Intel® Xeon® W desktop QuTS hero NAS, ideal for high-speed media collaboration over Thunderbolt™ 3 and 10GbE virtual machine applications
The high-capacity TVS-h1688X features a powerful Intel® Xeon® W processor and allows for installing two QNAP QXP-T32P Thunderbolt™ 3 PCIe expansion cards (sold separately) to attain four Thunderbolt™ 3 ports, making it a perfect match for Thunderbolt™-equipped Mac® and Windows® users for high-speed media collaboration. The built-in 10GbE and 2.5GbE connectivity supports Port Trunking and failover to further satisfy bandwidth and reliability demanding business applications. Running the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system, the TVS-h1688X supports block-level inline data deduplication and compression, near-limitless snapshots, real-time SnapSync, and read/write cache technologies, helping your business achieve reliable service-level agreement performance, from creative workflows to file server, virtualization server, and efficient file backup and recovery applications.
Attain quad-port Thunderbolt™ 3 connectivity by installing two QXP-T32P expansion cards in the PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots.
Note: QXP-T32P expansion cards are sold separately
Two 10GBASE-T and four 2.5GbE LAN ports accelerate virtualization, intensive file access, large backup/restoration tasks, and media transfer.
PCIe slots allow for installing 5/10/25/40GbE adapters, QM2 cards, or graphics cards to increase application performance.
4K media playback and real-time transcoding; directly output videos to an HDMI display (up to 4K @30Hz).
Supports virtual machines and containerized apps, centralized storage, backup, sharing, disaster recovery, and storage expansion.
Cloud storage gateways realize hybrid cloud applications by working with the cache space reserved on NAS to ensure low-latency data access to the cloud.
Available Models
TVS-h1688X-W1250-32G
Intel® Xeon® W-1250 6-core 3.3 GHz processor (Bust up to 4.7 GHz), 32 GB DDR4 ECC memory (2 x 16 GB)
Six cores up to 4.7 GHz with up to 128 GB DDR4 ECC memory
The 2U rackmount TS-h2490FU has 24 drive bays for U.2 NVMe Gen 3 x4 SSDs, with each individual SSD having 32Gb/s dedicated bandwidth for the utmost application response times. Coupled with powerful ZFS data deduction and SSD optimization technologies, the TS-h2490FU provides solid foundations for overcoming complexity and performance demands in today’s evolving data center workloads.
1 x Thunderbolt™ 3 Sequential Throughput (AJA System Test)
1403 MB/s
1257 MB/s
Tested in QNAP Labs. Figures may vary by environment.
NAS: TVS-h1688X installed with a QXP-T32P Thunderbolt™ 3 expansion card
RAID Pool Configuration: 4 x Samsung 850Pro 256GB as RAID 0, with QuTS hero h4.5.0
Cable: Thunderbolt 3 active cable (2 meter)
Client: MacBook Pro (Intel Core-i7 quad-core 2.9GHz, 16GB RAM)
Virtualization Certifications Supported by TVS-h1688X
Streamline video editing and 4K workflows with Thunderbolt™ 3 connectivity
You can install two QXP-T32P Thunderbolt™ 3 expansion cards (sold separately) to the PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots of the TVS-h1688X and transform it into a Thunderbolt™ 3 NAS with quad-port Thunderbolt™ 3 connectivity. Up to four Thunderbolt™-equipped workstations can be connected to the TVS-h1688X to achieve greater teamwork efficiency in 4K workflows, file storage, backup, and sharing. An SLC/MLC SSD RAID 5 configuration is recommended for the highest possible performance and the best storage allocation for your NAS.
Note: If you connect a Thunderbolt™ 4 computer to a Thunderbolt™ 3 NAS, you must use a Thunderbolt™ 4 certificated cable or a passive Thunderbolt™ 3 cable that is shorter than 0.8 meters.
Thunderbolt™ 3 + 10Gb Ethernet: perfect for studios and post-production houses
The TVS-h1688X can simultaneously run general Ethernet services with the built-in 10GBASE-T LAN card in addition to the Thunderbolt™ 3 network, completely independently and with no bandwidth interference. The media resources in the TVS-h1688X can be easily accessed by Thunderbolt™ and Ethernet workstations for different concurrent tasks with increased productivity.
