DaVinci Resolve collaborative storage on a NAS fails in a specific, predictable way. Resolve is not designed for shared file-based project access. It uses a network database architecture (PostgreSQL), and getting that database running correctly on NAS hardware is the step most guides skip or explain poorly. This guide covers the complete setup: PostgreSQL project server configuration, file location mapping, cross-platform path mapping for mixed Mac/Windows studios, proxy strategy, and troubleshooting dropped frames. It applies to Synology and QNAP NAS with SMB or NFS shares. Australian pricing and model recommendations are in the AU section below.
For a full overview covering hardware, setup, and workflow planning, see our complete NAS video editing guide.
In short: DaVinci Resolve uses a PostgreSQL database for multi-user collaboration. Not shared project files. Your NAS hosts the database and the media; each workstation connects to the database over the network. For collaborative workflows, fast local SSD or NVMe storage is generally preferable for each workstation's render cache because it avoids adding cache traffic to shared storage. Get this architecture right and multi-editor Resolve workflows are stable and fast.
Why DaVinci Resolve Collaboration Is Different From Other NLEs
Premiere Pro locks project files at the file level. Two editors can't open the same `.prproj` simultaneously without risk of conflict. Final Cut Pro has no multi-user model at all: one person at a time, hand it over when you're done. DaVinci Resolve does something different. For single-user workflows it uses a file-based project format (`.drp`). For collaborative workflows it switches to a completely different model: a PostgreSQL client-server database that runs on the network, with every editor connecting to it as a database client.
What this means in practice is that you do not open a file. You connect to a network library. When you open DaVinci Resolve on your workstation, it connects to the PostgreSQL server running on your NAS, authenticates, and shows you the shared project library. Multiple editors can connect simultaneously, and Resolve uses bin locking to manage who is working where. It is a proper multi-user database, not a file-sharing workaround.
The catch: PostgreSQL has to be running on a server that is always on and reachable. If you run PostgreSQL on an editor's workstation instead of the NAS, every other editor loses access to the project library when that workstation sleeps, restarts, or goes home for the day. The NAS is the right home for it.
Single-user note: PostgreSQL is only required for multi-user collaboration. If you are a solo editor, you can store media on the NAS and use a local project library on your workstation. No PostgreSQL setup needed. This guide covers the collaborative setup; solo editors can skip to the file placement section for storage architecture guidance.
What You Need Before You Start
Hardware minimums
Before touching any software configuration, confirm your hardware covers the basics:
- NAS with Docker support: PostgreSQL runs as a Docker container on the NAS. QNAP supports this via Container Station; Synology via Container Manager. Not all NAS models support Docker. Check before purchasing. The QNAP TVS-h874 and Synology DS1825+ are both well-established in Resolve workflows and support Docker without caveats.
- 10GbE on the NAS and workstations: For demanding multi-editor 4K shared-storage workflows, 10GbE is a strong baseline. Size the network to the aggregate media bitrate, number of simultaneous streams and other NAS traffic; lower-bitrate or proxy workflows may require less bandwidth. Some QNAP units have 10GbE built in; others require a PCIe network card. Check the specific model. See the connection speed guide for a full breakdown of what each tier actually delivers.
- Fast local SSD or NVMe storage is a strong default for render cache in collaborative workflows because it avoids consuming shared-network bandwidth. Size cache storage for the project's resolution, cache format and workload rather than assuming a fixed minimum.
- For 10GBASE-T, Cat6A supports the full 100 m channel, while Cat6 can support 10GbE on shorter runs subject to installation conditions. Do not assume Cat5e provides standards-based 10GbE operation.
Network requirements
Network speed requirements scale with editor count and format:
- 1GbE can suit lower-bitrate or proxy workflows, but its practical limit depends on the aggregate bitrate of the streams being read and written.
- 10GbE is a common baseline for demanding multi-editor shared-storage workflows. Actual editor capacity depends on codec bitrate, stream count, NAS throughput and concurrent activity.
- Consider faster-than-10GbE networking when the calculated or measured aggregate workload approaches the usable capacity of a 10GbE link, particularly with high-bitrate mezzanine or image-sequence formats. The aggregate bandwidth of multiple editors scrubbing simultaneously adds up fast.
Beyond raw bandwidth, latency matters for the PostgreSQL connection. The database is sensitive to network latency. A high-latency VPN over the internet is not a substitute for a proper local network. For remote editors, Blackmagic Cloud (Resolve's managed remote collaboration service) is the right tool; it handles the database complexity so you do not have to.
