume (see New Synology NAS Setup article)
Do NOT create any shares or users on the new NAS yet — the migration will create them
Assign the new NAS a temporary IP (different from the old NAS's IP)
Confirm the new NAS is reachable from a browser

Phase 2 — Hyper Backup Migration (via Migration Assistant)

Method A — Migration via DSM Migration Assistant (cleanest method)

This migrates DSM settings, packages, users, and data in one operation.

Power off the old NAS
Remove the drives from the old NAS
Insert the drives into the new NAS
Power on the new NAS — it will detect the drives are from a different model
DSM will prompt: Migrate — select this option
Follow the wizard — it reinstalls DSM for the new hardware while preserving all data and settings

⚠️ This method only works when the drive array is compatible (e.g., same RAID type). Check Synology's compatibility list first.

Method B — Hyper Backup transfer (both NAS units stay live)

Use this when keeping both NAS units running (e.g., the new NAS has larger drives and you want a gradual transfer):

On the old NAS: open Hyper Backup → Create backup task → Synology NAS
Destination: enter the new NAS IP, admin credentials, and select/create a vault folder
Source: select all shared folders to migrate
Run the backup — this copies all data to the new NAS (can take many hours for large datasets)
Once complete: on the new NAS, run Hyper Backup → Restore to restore all folders and user data

Phase 3 — Post-Migration

Update the new NAS IP to the old NAS's IP (static DHCP reservation on the router)
Power off the old NAS
Confirm all client machines connect to the new NAS correctly:

- CloudStation Drive / Synology Drive: may need to reconnect to the new NAS address - Time Machine: re-select the backup disk pointing to the new NAS IP - Mapped drives (SMB): reconnect if the IP changed

Confirm Hyper Backup is running on the new NAS (re-create the backup task — it does not migrate)
Update the NAS IP and hostname in the client's notes/ITGlue

Verification

Browse to the new NAS web UI — confirm all shared folders are present and accessible
From a client Mac: confirm Synology Drive sync is running and syncing correctly
From a client Mac: confirm Time Machine shows the new NAS as the backup destination and starts a backup
Run a Hyper Backup verification: Hyper Backup → [task] → Check backup integrity

If This Fails

CloudStation/Drive not reconnecting: Uninstall and reinstall the Drive client on the Mac; reconnect to the new NAS IP
Time Machine shows "Backup disk not available": Re-select the disk in Time Machine preferences → the new NAS will create a new sparse bundle (full backup will re-run)
QuickConnect not working on new NAS: Re-register the QuickConnect ID in DSM → Control Panel → QuickConnect — the old NAS's QuickConnect ID cannot be transferred (a new one must be registered)