data management

If you are concerned about Google analyzing your personal photos, this post shares my journey from paying for cloud storage to self-hosting with Synology Photos for greater privacy and control. I detail the straightforward process of enabling the app on my NAS and exporting my archive via Google Takeout, highlighting why I believe managing my own data is worth the effort.

If you are wondering whether your aging Synology NAS will receive the upcoming DSM 7.0 update, this post shares my experience with the unsupported DS412+ model. After confirming that my device is excluded from the new release, I discuss the limitations of staying on the older OS and weigh the high cost of upgrading to a modern alternative like the DS1621xs+.

Curious about whether the display-less Whoop band lives up to the hype after years of using a traditional Garmin? In this post, I share my two-week experience testing the device, highlighting its effortless charging mechanism but expressing significant disappointment with its five-to-seven-day battery life compared to my previous watch. I break down the initial impressions and subscription model to help you decide if this minimalist fitness tracker is worth the switch.

If you are interested in Azure Governance, join me and Stephane Lapointe from ShareGate for an upcoming webinar sharing our insights and reflections. We will host this hour-long session on Tuesday, March 31, at noon EDT, so be sure to sign up to hear our discussion.

If you are experiencing sluggish performance on your Synology DS412+, you will find my guide to upgrading it to 4 GB of RAM both practical and cost-effective. I detail my step-by-step process of opening the case, cleaning out years of accumulated dust, and installing the new memory module to revitalize this seven-year-old device.