Jumbo frames (MTU 9000) are worth enabling on both the NAS and workstation NICs. They reduce packet overhead and improve throughput for large file transfers. Enable them consistently across all network devices on the segment, or not at all: mismatched MTU settings cause more problems than they solve.
Setting Up the PostgreSQL Project Server on Your NAS
The PostgreSQL setup is the part most guides skip or hand-wave. Here it is step by step:
- Assign your NAS a static IP address. The PostgreSQL connection from each workstation uses the NAS IP. If the IP changes via DHCP, every editor loses their project library connection. Set a static IP on the NAS before anything else.
- Deploy a PostgreSQL Docker container on the NAS. In QNAP Container Station or Synology Container Manager, pull the official PostgreSQL Docker image. Use a PostgreSQL version known to be compatible with your installed DaVinci Resolve release; do not assume that every PostgreSQL major version newer than 13 is supported. Set a database name, username, and password. Record these, you will enter them on every workstation.
- Open PostgreSQL's port on the NAS firewall. PostgreSQL uses port 5432 by default. Ensure the NAS firewall allows inbound connections on this port from your studio network. Do not expose port 5432 to the internet.
- Set the database container to start automatically. In your container settings, enable auto-start so PostgreSQL comes back online after a NAS reboot without manual intervention.
- Connect DaVinci Resolve on each workstation. Open Resolve → Project Library (the grid icon at the bottom left) → Add Network Library. Enter the NAS static IP address, the database name, username, and password you set in step 2. Resolve will display a green status indicator when the connection is live.
- Create your first shared project. In the shared library, create a project as normal. It now lives in the PostgreSQL database, not a local file.
Common mistake: Running PostgreSQL on an editor's workstation instead of the NAS. When that workstation sleeps, restarts for an update, or goes home for the night, every other editor loses access to the project database. PostgreSQL belongs on the NAS. It is always on, always accessible, and does not depend on any one editor's computer being at their desk.
Where Every File Should Live. The Resolve NAS File Map
Once your database is running, the next question is where each type of file lives. Resolve generates several categories of data, and putting them in the wrong place causes either network saturation or project instability. Here is the complete file map:
| File Type | Where It Lives | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Camera originals / source media | NAS. Shared HDD RAID pool | Large sequential files, shared access by all editors |
| PostgreSQL database | NAS. SSD pool or NVMe cache tier | Needs low-latency reads, must be always-on |
| Render Cache / CacheClip | Local NVMe on each workstation | High IOPS, user-specific. Never put this on the NAS |
| Optimised Media | Local NVMe (solo) or NAS SSD (team) | Depends on team size. See proxy section below |
| Proxy Media | NAS. Shared volume | Generated once, shared by all editors. Makes sense on NAS |
| Gallery Stills | Local (or NAS if shared grading) | Usually personal to the colourist; NAS if team shares grades |
| Deliver / Export output | NAS | Shared review access; archives with the project |
The render cache rule: Render cache must always live on local NVMe in each workstation. Never on the NAS. Render cache is high-IOPS and user-specific. Putting render cache on shared storage consumes network and NAS bandwidth and can affect other editors when cache traffic materially reduces the available headroom. Set the cache location in Project Settings → Master Settings → Working Folders → Cache files location.
Proxies vs Optimised Media. Which Should You Use on a NAS?
This is one of the most-discussed questions on the DaVinci Resolve subreddit, and the answer depends on your team size and network speed rather than one being universally better than the other.
Optimised Media transcodes your camera originals to Apple ProRes or DNxHR. Higher quality, larger file sizes. The benefit is that editing from Optimised Media feels identical to editing from a local SSD; the NAS serves large sequential reads that it handles efficiently. Optimised Media size depends on the selected codec, resolution and source footage. Highly compressed camera originals can require substantially more storage when transcoded to a higher-bitrate optimised format.
Proxy Media creates smaller, lower-resolution versions for editing. The originals are relinked at export for the final render. Proxies are much smaller files, which means more editors can access the NAS simultaneously without saturating the network. Each editor's proxy stream requires less bandwidth.
The framework for deciding:
- Solo editor on 10GbE NAS: Optimised Media locally on workstation NVMe. Fast editing, no network pressure.
- 2-3 editors on 10GbE NAS: Proxies stored on the NAS shared volume. Generated once by one editor, used by all. Efficient use of the network.
- For larger teams or remote workflows, proxies can substantially reduce bandwidth requirements and may be necessary when the available network or internet connection cannot sustain the source media. For remote workflows, LucidLink handles the delivery of proxies over the internet with less complexity than a self-hosted VPN + PostgreSQL setup.
