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 4big Quadra 8 TB eSATA/FireWire 800/Firewire 400/USB 2.0 RAID Hard Drive 301435U
The LaCie 4big Quadra is the most complete 4-bay RAID solution for small servers, creative pro workstations, or offices that need large storage/backup capacity, superior speed, and advanced security. Offering capacities up to 8TB (8000GB!), the 4big features seven RAID modes, including RAID 0 and RAID 5which is highlighted by a versatile hot-swappable featureto customize its performance and data protection level. With burst transfer rates reaching up to 200-230MB/s* through eSATA 3Gbits, the 4big fits perfectly with most applications that demand high speed, such as photo, pre-press, AV projects, and even HD post-production. Compatible with Time Machine, it also comes with Genie Backup Manager Pro and Intego Backup Manager Pro, for customizable backup and computer recovery. The 4big Quadra not only sets a new standard in RAID technology and performance, but also was designed with the modern professional office in mind. Its stackable and chainable design helps to save space, while it¿s expandable and scalable up to four units (providing up to an amazing 32TB capacity and 700 MB/s transfer rates). The 4big Quadra¿s universal connectivity (with eSATA, Firewire 400/800, and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interfaces) helps to ensure maximum compatibility with any Mac or PC. Compared to traditional RAID towers, it saves up to 30-80% more energy, and its revolutionary ultra-reliable cooling system is almost 50% more quiet, making it the perfect choice for creative professionals. The technology, performance, and the design of the 4big Quadra make it an ideal addition to any workspace.
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