LaCie 5big network
2009-01-16
Just got me a
7.5 TB (5 times 1.5 GByte Seagate Barracuda), configured in Raid5, delivers 5.4 TB diskspace.
This system is running a linux, with only interface, a webpage to configure the system.
Can export shares through smb, afs, ftp and http.
plus:
- runs very silent.
- relatively easy to configure.
- very nice design
minus:
- very limited configurability
- Users and groups can be defined to determine access control, however, user passwords are limited to 8 chars in the web-interface provided, even though the underlying system *does* take md5 passwords.
- web page that allows for definition of an e-mail address for the administrator, limits length of e-mail to something as 30 chars
- *very limited* share configuration: define shares and some access control to it. That's it. No possibility to "finetune" the shares, like creating sub-shares (a share to a portion (subtree) within another share)
- no possibility to move files from one share to another on system-level... which makes it a pain (for large volumes) to move them from one share to another.
- The feature to make a snap-shot of an attached USB-disk, produces a new share (each time), but there's no way to check the status of the copy process
- Comes with an external power adapter brick, that reduces the design-factor by let's say, 100. But might be understandible, it's quickly replacable (in my experience with LaCie power adapters that's a plus), and reduces head production *in* the pretty box.
updated 2009-01-23
I upgraded the system on 2009-01-22 to the recently published firmware (2.1.2.rc4, dated 2009-01-15). Since there's no documentation provided on what the firmware fixes (or not), one can not decide for oneself whether the update brings something you want, or fixes something you have (or have not) as a problem... Only after upgrading, you get to see what's in the package.
Now after the upgrad of the system, the (webpage)console requires you to reboot the system. Which I did. When rebooting, all my (already) filled afp-shares were present, BUT
- my main share ("share") holding about 2TB of data already, had only first level (root directory) present. In the subdirs, nothing present, no dirs, no files. The webpage "browse" however still shows the content of the shares as they should be.
- another share (having been created by the "automatic copy of a usb-disk") has the complete contents present, but permissions for the complete share (when mounted) are all set read-only.
In communication with the rather quick and helpfull belgian helpdesk (through web-ticket communication), I discovered en plus that when "removing" a share, the files remain present on the disk (are not removed as well), but the content of the (prior share) becomes unavailable, untill the share with the same name is created again. Bummer if the share was made using the copy-complete-usb-disk feature, that adds some random number after the snap-share...
If you removed that share, your disk stays filled, but you can't access it anymore. I think at least a warning should be given when removing a not-empty share, about the "trailing occupation" of the disk...
Current Status
Ok, data 's on it, and I bought the thing, but currently, for future investments, I'm looking at something like the QNAP TS-639 Pro NAS which provides a vaster amount of functionality for (about) the same price.
posted by Dieter @ 21:45
7 Comments:
Can you transfer big files (more then 500-700 MB) via http or https?
I can't. LaCie told me there is a bug in the firmware.
Ticket opened two month ago and I am still waiting for a firmware update. :(
Nice,... As if I didn't encounter enough problems.
Luckily I don't http- nor https the filesystem (using afp-only).
Just tested a download (over http),... after about 1 min,... getting
500 - Internal Server Error
must admit, after my previous experience with the firmware update, AND no notice about the contents of the firmware (prior to installing it),
I'm not inclined to upgrade anything prior to having a (more reliable) backup system and a backup of the data.
Next problem with the 5big.
Somehow, a directory got permissions (unix)
drwx--S--- root/root
and of course no way to change it (back). Don't even know how it got like this.
About belgian response time to tickets, I don't have complaints, even though the solution is not always the desired one: like backup your files to another medium (very easy with 5TB of data), remove the share and put it back.
Now after much trials, I put new firmware 2.2.3 in place, haven't tried yet for the 500MB file over http.
Now after much trials, I put new firmware 2.2.3 in place...
Could you tell us how you proceeded because I have tried at least 20 times with no success ?
The MUCH trials: what do you mean ?
Matter of luck?
JPH
Indeed I did not succeed installing firmware 2.2.3, and in different network configurations, even one-on-one with a crossed cable. Finaly I installed the firmware 2.1.2-rc4, a firmware version that in a previous install attempt, hide all my files (not the directories), with in the apple file system (afp mount). no such problem in smb.
Now after the installation of 2.1.2-rc4 (using the web interface System->Maintenance->Update the system, I suddenly could install the firmware 2.2.3 (using the lacie network assistent (named LNA by lacie personel).
The rwx--S--- directory (and recursively child-files and directories), problem was solved, once I discovered I could ftp to my disk using the admin account. Since the admin account *can* have more than 8 characters as password (and mine has), I could not ftp, untill I truncated my password to the first 8 characters. Then ftp was possible, and in ftp (console application), one has the possibility to do a chmod 0777 file. Unfortunately, in this ftp provided implementation, a recursive flag is not available. So with apple applications on my disk (directories with name *.app and lotsa content), this action was no job executed between kisses at new years eve.
my disk has internal memory 124 MB, and aparently the web interface does not allow downloading of files with size > 120 MB.... Maybe a coincidence ????.
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