ElectroNext.com

Safe at last! (2008-10-27)
I have two of these drives on my network, I liked the first one so much I went ahead and got a second one to give me a combined 1GB RAID 1 network storage. Used in the RAID 1 mode, the data is automatically written to both discs so if one ever crashes (or when) the data is duplicated with no backups needed.

After about the third total wipe-out of all my data and subsequent restoration woes resulting in less than complete data restoration I decided to go to the network RAID 1 drives. A side benefit is that the data is available on all computers on my home network, not an out of date copy, the same data files, no more mixed up versions.

No real complaints on this product, both the units I have do the job and have not given me any trouble so far. Can't ask more than that.

Works as advertised (2008-09-16)
I am using this for backup and serving media files on my home network. Since I need Internet access to the files, I was thinking of getting one of the HP MediaSmart Servers using Windows Home Server. However, after reading mixed reviews of Windows Home Server, and since I already have a small PC with Win2K acting as a home server, I decided to add network attached storage instead. I can manage Internet access through the existing server.

So far, the drive is working fine. It is built like a tank, and runs very cool and quiet. I am using it in the RAID 1 (mirrored) mode. It appears as a network share under Windows, or you can access it by its IP address. You can also mount it as a remote drive. My PCs are generally set up with 3 partitions; C: for system, D: for applications and E: for user files. For backup, I use Acronis True Image to make images of the C: partitions and SyncBack to backup the files on the other partitions.

The reasons I didn't give it 5 stars are:
- it supports FTP and HTTP access, so you could access it directly from the Internet through your router, but these are insecure protocols and exposing them directly to the Internet would not be a good idea. It would be nice if it supported HTTPS and FTPS, or SSH.
- according to one of the websites that benchmark these things, it is fairly slow, about half the speed of the fastest comparable product. You would only see the difference on a 1GB network, and it doesn't really matter to me since I am mainly using it for backup. If you need maximum bandwidth (for multiple streams of video, for example) you should probably check the specs and be sure it is fast enough. LaCie claims that they are working on a software update that will improve the speed.

Major Security Flaw (2008-09-09)
Pros: Good network hard drive if you are looking for something that mirrors automatically.

Cons:
It is possible to bypass all security permissions on this LaCie 2Big Network hard drive via FTP. The default `admin' password will not change on the FTP side of the user login even after changing the admin login password. This allows full access to the hard drive via the administrators login to the FTP.

I have contacted LaCie regarding this issue only to be told that this is a 'feature' of the product not a defect.

Steps to verify.

1. Setup a LaCie 2Big Network Hard drive with FTP access as per the manufacture instructions.
2. Change the `Admin' password anything you like.
3. Using an FTP client, log in to the LaCie 2Big Network hard drive using the 'admin' log in and your password.
4. You will not be able to log in using the new password
5. Using an FTP client, log in to the LaCie 2Big Network hard drive using the `admin' log in the default `admin' password.
6. You have full access to all folders and documents in the hard drive.

Do NOT buy this product if you are planning on using it for an FTP.

Do not buy for FTP (2008-09-09)
Pros: Good network hard drive if you are looking for something that mirrors automatically.

Cons:
It is possible to bypass all security permissions on this LaCie 2Big Network hard drive via FTP. The default `admin' password will not change on the FTP side of the user login even after changing the admin login password. This allows full access to the hard drive via the administrators login to the FTP.

I have contacted LaCie regarding this issue only to be told that this is a 'feature' of the product not a defect.

Steps to verify.

1. Setup a LaCie 2Big Network Hard drive with FTP access as per the manufacture instructions.
2. Change the `Admin' password anything you like.
3. Using an FTP client, log in to the LaCie 2Big Network hard drive using the 'admin' log in and your password.
4. You will not be able to log in using the new password
5. Using an FTP client, log in to the LaCie 2Big Network hard drive using the `admin' log in the default `admin' password.
6. You have full access to all folders and documents in the hard drive.

Do NOT buy this product if you are planning on using it for an FTP.

Major Security Flaw (2008-09-09)
Pros: Good network hard drive if you are looking for something that mirrors automatically.

Cons:
It is possible to bypass all security permissions on this LaCie 2Big Network hard drive via FTP. The default `admin' password will not change on the FTP side of the user login even after changing the admin login password. This allows full access to the hard drive via the administrators login to the FTP.

I have contacted LaCie regarding this issue only to be told that this is a 'feature' of the product not a defect.

Steps to verify.

1. Setup a LaCie 2Big Network Hard drive with FTP access as per the manufacture instructions.
2. Change the `Admin' password anything you like.
3. Using an FTP client, log in to the LaCie 2Big Network hard drive using the 'admin' log in and your password.
4. You will not be able to log in using the new password
5. Using an FTP client, log in to the LaCie 2Big Network hard drive using the `admin' log in the default `admin' password.
6. You have full access to all folders and documents in the hard drive.

Do NOT buy this product if you are planning on using it for an FTP.