LaCie 5Big Network 2 Professional 5-bay RAID Server

 

Interfaces for connection	2x Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000
Expansion Ports	2x eSATA; 2x USB 2.0 (type A)
Burst Transfer Rate (ethernet)	OS with 64KB I/O – Read up to 60MB/s; Write up to 35MB/s, OS with 1MB I/O – Read up to 70MB/s; Write up to 40MB/s
RAID Modes	Raid 0, Raid 1 /10/5/5+Spare/6 (hot-swappable)
Network Protocols	SMB, AFP, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, DHCP, Apipa, Bonjour, BitTorrent, NTP, 802.3ad, iSCSI
Remote Access	FTP or HTTP.  Dynamic DNS Optional
Administration	Direct Access to NAS using LaCie Network Assistant; Customizable “wiget-based” interface
Backup Solutions	PC to NAS: Encrypted, compressed, scheduled, remote (FTP)NAS to DAS: Incremental using rsync
Special Features	iSCSI Target; 2x LAN with balancing and failover; Hard Disk quota management; Time machine compatible; Print Server; Torrent Client; NTFS Write Support
Security Access	Users, groups, and shares management.  Private and Public Access.Active Directory support
Multimedia	UPnP A/V and DLNA certified; Remote Photo Thumbnails; MP3 File Streaming; iTunes (DAAP) Server
Bundled Software	LaCie Network Assistant for Windows, Mac, and Linux; Genie Backup Manager Pro software for Windows; Intego Backup Manager Pro software for Mac
Environment and Power	Automatic Standby mode; Scheduled On/Off; WOL (Wake on Lan); UPS Support
Cooling System	Ultra-quiet Cooling system with self-stabilizing oil-pressure bearing technology
Weight	7.2kg, 16.8lbs.
Dimensions (WxDxH)mm	173 x 196 x 220
What’s Included	LaCie 5big Network 2; 1x 3m CAT5e Ethernet Cable; 1x External Power Supply; Utilities CD and Documentation; Drive Key; 3 Year Warranty Documentation

 UPDATE (as of 3/20/2012):

From the posting of this review LaCie has now released this update:

LaCie NAS OS 2, which was launched in January, and includes: NAS-to-NAS backups Automated data protection Seamless integration into multi-platform environments Easy remote access with the MyNAS iPhone/iPad app An upgrade for existing users can be downloaded at no cost at www.lacie.com/NASOS2. The LaCie MyNAS app can be downloaded at www.apple.com.

 

Like the 2Big Network 2 the 5Big Network 2 runs LaCies’ NAS 2.0 OS so we expect similar functionality along the software side.  We do see some upgrades in hardware compared to the 2Big Network 2 including iSCSI target support, dual Ethernet ports, and 2x the SATA and USB Connections.

 

Deboxing

Just like we saw with the 2Big Network 2, LaCie does an awesome job with packaging.  Everything is firmly packed and the NAS itself sits about 1/2 and inch from the bottom of the box.  I have no doubt this packaging could withstand any shipping pains it is put through.

 

 

 

The NAS itself also has a Black Fabric bag as well as a plastic bag covering it.  A little over the top? Yes.  But I’m not complaining, a scratch on this would be devastating.

 

 

 

 

Getting our first looks at the unit itself shows how sleek LaCie has designed it.  1Bbutton on the front which doubles as an activity light (I found this light to be obnoxiously bright, Good thing the software has an option to disable it).  The housing has Zero seams and Zero fail points.

 

 

 

Moving around to the back we find our I/O ports, HD Bays, and fan-output.  A nice feature here is all of the ports are below the HD bays making swapping HD’s in and out simple without fighting cables and wires.