LaCie NAS RAID Server Mac Compatibility - Time Machine, Print Server?
Granted, the LaCie spec sheet (attached) seems to answer my question, but I've been misled by LaCie in the past and other users have claimed having trouble with Time Machine with NAS devices.
I'm looking into purchasing the 2big NAS and am wondering if anyone out there has any experience with this or a similar LaCie NAS. I also have a couple-year-old LaCie 4big NAS, and that one I can tell you does NOT work with Time Machine. So, if they have corrected the issue, I'm just wondering if it's as easy as Time Machine automatically recognizing the NAS on the network or do I have to physically attach it via USB?
My second question is the Print Server capability. Does anyone have any experience setting this up with a Mac? I have a Canon Pixma MX700. Do I attach this via the USB-A or B? Any magic dance or software necessary to get it recognized?
Also, due to the limited number of USBs, I'm hoping I can attach the printer to one of the USBs, and another external drive to the other. Thoughts?
Thanks! DS-2bigNetwork-2-EN.pdf
I'm looking into purchasing the 2big NAS and am wondering if anyone out there has any experience with this or a similar LaCie NAS. I also have a couple-year-old LaCie 4big NAS, and that one I can tell you does NOT work with Time Machine. So, if they have corrected the issue, I'm just wondering if it's as easy as Time Machine automatically recognizing the NAS on the network or do I have to physically attach it via USB?
My second question is the Print Server capability. Does anyone have any experience setting this up with a Mac? I have a Canon Pixma MX700. Do I attach this via the USB-A or B? Any magic dance or software necessary to get it recognized?
Also, due to the limited number of USBs, I'm hoping I can attach the printer to one of the USBs, and another external drive to the other. Thoughts?
Thanks! DS-2bigNetwork-2-EN.pdf
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You can partition the HD as different volumes from the admin interface allowing say 1 volume for DATA and 1 volume for a time machine backup. Its v. customisable.
Let me know how you go with this one - visited my friend at the weekend and saw it working fine so i'm pondering buying one.
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Just got it hooked up.
I cannot tell you how easy this was*. I didn't even have to set up a diff volume for Time Machine. There is a checkbox under "General Settings" in the admin interface for Time Machine that is unchecked by default. All I did was check this and the volume was instantly recognized by Time Machine, including the 500GB USB drive I have connected externallly to the LaCie.
I suspect that they made major improvements between the 2big Network and the 2big Network 2. I'll bet most of the reviews indicating Time Machine troubles were with regard to the first gen.
One frustration and one problem:
1. My only problem is that currently the USB external drive is Read Only. I don't know why this is. I hope it's as simple as an option I can check somewhere. Any help would be appreciated. It's a LaCie D2 HD Quadra 500GB.
2. I'm frustrated that there are a lack of USB ports. There's only one A and one B. I would like to connect a printer in addition to my USB HDD, but they both utilize the A port. Anybody think a USB hub would be effective?
In case you're wondering, got a great deal at B&H Photo. Free shipping and no tax (outside of NY).
* I haven't actually done a backup over Time Machine yet, I have as yet only configured the Time Machine drive. For the record, both my Macbook Pro (10.5) and iMac (10.6) both recognized it fine.
I cannot tell you how easy this was*. I didn't even have to set up a diff volume for Time Machine. There is a checkbox under "General Settings" in the admin interface for Time Machine that is unchecked by default. All I did was check this and the volume was instantly recognized by Time Machine, including the 500GB USB drive I have connected externallly to the LaCie.
I suspect that they made major improvements between the 2big Network and the 2big Network 2. I'll bet most of the reviews indicating Time Machine troubles were with regard to the first gen.
One frustration and one problem:
1. My only problem is that currently the USB external drive is Read Only. I don't know why this is. I hope it's as simple as an option I can check somewhere. Any help would be appreciated. It's a LaCie D2 HD Quadra 500GB.
2. I'm frustrated that there are a lack of USB ports. There's only one A and one B. I would like to connect a printer in addition to my USB HDD, but they both utilize the A port. Anybody think a USB hub would be effective?
In case you're wondering, got a great deal at B&H Photo. Free shipping and no tax (outside of NY).
* I haven't actually done a backup over Time Machine yet, I have as yet only configured the Time Machine drive. For the record, both my Macbook Pro (10.5) and iMac (10.6) both recognized it fine.
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I suppose then that the only restriction is that currently I only have an A-B cable. Both my Quadra and Printer only have type B-out, and the 2big has only one type A-in. So the only available port in is an A. Unless I can find a B male to B male cable (is there such thing? Google search suggests no), I don't see how to it's going to work.
Guess I'll try a USB hub.
Guess I'll try a USB hub.
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Update:
Another frustration: Transferring and editing large amounts of data on the drive is very painful. I have a 500GB Hard Drive that I am trying to migrate (a full 460GB of data) to the 2big. The manual clearly says that large amounts of data should be moved with the admin File Browser utility (in the web browser). However, there is very little support for this tool. The tool provides no user feedback, such as a progress bar, error or confirmation messaging. You simply select "Copy" and hope it works, the only indication of status it to check the disk capacity to see what portion of the disk is being used as it writes the data. Multiple attempts at transferring my data has failed mid-transfer. Yet, I do not know why it keeps failing.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a more stable way of transferring large amounts of data over a network?
Another frustration: Transferring and editing large amounts of data on the drive is very painful. I have a 500GB Hard Drive that I am trying to migrate (a full 460GB of data) to the 2big. The manual clearly says that large amounts of data should be moved with the admin File Browser utility (in the web browser). However, there is very little support for this tool. The tool provides no user feedback, such as a progress bar, error or confirmation messaging. You simply select "Copy" and hope it works, the only indication of status it to check the disk capacity to see what portion of the disk is being used as it writes the data. Multiple attempts at transferring my data has failed mid-transfer. Yet, I do not know why it keeps failing.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a more stable way of transferring large amounts of data over a network?
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> Guess I'll try a USB hub.
btw, haven't tried this yet, I think instead I'll try connecting the external via eSATA, to free up the USB port. Need to order the cable though.
btw, haven't tried this yet, I think instead I'll try connecting the external via eSATA, to free up the USB port. Need to order the cable though.
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