Short answer: Synology Drive can provide team file access, synchronization and version history on a compatible NAS. Before deploying clients, configure eligible Team Folders, role-based permissions, sync direction, version retention and a separate backup. Sync is not backup: deletion or corruption may propagate to other devices.
This guide covers team-file operations rather than NAS procurement. See Synology solutions for business for hardware, backup and handover. If the platform is still open, compare NAS, file server and SharePoint.
Define the workload before installing clients
Verify the NAS model and DSM support Synology Drive Server, available capacity, user groups, the authoritative copy of each file set and any application dependencies. Ordinary Office documents are not the same workload as live databases, CAD/BIM files or backup repositories. Do not enable two-way sync for everything simply to make it remotely available.
Name a data owner for each Team Folder. Build a matrix for read, edit, delete and external sharing through groups. Synology excludes certain shared folders, including some Active Backup for Business destinations, from Team Folder eligibility; confirm this before promising a workflow.
Enable Team Folders and pilot synchronization
In Synology Drive Admin Console, enable an eligible shared folder as a Team Folder and set version limits and rotation policy. Users need read/write rights for two-way synchronization; read-only users can download one way. Enable the user-home service only when personal My Drive space is required. Keep department-owned files in a shared ownership structure rather than a departing employee’s home folder.
Pilot a few Windows and macOS clients. Test real permissions, long filenames, renames, deletions, open files and concurrent edits. Choose one-way or two-way sync from the source-of-truth design. Document how staff should resolve conflicts; the newest timestamp is not necessarily the correct business version.
Protect versions and prove recovery
Versioning may help roll back edits within configured limits, but retained versions consume capacity. Keep an independent copy outside the same NAS for whole-appliance loss and compromised administration. Synology notes that a package backup alone does not necessarily preserve all Drive file-version history; choose a method that protects history if the business requires it.
Restore a changed file, a deleted file and a permission-sensitive folder using representative accounts. Record the recovery point, operator, result and permissions after recovery. Monitor capacity, disconnected clients and access removal when staff leave. Use a restore-test process as part of handover.
Frequently asked questions
Is Synology Drive a backup?
Not by default. Sync and versions handle some mistakes, but require a separate copy and tested recovery for wider failure scenarios.
Can a read-only user sync both ways?
No. Synology requires read/write privilege for two-way Team Folder sync; read-only access supports one-way download.
Should live application files be synced?
Only after the application vendor confirms locking and consistent backup behavior. File sync is not application-consistent backup.
Technical sources
Synology Drive Admin Console; Synology: protecting Drive file versions. Verify the actual model and DSM release.
