Transferring a sizeable file or a large number of small files can be time-consuming. While 10 Gigabit Ethernet can reduce the overall transfer times on Windows systems, this can be harder to achieve with Mac systems.

QNAP Thunderbolt NAS is the perfect solution for Thunderbolt-equipped Mac & Windows users with 4K workflow, file storage, and backup needs. QTS (QNAP NAS operating system) supports Thunderbolt networking that connects your NAS to other systems as an Ethernet connection. Each Thunderbolt connection can cascade (daisy-chain) up to six devices (storage devices and computers) through a single port without needing a hub or switch. Thunderbolt as an Ethernet connection is compatible with all network services (such as file sharing, FTP, and other services). This tutorial provides an overview of how to set up a Thunderbolt network between the NAS and your computers.

Note:

1. The number of Thunderbolt interfaces varies by NAS model.
2. Check with the device manufacturer to determine if the device supports Thunderbolt daisy-chaining.
3. The total number of connections in a daisy-chain will affect overall performance.
4. Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later is required.

Set up Thunderbolt networking on the NAS

1. Open Qfinder Pro to find your NAS, and double-click on it to open its login page. Qfinder Pro is a utility for Windows, Mac, and Linux that allows you to quickly find and access a QNAP NAS over a LAN. Please follow this link to download Qfinder Pro: QNAP Utilities.

2. Log into the NAS as an administrator. Go to “Main Menu” > “Network & Virtual Switch” > “Interfaces” > “Thunderbolt”.

1. Click “Edit” under “Thunderbolt Bridge Address” to configure Thunderbolt’s network settings.
   
2. Thunderbolt will automatically assign IP addresses by default. If your network environment requires static IP addresses, choose “Use static IP address” (if you use iSCSI, NFS, or other file sharing services to mount network drives, use a static IP address for greater reliability).
   
3. After applying the settings, you should see the correct IP address for the Thunderbolt port. To check the connection status, you can go to “System Settings” > “System Status” and select the “Network Status” tab.
   
4. To set the network preferences of the Thunderbolt ports on your Mac, go to “Apple menu” > “System Preferences” > “Network”, and select “Thunderbolt Bridge” from the services list. By default, computers using Thunderbolt in a network environment automatically receive an IPv4 address using DHCP. If you have set a static IP address, you should manually configure the IP address accordingly. Refer to “Manually set Thunderbolt IP addresses” for more information.
   

Set up file sharing and access shared items on a network

QNAP NAS offers various forms of file service so that other operating systems can connect to your NAS with built-in tools or common application programs. Forms of file service include:

• AFP (Apple Filing Protocol)
• NFS (Network File System)
• SMB/CIFS (Microsoft File Sharing)
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• WebDAV

To share with other computers, simply turn on the service you want to use in “Network Services” (in “Control Panel”) on the NAS, and then use one of the following methods to connect to your NAS from your Mac: “Network Drives” in Qfinder Pro, “Network”, and “Connect to Server” in the Go menu of Apple Finder.

Use Qfinder Pro

1. Open Qfinder Pro and select “Network Drives”.

2. Choose the protocol, and enter the name of the folder to mount. If you do not specify the shared folder name, you can choose it after you enter your username and password.

3. Enter your username and password for the NAS.

4. Select the folders that you would like to access. Make sure you have the access privileges to the shared folders.

5. The connected folders will show up in Finder.

Use “Network” in the Go menu

The Network function displays whatever is available on your network in the Finder window. You may need to enable the Bonjour service first. Bonjour is a TCP/IP-based advertising and discovery protocol used by Macs. By enabling Bonjour, available services such as file sharing, printers, and remote speakers (used by iTunes and Apple TV) will be advertised throughout the network.

You can enable Bonjour from “Control Panel” > “Network Services” > “Service Discovery” > “Bonjour”.

1. On your Mac, go to “Finder” > “Go”, and then select “Network”.

2. Select the IP address of the Thunderbolt port of the NAS.

3. Select the folders that you would like to access.

4. The connected folders will show up in the Shared section of any Finder window.

Use “Connect to Server” in the Go menu

Use the “Connect to Server” feature to directly connect to the NAS. For example, you can connect to Microsoft File Sharing (SMB) offered by the NAS.

You can enable Microsoft File Sharing (SMB) from “Control Panel” > “Network Services” > “Win/Mac/NFS” > “Microsoft Networking”.

1. Select “Go” > “Connect To”, and enter a URL, IP address or DNS name.

2. Type the network address for the computer in the Server Address field using one of these formats:

smb://DNSname/sharename
smb://IPaddress/sharename

If you use services other than SMB, see Network address formats for shared computers and servers

If you do not specify the shared folder as part of the address, you can choose it after you enter your username and password.

3. Follow the onscreen instructions to enter your username and password. You should have access privileges to the shared folders. To make it easier to connect to the computer in the future, select “Remember this password in my keychain”.