Path Mapping. The Cross-Platform Gotcha
If your studio runs both Macs and Windows workstations. Increasingly common as Resolve on Windows is popular for colour work. Path mapping is not optional. It is the difference between everyone seeing the media and everyone seeing "Media Offline."
DaVinci Resolve stores absolute file paths in the project database. A Mac sees the NAS share at /Volumes/Media/ProjectA/clip.braw. A Windows machine sees the same share at P:\Media\ProjectA\clip.braw. Without path mapping, Resolve on one platform cannot locate the files the other platform added to the project.
The fix is straightforward: open Project Settings → Path Mapping. Add the shared media location, then on each workstation set that workstation's Local Path to the same media hierarchy. DaVinci Resolve handles the path translation between users. Configure Path Mapping on each workstation so its Local Path points to the shared media hierarchy. The local mount path can differ between operating systems because Resolve performs the translation. Pick a convention and enforce it when you onboard each new workstation.
Enabling Multi-User Collaboration in Resolve
Once PostgreSQL is running, media is placed correctly, and path mapping is configured, enabling Resolve's multi-user collaboration mode is the last step:
- In the shared project library, right-click a project and select Collaboration → Enable Multi-User Collaboration. This activates bin locking and the collaborative mode features.
- Understand bin locking: when one editor opens a bin, it is locked to them. Other editors can view the contents but cannot make changes. This is Resolve's mechanism for preventing conflicting edits. It is not the same as file locking in Premiere, which locks the entire project. In Resolve, other bins remain fully accessible while one is locked.
- Use Resolve's built-in chat to coordinate when editors are working in adjacent parts of the project. This is easy to overlook but saves a lot of "why did my timeline just change" confusion in active multi-editor sessions.
- Understand what simultaneous editing actually looks like: two editors can work on different bins and timelines at the same time. Resolve uses bin and timeline locking to prevent conflicting changes. Multiple editors can work on different timelines within the same bin, while locked items remain protected from conflicting edits. Structure your project so each editor has a defined workspace (separate bins for assembly, graphics, colour) and the workflow becomes natural.
Troubleshooting. Dropped Frames and Slow Playback from NAS
When playback drops frames or feels sluggish from a NAS, the cause is almost always one of a small set of issues. Work through this decision tree before assuming you need faster hardware:
- Dropped frames on playback? → Run iPerf3 between the workstation and NAS first. If throughput is below what your format requires (check the transfer speed estimator for your codec), the network is the bottleneck. If throughput is fine, the problem is elsewhere.
- Network speed is fine but still dropping frames? → Check render cache location. Open Project Settings → Master Settings → Working Folders and verify that Cache files location points to storage with adequate performance and free capacity.
- Imports are slow despite good network speed? → Check whether you are using SMB or NFS. SMB is standard and works well. Enable Jumbo Frames (MTU 9000) on both the NAS and workstation NICs. They must match. Mismatched MTU degrades throughput significantly.
- Multi-user lag when others are scrubbing simultaneously? → Bandwidth saturation. Multiple editors scrubbing native 4K BRAW or ProRes is a heavy aggregate load on a single 10GbE link. Switch to proxies on the NAS for editing, relink to originals at export. If your workflow cannot tolerate proxies, evaluate 25GbE infrastructure.
- "Media Offline" after reconnecting or moving to a different workstation? → Path mapping issue. Review Path Mapping in Project Settings and confirm that the affected workstation's Local Path points to the correct shared media hierarchy; its local mount path does not need to match the other workstations.
- Database unstable or Resolve loses connection to the project library? → The PostgreSQL container is on a workstation, not the NAS. Migrate it. See the setup section above.
Recommended NAS Models for DaVinci Resolve (2026)
The NAS model matters less than the network infrastructure around it, but some units are better suited to Resolve collaborative workflows than others. For a full comparison of brands and connection options, see the QNAP vs Synology for Mac video editing guide. For Resolve specifically:
- QNAP TVS-h874: 8-bay, QuTS hero/ZFS, Container Station support and M.2 NVMe slots. Standard configurations have dual 2.5GbE and can add 10/25GbE via PCIe; check the exact SKU because some configurations include 10GbE. Mac editors who also want Thunderbolt direct-attach should look at the QNAP Thunderbolt-equipped models alongside a 10GbE switch for network editors.
- Synology DS1825+: 8-bay, strong SMB performance, Docker support via Container Manager, expandable. Well-established in Resolve workflows. The Synology/Resolve combination is thoroughly documented and community-tested. It does not support Thunderbolt, so high-speed access is network-based; the DS1825+ has built-in 2.5GbE and supports optional 10GbE and 25GbE networking.
