Synology has launched ActiveProtect Manager 2.0 (APM 2.0), the latest software update for its ActiveProtect data protection appliances. The release expands platform support, adds cross-platform recovery capabilities, and strengthens security, while future updates are set to introduce AI-driven threat mitigation.
"Managing fragmented backup infrastructure drives up costs and slows recovery. The ActiveProtect appliance unites purpose-built storage with powerful data management software into a single, predictable investment," said Jia-Yu Liu, Executive Vice President of the Synology Data Protection Group. "APM 2.0 builds on that value, enabling organizations to safeguard their entire hybrid infrastructure through one centralized, scalable solution."
Expanded platform coverage
APM 2.0 extends protection to Amazon EC2, Azure VM, Proxmox VE, Nutanix AHV, and Google Workspace. Its cross-platform recovery capabilities allow workloads to be backed up and restored across different environments, supporting both disaster recovery and seamless workload migration.
Backup destination support has also been expanded. ActiveProtect Vault now supports a broader range of Synology NAS models, while Azure Blob Storage has been added as a supported copy and tiering target. Backups stored in Amazon S3 or Azure Blob Storage can be restored directly to Amazon EC2 or Azure VM, enabling cloud-based disaster recovery without routing workloads through on-premises hardware and potentially reducing recovery times.
AI-driven proactive resiliency
ActiveProtect Manager 2.0 adds software-based, volume-level storage encryption to protect data at rest. Backup data and system configurations remain inaccessible if drives are stolen or hardware is lost.
The upcoming APM 2.1 update will add AI/ML-based anomaly detection, monitoring each backup version for changes in change rates, file modifications, mass deletions, and entropy. Suspicious backup copies will be quarantined for administrator investigation, reducing the risk of backup contamination. The model will learn from these outcomes to improve detection accuracy and reduce false positives.
APM 2.1 will also scan backups for malware before restoration using integrated third-party antivirus software, including Microsoft Defender, Bitdefender, and ESET. If malware is detected in the latest backup, Auto Fallback will instead restore the most recent clean version.