Final Cut Pro® and Adobe® Premiere Pro® users can centrally store and share the media files in the TVS-h1688X via SMB protocol for greater efficiency.
Qfinder Pro allows you to quickly find and easily access QNAP NAS that are located on the same LAN. You can mount the TVS-h1688X through Qfinder Pro for direct access to specific shared folders.
Add high-speed connectivity to computers by using the Thunderbolt 3 to 10GbE adapter or USB 3.2 Gen 1 to 5GbE adapter. Servers and desktop computers can install PCIe network expansion cards that support 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M Multi-Gig. QNAP 10GbE switches allow for high-speed collaboration in device-dense environments.
Dual 10GbE connectivity optimizes high-speed data transfer
The TVS-h1688X comes with a pre-installed dual-port 10GBASE-T network card (supports 10GbE/1GbE), supporting failover and up to 20Gb/s bandwidth under Port Trunking, to improve bandwidth-demanding data center, virtualization applications, and high-speed backup and recovery. The TVS-h1688X is also ideally matched with QNAP’s managed and unmanaged 10GbE switches to form high-speed, secure and scalable network environments without going over budget.
Direct 4K HDMI output
The TVS-h1688X features Intel® UHD Graphics P630 that supports hardware decoding and real-time transcoding. The HDMI output supports up to 4K (4096 x 2160p) @30Hz, providing great benefits for applications like video production/editing, industrial design and professional photography that demand on-image resolution and color realism as well as intensive media storage, transfer and display. By connecting the TVS-h1688X to an HDMI display, you can directly watch multimedia content saved on the NAS with QNAP RM-IR004 remote control (sold separately).
Set SSD caching to boost IOPS with M.2 NVMe SSD
The TVS-h1688X comes with four 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s drive bays for SSDs and two M.2 NVMe Gen 3 x4 SSD slots that allow you to flexibly configure SSD caching to increase IOPS performance, reduce storage volume latency, and optimize 2.5GbE/10GbE performance. This is especially perfect for databases and virtual machine applications. With dedicated SSD bays/slots, the TVS-h1688X allows you to dedicate all of the 3.5-inch drive bays for high-capacity hard drives, ensuring both maximized storage capacity and performance.
Hybrid Storage with high I/O expandability
4x 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s SSD bays
Offers flexible configuration for cache acceleration to boost IOPS performance.
12x 3.5-inch drive bays
Supports SATA 6 Gb/s drives; lockable trays.
DDR4 ECC memory
Four DDR4 Long-DIMM slots supporting up to 128 GB RAM.
2x M.2 NVMe SSD slots
Supports NVMe Gen 3 x4 M.2 SSD with the 2280/22110 form factors for enabling cache acceleration.
Note: M.2 SSD sold separately.
Intel® Xeon® W processor
Intel® Xeon® W-1250 6 cores processor with up to 4.7 GHz speeds.
2x PCIe Gen 3 x4 expansion slots
Supports QXP-T32P Thunderbolt™ 3 expansion cards, 5/10/25/40GbE network expansion cards, QM2 cards, graphics cards, or QXP PCIe SATA expansion cards for greater application potential.
Audio input and output
Output to speakers and connect a microphone.
2x 10GBASE-T Ethernet ports
The PCIe Gen 3 x8 slot is pre-installed with a dual-port 10GBASE-T network card (supports 10GbE/1GbE), supporting failover and up to 20Gb/s bandwidth under Port Trunking.
6x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) ports
Delivers up to 10Gbps transfer speeds. Supports QNAP TL USB JBOD, external hard drives or UPS.
1x HDMI 1.4b output
Supports up to 4096 x 2160 @30Hz high resolution for optimal visual experience.
4x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports
Supports using existing CAT5e cables to instantly upgrade from 1GbE connections. Obtain up to 5 Gbps under Port Trunking.
Smart cooling
Monitors system temperatures and automatically adjusts fan speeds.
ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system enhances NAS performance and data integrity
QuTS hero combines the app-based QTS with the 128-bit ZFS file system to provide flexible storage management, comprehensive data protection, and optimized performance to tackle the complexity and performance demands of modern IT. From storage management, virtualization, to collaborative media workflows, QuTS hero streamlines your business-critical tasks.
| Data integrity is key | Data reduction improves storage efficiency and performance | Multi-level cache technology |
| QuTS hero’s self-healing ensures data integrity and reliability. Write Once, Read Many (WORM) is also supported. | Inline data deduplication, compression, and compaction reduce file size to conserve storage capacity and optimize performance. | Main memory read cache (L1 ARC), SSD second-level read cache (L2 ARC), and ZFS Intent Log (ZIL) for synchronous transactions with power fail protection are simultaneously supported to boost performance and security. |
| RAID Z enables robust data protection | QSAL (QNAP SSD Antiwear Leveling) enhances data protection | App Center ecosystem extends NAS functionality |
| Multiple RAID levels allow flexible capacity utilization. RAID Triple Parity and Triple Mirror deliver higher levels of data protection. | RAID-level SSD lifespan is automatically and regularly detected to prevent simultaneous SSD failure, improving your data protection and system reliability. | Apps for backup/sync, virtual machines/containers, content management, productivity, and more features can be used to expand the application potential of the TVS-h1688X. |
Tiered storage configuration for a QuTS hero NAS
Basic requirements for setup are similar to QTS. We recommend you to follow these steps to acquire optimal storage efficiency and performance for QuTS hero.
The first Storage Pool you create is where the system drive, default shared folders, and apps are stored. In this step, it is recommended to create an SSD RAID with at least two SSDs to attain optimal system performance and efficient app metadata management. (With an all-HDD configuration, the first Storage Pool is also where the system drive and default shared folders are stored.)
Use more SSDs for read cache or ZIL. You can also install QM2 expansion cards to add M.2 SSDs for expanding cache space.
Allocate HDDs/SSDs to create a RAID for storing files and application data. If needed, you can configure an all-flash configuration for optimal performance.
Inline data deduplication, compression, and compaction drives big data storage efficiency
QuTS hero supports advanced block-based data reduction technologies (including inline data deduplication, compression, and compaction) to reduce file sizes, conserve storage capacity, and optimize performance. For example, if 20 virtual machines on a NAS are replicated using the same template, then storage space requirements for all 20 virtual machines can be reduced by up to 95%. Whether acting as primary or backup storage, the TVS-h1688X optimizes storage utilization to provide a reliable storage cornerstone in the Big Data era.
Real-time SnapSync ensures minimal RPO with real-time disaster recovery
Real-time SnapSync ensures that both the primary and secondary NAS maintain identical data. When data is written to the source, it is immediately written to the destination. If the primary NAS goes offline, IT staff can simply adjust the privilege settings of the secondary NAS to ensure continuous operations. SnapSync provides the strongest support for nonstop business operations and helps users to reduce the risk of data loss.
Note: SnapSync will be available from QuTS hero h4.5.2.
The TVS-h1688X also supports snapshots and remote backup to help organizations accomplish routine backup tasks cost-effectively and efficiently.
Snapshots multiply backup protection
Attain peace of mind with near-limitless, instant snapshots. Copy-on-write technology makes snapshot creation almost instantaneous without affecting ongoing data writing. Snapshot Replica replicates snapshot files to the backup NAS, simplifying data protection with version control.
HBS simplifies 3-2-1 backup plans
HBS centralizes backup, restoration, and synchronization for easily transferring data in the TVS-h1688X to another QNAP NAS, remote server, or cloud storage space. HBS supports QuDedup technology that eliminates redundant data at the source and makes multi-version backup faster.
All-in-one virtual machine and container hosting solution
You can count on Virtualization Station and Container Station for comprehensive virtualization support. Coupled with the Network & Virtual Switch app that boosts interoperability between virtual machines, containers, QNAP NAS, and other physical devices on the network, you can flexibly allocate physical and virtual network resources to simplify network deployment.
Run multiple Windows®, Linux®, UNIX®, and Android™ virtual machines and access them via a web browser or Virtual Network Computing (VNC). Businesses can run virtualized server applications on a single NAS without the need for additional physical servers.
Experience LXC and Docker® lightweight virtualization technologies, download apps from the built-in Docker Hub Registry®, import and export containers, and create abundant microservices.
License-free VMware® and Hyper-V backup appliance
With Hyper Data Protector, the TVS-h1688X becomes an agentless backup tool for unlimited VMware® vSphere and Microsoft® Hyper-V VM backup. Hyper Data Protector features incremental backup, global deduplication, backup scheduling and recovery compression. Hyper Data Protector also simultaneously backs up multiple VMs, providing you with a cost-effective and reliable disaster recovery plan, ensuring 24/7 operation of your services.
