Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I purchased the LaCie 4big 6TB about a week ago. I am running on OS X 10.5.6. This unit is compact, quiet, and really good looking. Most importantly though, this drive can function in RAID 5 mode completely independent of a computer. No software RAID or RAID card required! Amazing. And did I mention it is about the size of a small sub woofer?
I purchased this drive to have a safe home storage solution. I needed something that was RAID 5, and didn't require a computer to function. I wanted something that I could hook up to my Airport Extreme Base Station, and use as a wireless network Time Machine backup drive for OS X. In addition, I wanted something that could perform really fast over a hard wire connection, if I needed it to. This drive does all that perfectly.
Out of the box the unit is formatted for RAID 0. If you would like to use it as a RAID 5 device, you will need to reset the drive to the new setting. Make sure to read the manual for this process. It requires holding the front button a certain way to make your new settings stick. Keep in mind that you will lose all data on the drive when you do this, including the partition itself.
Once I had the unit formatted for RAID 5, I partitioned it as a single GUID OS X Extended (journaled) disk. This gave me 4.1 usable TB of storage. I chose this format specifically so that I could hook it up to Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS), and use it as a Time Machine backup drive for OS X. This is the only format that works properly with the AEBS, the 4big, and Time Machine. (That said, if you wanted to use this drive for other functions, it is quite versatile, offering a ton of RAID modes, and full PC support.)
After I formatted the drive, I expected there to be a wait time while the RAID 5 built itself. That said, there didn't appear to be any at all! The drive just seemed to be RAID 5, with no build time or degraded read/write speed at all. I could be wrong, but it appears that fresh formats are ready to go instantly. Pretty amazing really.
After that, I tested the drive on all the different connections. I was getting real world speeds that maxed out the throughput of FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and USB 2.0 respectively. Even eSata performed remarkably well, coming in around 125MB a second. No slow Drobo garbage here. This unit is BLAZING FAST.
Since then, I've copied about 1TB of data to the unit. I've also set it up as a Time Machine backup over my AEBS. It seems to function perfectly. I've had no issues at all (knock on wood). It mounts quickly, and runs fast and quiet.
I do have a couple gripes about the drive, but they're really minimal. Honestly, these have more to do with the way RAID functions than with the 4big. That said, I will point them out:
One thing that bugs me is that the unit has a really slow low power sleep mode. The power switch has 3 modes: ON, AUTO, and OFF. When set to AUTO, I was hoping for a fast low power mode, that would allow the unit to rest while not being used, and also allow the drive to awaken quickly from sleep.
When set to AUTO on the power switch: If the Mac get's shut down, or goes to sleep, the drive DOES GO INTO A LOW POWER MODE. BUT, at this point the unit is basically OFF. The problem is that the entire unit has to restart once your Mac turns back on. 4 drives have to spin up, one after the other. So you're looking at 30-45 seconds of down time before the drive comes back online if you use the AUTO mode.
Also, if the drive is connected to your machine in this AUTO mode, the unit will power down if not in use after aprox 3 mins. Again, you will need to wait for it to turn back on when you go to access the drive. This can be annoying, so you will need to weigh the tradoff of how fast you need to access your media vs the low power mode.
This isn't really a big deal though, since this is a 6TB RAID, and it already is whisper quiet. It's just something to keep in mind if you're using this as a home server.
I leave my unit on all the time, so none of this is an issue for me.
All that said, I give this unit 5/5 stars. There really is nothing like it out there on the market right now.
If you need a fast, reliable, computer independent RAID solution, this is the drive for you!
02-09-09 Update:
I love this unit. In fact, I talked the company I work for into buying two of these drives for backup. As of now, I've setup and tested 3 of these devices, and they have all performed flawlessly. I've already filled both of the work drives (8TB @ raid 5), and can report that there is no loss in performance, even when the raids are almost totally full! Really great work LaCie!