4. Choose the shared folder you want to access.

5. The shared folder icon should appear in the Finder window sidebar or on your desktop.

Obtain the Thunderbolt IP address

There are two ways to obtain the IP address of the Thunderbolt port of the NAS as illustrated below:

• Use the LCD display. Press “Select” to show the Thunderbolt port’s IP address.
  
• Log into the NAS as an administrator. Go to “Main Menu” > “Network & Virtual Switch” > “Interfaces” > “Thunderbolt” and then check the IP address under “Thunderbolt Bridge Address”.
  

Manually set Thunderbolt IP addresses

You may need to use a static IP address for Thunderbolt Networking in your network environment. Here is how to set it up.

1. Log into the NAS as an administrator. Go to “Main Menu” > “Network & Virtual Switch” > “Interfaces” > “Thunderbolt”.

2. Click “Edit” under “Thunderbolt Bridge Address” to configure Thunderbolt’s network settings.

3. Click “Apply” when finished.

4. You need to change the IP address on your Mac accordingly. On your Mac, go to “Apple menu” > “System Preferences” > “Network” and select “Thunderbolt Bridge” in the network connection services list. Here you should choose “Manually” from the “Configure IPv4” pop-up menu and configure an IP address in the same subnet as your NAS.

Network-Attached-Storage (NAS) devices are great for local backups and archives of data. They have become even more capable, now often taking over functions that used to be reserved for servers.

QNAP produces a popular line of networking products, including NAS units that can work with Macintosh, Windows, Linux, and other OS’s. QNAP’s NAS products are used in office, home, and professional environments for storage and a variety of applications, including business, development, home automation, security, and entertainment.

Data stored on a QNAP NAS can be backed up to Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage using QNAP’s Hybrid Backup Sync application, which consolidates backup, restoration and synchronization functions into a single QTS application. With the latest releases of QTS and Hybrid Backup Sync (HBS), you can now sync the data on your QNAP NAS to and from Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage.

How to Set up QNAP’s Hybrid Backup Sync to Work With B2 Cloud Storage

To set up your QNAP with B2 sync support, you’ll need access to your B2 account. You’ll also need your B2 Account ID, application key and bucket name — all of which are available after you log into your Backblaze account. Finally, you’ll need the Hybrid Backup Sync application installed in QTS on your QNAP NAS. You’ll need QTS 4.3.3 or later and Hybrid Backup Sync v2.1.170615 or later.

1. Open the QTS desktop in your web browser.

1. If it’s not already installed, install the latest Hybrid Backup Sync from the App Center.

1. Click on Hybrid Backup Sync from the desktop.
2. Click the Sync button to create a new connection to B2.

1. Select “One-way Sync” and “Sync with the cloud.” Other options are also available.

1. Select “Local to cloud sync.”

1. Select an existing Account (job), or just select “Backblaze B2” to create a new one.

1. Enter a display name for this job, and an Application Key ID and Application Key for the Backblaze B2 account. This Application Key needs to have full read/write permissions for the bucket or section of the bucket the QNAP will access.

1. Select the source folder on the NAS you’d like to sync, and the bucket name and folder name on B2 for the destination. If you’d like to sync immediately, select the “Sync Now” checkbox. Click “Advanced Settings” if you’d like to configure a backup schedule, select client-side encryption, compression, filters, file replacement policies, and other options. Click “Apply.” If you selected “Sync Now,” your job will start.

1. After you’ve finished configuring your job, you will see the “All Jobs” dialog with the status of all your jobs.

What You Can Do With B2 and QNAP Hybrid Backup Sync?

The Hybrid Backup Sync app provides you with total control over what gets backed up to B2. You can synchronize in the cloud as little or as much as you want. Here are some practical examples of what you can do with Hybrid Backup Sync and B2 working together.

1 — Sync the Entire Contents of your QNAP to the Cloud

The QNAP NAS has excellent fault-tolerance — it can continue operating even when individual drive units fail — but nothing in life is foolproof. It pays to be prepared in the event of a catastrophe. If you follow our 3-2-1 Backup Strategy, you know how important it is to make sure that you have a copy of your files in the cloud.

2 — Sync Your Most Important Media Files

Using your QNAP to store movies, music and photos? You’ve invested untold amounts of time, money, and effort into collecting those media files, so make sure they’re safely and securely synced to the cloud with Hybrid Backup Sync and B2.

3 — Back Up Time Machine and Other Local Backups

Apple’s Time Machine software provides Mac users with reliable local backup, and many of our customers rely on it to provide that crucial first step in making sure their data is secure. QNAP enables the NAS to act as a network-based Time Machine backup. Those Time Machine files can be synced to the cloud, so you can make sure to have Time Machine files to restore from in the event of a critical failure.

If you use Windows or Linux, you can configure the QNAP NAS as the destination for your Windows or Linux local data backup. That, in turn, can be synced to the cloud from the NAS.

Why B2?

B2 is the best value in cloud storage. The cost to store data in the B2 cloud is up to 75 percent less than the competition. You can see for yourself with our B2 Cost Calculator.

If you haven’t given B2 a try yet, now is the time. You can get started with B2 and your QNAP NAS right now, and make sure your NAS is synced securely and automatically to the cloud.