LaCie 301424U 10 TB 5big Network Hard Drive
- 10 TB Network Attached Storage with five drive bays and RAID support
- Compatible with Macs and PCs, includes automatic backup for both
- GigaBit Ethernet; one USB 2.0 and three eSATA ports for expansion
- Hot-swappable disks for non-stop data access
- Measures 7.7 x 8.6 x 6.8 inches (WxHxD); 3-year limited warranty
Product Description
The 5big Network is the most complete five-bay RAID solution for small and medium workgroups or offices that need large storage and backup capacity, improved performance and advanced security. Offering capacities of up to 7.5TB* (7500GB) and a versatile hot-swap feature, the 5big Network supports seven RAID modes including RAID 5 and RAID 6 for more flexibility and superior data protection. Designed with the modern professional office in mind, the 5big Network is ho... More >>
I have tried three of these systems and they seems to me to have been released before the alpha test program was completed. All three of them make very weird noises that could be described as the RAID click of death. I could not get the CD software that came with the systems to contact the drives. After getting updated software I can now see the drives but the supplied id and passwords do not appear to work. The web interface to the drives also does not work for me. I cannot change the IP address of the drives and cannot mount them. The drives are useless to me and to make matters worse, the LaCie support for these expensive drives is via next day email.
Get with the program LaCie or get out of the way….
Rating: 1 / 5
This network hard drive lives up to what it is needed to do. It only took minutes to set up and get running on the network without any complications on more than one operating system.
Rating: 5 / 5
I bought Lacie’s high-end 10TB 5big drive with the hopes of consolidating all my files to one device and making life simple. Spent a small fortune to do so and hoped it would be worth it.
It wasn’t. I copied all my files over via the eSATA Snapshot feature, which took more than a week, and afterward, I only had read access to them, not write access.
I wrote tech support, they sent me back an e-mail that didn’t even address the issue, saying that eSATA wasn’t mean to be used to read files…an answer that was quickly written with little thought.
So then I called, expecting a more qualified phone rep. They had no clue either and offered up guesses. They were obviously entirely unfamiliar with this product and had to go to a ‘test station’. They said it ‘should work’. Obviously.
They promised to escalate the issue and call back ASAP. Did they? No.
Their recommendation upon calling back again? Reformat…so I did, it took 55 hours, tried to copy files over again, same issue.
What’s the point in selling world-class storage products when the tech support reps have no clue how to support them?
You’d be better off buying separate FW800 drives than thinking this device would help you in anyway.
This is the lousiest product I’ve ever used with the worst support you can imagine.
This is coming from an IT Manager who bought the drive for personal use.
Rating: 1 / 5
I purchased this LaCie 5big hard drive to be used as a share drive for 6 people. It was horrible. We had so much trouble getting this device to work.
However, LaCie customer service was excellent. Just wonderful to work with. We ultimately swapped the 5big model for the LaCie 301420U 1TB 2BIG Network Attached Storage Gigabit Ethernet Hard Drive with 2-Disk RAID, which works just perfectly. If you are not an IT expert, I would recommend you go with a different LaCie model.
If you need to reach customer service, try early or late in the day. I can’t say enough good things about the level of service I received.
Rating: 1 / 5
I searched around for a long while (compared Buffalo, DLink, Drobo) and finally decided to go with the Lacie and was not disappointed at all. The price/performance is awesome. For a relatively mid sized home network, it’s perfect.
This is a great device. Setup time was very quick. I have a network at home with both Mac and Windows clients — both of which I’m backing up using this device. I setup the device with RAID 5, since I’m mainly using it to sync other data to.
Works well with Time Machine on Mac.
The 3rd party client based software that’s provided with the device is very good. Rock solid.
Overall, I’m very impressed. Now as with anything, a good backup/NAS device is really tested when something goes wrong (disk failure etc). Haven’t had that yet, but I’ve read reviews of people going through that with the Lacie and coming out the other end with their data intact, with minimal headache.
The only slightly annoying thing is the intensity of the blue LEDs at the back of the unit (the light at the front of the unit can be turned off). They are incredibly bright with no easy way to turn them off. If it bothers you, you can easily use a bit of paper and fold it over to gently cover the light, without causing any airflow issues.
Great stuff. Highly recommend it.
Rating: 4 / 5