LaCie have now entered the Windows Home Server market with their 5big Backup Server, but it isn’t cheap and it’s not really aimed at the home user.
We first heard about the LaCie 5big Backup Server at CES in 2010 (yes, 2010 not 2011) and then it went quiet. For months….. But now it is here…..
Here is how LaCie describe the 5big Backup Server:
Delivering seamless, full-featured backup for up to 10 PCs and 25 Macs, the 5big Backup Server is designed for small businesses requiring a high-performance backup strategy that doesn’t require an IT professional to deploy. Setup is as easy as connecting the 5big Backup Server to your LAN and configuring backup. Offering robust performance and the usability of Microsoft’s storage software, the LaCie 5ig Backup Server is a perfect solution for any small business with important data to protect.
With up to 10TB of internal capacity scalable through USB and eSATA connections, the 5big Backup Server offers huge storage to back up all your office’s workstations. For Macs, a professional-grade Time Machine feature creates a dedicated directory for every backed up workstation, making file restoration from the client straightforward. The 5big Backup Server also offers file-level and bare metal backup capabilities, so whether users experience accidental file loss or require an entire system to be restored, the 5big Backup Server ensures all data can be recovered through the network with minimum downtime. Additionally, you can back up the 5big Backup Server’s data onto an external hard drive via the USB or eSATA expansion port – truly enterprise-level capabilities within a desktop solution.
The 5big Backup Server features backup deduplication, centralized backup management, workstation agent-free configuration and protection against unexpected drive failure. With deduplication, only one copy of a given file is saved to the 5big Backup Server for ultimate backup efficiency and storage usage. Yet despite its high performance, the 5big Backup Server offers eco-friendly features. Its casing is made from fully recyclable including an ultra-quiet Noctua fan, allowing you to place the product wherever you choose – including on a desktop.
Deduplication seems to be a word that LaCie have decided to use for Single Instance Storage.
Specifications
- Centralized file and bare metal backup for 10 PCs and 25 Macs
- Powered by high performance 64-bit Intel® processor and Microsoft WHS
- Online file and full system restore
- Time Machine® compatible
- Data protection against drive failure
There is a 5TB and a 10TB version of the 5big Backup Server – for this review we are looking at the 5TB version, even though the box claimed it was the 10TB version (this isn’t something to worry about as it was likely just an error with review units).
As they have pushed the Backups and the protection against drive failure, it will be interesting to see what they have done (if anything) to protect the backups as standard WHS doesn't do cover this.
I dont think they have done anything – I think its just a marketing spin – if you look at their webpage for the 5big Backup Server its says powered by Windows Embedded (which it isnt!)
Hi Dave,
WHS features the drive extender functionality, which allows shared folder to be duplicated across several drives.
Within the add-in community, there's also a piece of software available called Windows Home Server Backup Database-Backup to ensure that PC backups are duplicated as well.
We push for backups because WHS does a perfect job at backing up 10 PCs, and we added Time Machine support for up to 25 macs.
Thanks Julien
The add-in Julien is referring to is BDBB by our friend Alex Kuretz.