- OWC Jellyfish: Purpose-built shared storage for video production. More expensive than consumer NAS, but comes preconfigured for multi-editor workflows and has dedicated technical support. Worth evaluating for studios with 6+ editors or where IT setup time is a real cost.
For sizing help on drive count and capacity, use the RAID capacity calculator or the video editing storage guide.
If you're using your NAS for DaVinci Resolve, it's worth knowing that the same hardware can also run local AI models for script writing, colour grading notes, and metadata generation. See: Can You Run a Local LLM on a NAS? and How to Run Ollama on a Synology NAS.
🇦🇺 Australian Buyers: NAS Models and Pricing for DaVinci Resolve
For a DaVinci Resolve collaborative setup, 10GbE networking is the key requirement. Not the NAS brand. The QNAP TVS-h874 is an 8-bay QuTS hero/ZFS platform with dual 2.5GbE on standard configurations and PCIe expansion for faster networking; check the exact SKU for included 10GbE. Scorptec and Mwave stock it; Umart and PLE carry QNAP ranges with varying availability. The Synology DS925+ has two built-in 2.5GbE ports and does not support the E10G22-T1-Mini 10GbE upgrade. If 10GbE is required, choose a Synology model with an official 10GbE expansion option, such as the DS1525+ or DS1825+. For current AU pricing, see the Best NAS Australia guide or check Mwave and Scorptec directly for current QNAP TVS-h series pricing.
Related reading: our NAS buyer's guide.
If you're exploring AI and machine learning use cases, see our guide on Can a NAS run AI workloads?.Related reading: our NAS explainer.
See also: our complete Synology NAS Australia guide.
See also: our complete QNAP NAS Australia guide.
Can I use DaVinci Resolve on a NAS without setting up PostgreSQL?
Yes, for a single user. A solo editor can store all media on the NAS and use a local project library on their own workstation. No PostgreSQL required. Resolve stores the project in a Local Project Library on the workstation and accesses footage from the NAS over the network. PostgreSQL is only required when two or more editors need to access the same project simultaneously. If you are working solo and occasionally handing off a project to another editor (who then works alone), file-based projects with sequential handoff work fine without a database server.
Does DaVinci Resolve work with Synology NAS?
Yes. You will need to run PostgreSQL via Docker (Container Manager on DSM 7+), connect all workstations via 10GbE, and configure path mapping if you have a mixed Mac/PC studio. The Synology DS1825+ and DS1823XS+ are both commonly used in Resolve collaborative setups. The main limitation for editors wanting direct attachment is Thunderbolt: these Synology DiskStation models use network connectivity instead, and the DS1825+ supports optional 10GbE and 25GbE networking. For studios where all editing is done over the network rather than direct-attach, this is not a practical limitation. For Mac editors who want direct-attach Thunderbolt speeds, QNAP is the relevant brand.
Should render cache go on the NAS or on local SSD in DaVinci Resolve?
For collaborative editing, fast local SSD or NVMe is generally preferable for each workstation's render cache because it reduces shared-storage traffic. Configure Cache files location under Project Settings → Master Settings → Working Folders.
How many editors can share a NAS with DaVinci Resolve?
The number of editors a NAS can support depends on source or proxy bitrate, simultaneous stream count, NAS storage throughput and other concurrent activity. Model the aggregate workload and move beyond 10GbE when measured or calculated demand approaches the available link capacity. The number also depends on your NAS's drive configuration. A pool of 8 spinning drives has different throughput characteristics than a pure SSD pool. The transfer speed estimator can help you model your specific codec and editor count.
What is the difference between Blackmagic Cloud and a local NAS for Resolve collaboration?
A local NAS is on-premise storage that your team accesses over your studio's local network. You set it up, manage it, and it is fast. 10GbE can provide responsive shared-media performance for many workflows, but performance depends on the NAS storage pool, codec, concurrency and workstation storage being used for comparison. Blackmagic Cloud is Resolve's managed remote collaboration service, designed for teams that need to work from different locations. It handles the PostgreSQL complexity for you and works over the internet. The tradeoff is cost and upload speed constraints. Australian NBN upload speeds vary substantially by plan and access technology, so Blackmagic Cloud sync performance depends on the upstream speed of the service in use. For studios where all editors are in the same building, a local NAS can reduce dependence on internet upload performance and may offer predictable local-media performance, but cost and reliability depend on the NAS design, redundancy, backup, support requirements and the cloud service being compared.
Not sure if your 10GbE network can handle your editor count and codec? Check the numbers before you start the setup.