PCIe expansion for 40GbE connectivity or graphics cards
Install various expansion cards based on your needs to fulfill greater I/O capability.
5GbE/10GbE/25GbE /40GbE network cardsEnable lightning-fast throughput for bandwidth-hungry tasks (such as virtualization, massive data transmission, and fast backup/restoration). |  |
QM2 M.2 SSD/10GbE cardsAdd M.2 SSD caching or 10GbE (10GBASE-T) connectivity for optimized performance and bandwidth. |  |
QXP expansion cardsConnect the TVS-h1688X to TL SATA JBOD enclosures by adding multi-lane SATA 6Gb/s transfer for high-performance storage expansion. |  |
Graphics cardsSupercharge your video editing and transcoding, or enable GPU pass-through to virtual machines.
Note: 1. Supports graphics cards with dimensions up to 266 x 137 x 45 mm. 2. The 550W power supply unit provides an 8-pin (6+2) power connector and a 6-pin power connector for a graphics card. |  |
5/10/25/40GbE network cards
Enable lightning-fast throughput for bandwidth-hungry tasks (such as virtualization, massive data transmission, and fast backup/restoration).
QM2 M.2 SSD/10GbE cards
Add M.2 SSD caching or 10GbE (10GBASE-T) connectivity for optimized performance and bandwidth.
QXP expansion cards
Connect the TVS-h1688X to TL SATA JBOD enclosures by adding multi-lane SATA 6Gb/s transfer for high-performance storage expansion.
Graphics cards
Supports entry-level graphics cards that do not require additional power. Adding a graphics card can streamline video editing, transcoding, and enable GPU pass-through to virtual machines. Note: When Virtualization Station uses the graphics card, the TS-h1886XU-RP will temporarily stop hardware transcoding acceleration for QuTS hero (or vice versa).
Move business data to the cloud and enjoy low latency access to cloud-based data
The TVS-h1688X perfectly integrates NAS with mainstream cloud services. By deploying cloud storage gateways and enabling local caching, organizations can seamlessly use the cloud for storage, backup, and data recovery with low-latency access. This greatly helps in realizing cost-effective, flexible, and secure hybrid cloud applications.
Flexibly expand storage capacity by connecting to cloud storage. You can leverage QuTS hero apps to manage and edit your cloud files or multimedia files. HybridMount is ideal for file server online collaboration and file-level data analysis.
VJBOD Cloud supports streamlined NAS backup to object cloud storage. The block-based data transmission uploads random data and large files to the cloud in blocks, and only transmits block-based volume or LUN changes (such as addition, modification, or deletion). This is ideal for enterprise-level applications with large file transfer requirements, such as databases, VM volumes, and videos.
Subscribe to QVR Elite surveillance solution for 24/7 security
QVR Elite is QNAP’s subscription-based smart surveillance solution, allowing you to easily build a surveillance system with lower TCO and higher scalability. You can arrange a dedicated, independent storage space for surveillance data on the TVS-h1688X and enjoy simplified camera management, storage space allocation, camera live viewing and playback. Recordings are saved as MP4 files, allowing playback on nearly every device. QVR Elite also integrates QNAP AI-based solutions to build smart facial recognition for retail and door access systems with QNAP NAS. With QVR Pro Client software installed on your Windows®/Mac® or mobile devices, taking full control over monitored areas becomes more convenient and easier.
Build an affordable Fibre Channel SAN environment
More productivity applications
Safeguard enterprise cloud data by backing up/syncing files, emails, calendars and contacts from Google™ Workspace and Microsoft® Office 365® to the TVS-h1688X.
A security portal for checking weaknesses and receiving recommendations for enhancing NAS security. It also integrates anti-virus and anti-malware scanning software.
QNAP’s powerful, Google-like search tool helps you quickly find images, music, videos, documents, and emails by keywords, color, and more search conditions. It also supports Qfiling to perform one-time or automatic archival tasks based on your search criteria.
Extend hardware warranty up to 5 years
The TVS-h1688X is backed by a 3-year warranty at no additional cost. You can also purchase a warranty extension that extends your warranty coverage up to 5 years.