Click Here to see more reviews about: LaCie 301434U 6TB 4big Quadra eSATA/FireWire 800/Firewire 400/USB 2.0 RAID Hard Drive
Product Description:
The LaCie 4big Quadra 6 TB hard drive is a complete RAID solution that's ideal for small servers, creative pro workstations, or offices that need large storage and backup capacity with speed and security. The 4big Quadra also offers lower energy consumption and is quieter when compared to traditional RAID towers, making it a quiet, "green" addition to any workspace.
The LaCie 4big Quadra 6 TB offers:
Seven different RAID modes, including RAID 0 and 5.
6 TB of disk space.
Four drive bays with easy to install drive trays.
eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB 2.0 ports.
Striking enclosure designed by Neil Poulton.
The 4big Quadra accommodates up to four drives. View larger.
The striking enclosure is designed by the world-renowned Neil Poulton. View larger. Four Drive Bays and Seven RAID Modes for Speed and Protection
With six terabytes of storage included, this hard drive offers plenty of space to store all your important data, digital media files, and more. Each included drive features an extremely fast spin speed of 7200 rpm and has a 16 MB or larger cache for optimal performance.
The 4big Quadra gives you the option of seven different RAID modes: RAID 0, RAID 5, RAID 5+Spare, RAID 3, RAID 3+Spare, Concatenation, and RAID 10. The ability to hot-swap drives in some RAID modes is an especially useful feature: you can remove and replace drives even while the 4big Quadra is running.
Depending on the RAID mode you choose, you can have either faster performance and higher storage space, or more protection. Please note that depending on the configuration, the usable amount of space might be less than 6 TB.
Installing new drives is a cinch: simply put the new disk on a drive tray and insert it into an empty drive bay. An included tool lets you lock and unlock the drives in place. The 4big Quadra is expandable and scalable up to four units, which provides up to an amazing 24 TB capacity with 600 MB/s transfer rates.
Quadruple Interface for Wide Compatibility and Fastest Speed
The 4big Quadra has four interfaces to ensure compatibility and maximize speed. Hi-speed USB 2.0 is nearly universal and has a maximum bus speed of up to 480 Mbps. FireWire 400, which is popular with digital video producers, offers up to 400 Mbps, and FireWire 800 can achieve up to 800 Mbps.
eSATA, the newest and fastest standard, can achieve extremely fast transfer rates of up to 3000 Mbps, making it perfect for digital media applications such as photography, pre-press, AV projects, and even HD post-production.
Design by Neil Poulton Offers Striking Looks
The 4big Quadra is designed by renowned designer Neil Poulton and features a striking, minimalist aluminum design with a round blue dot in the center that lights up. The 4big Quadra is stackable for easy expandability and is designed to complement and enhance your working environment.
The large blue dot, along with LEDs on the rear, lets you easily monitor your system's performance. You'll quickly know if any drives fail, when RAID is rebuilding, if the temperature is getting too high, and more.
Hard disks are placed on the disk tray and then slid into the drive bay. View larger. Save Energy and Minimize Noise
The 4big Quadra was made with energy savings in mind, and compared to traditional RAID towers, it can save 30% to 80% on energy consumption. It also features a revolutionary, ultra-reliable cooling system that keeps the system almost 50% more quiet, letting you concentrate on the important things.
Backup Software Included
LaCie comes with Genie Backup Manager Pro for PCs and Intego Backup Manager Pro for Macs, making backup and computer recovery easy. In addition, it is compatible with Apple's Time Machine.
The LaCie 4big Quadra is backed by a 3-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
LaCie 4big Quadra including 4 disks, eSATA-to-eSATA cable, FireWire 800 cable, FireWire 400 cable, hi-speed USB 2.0 cable, power supply kit, LaCie utilities CD-ROM with user's manual, Genie Backup Manager Pro software with disaster recovery (Windows XP/2000/Vista), Intego Backup Manager Pro software with disaster recovery (Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5), quick install guide, 2-in-1 RAID mode change and drive removal tool.
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