Following a brief preview at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in January, LaCie today announced the availability of the Windows Home Server-powered 5big Backup Server, a 5-bay appliance targeted at the small business market, offering centralised file-sharing, backup and restore for up to 10 PCs and 25 Apple Macs.
As we first revealed at the beginning of the year, the 5big Backup Server utilises Intel’s D410 single-core processor, running at 1.6GHz. The five hot-swappable storage bays offer storage up to 10TB, with multiple USB and eSATA ports included for external storage expansion. What has not been previously shared is the 5big’s support for Apple Mac, with Time Machine backup support for up to 25 Mac clients. As well as Time Machine, the server supports AFP, Spotlight and the AppleTalk Stack for legacy applications.
“For small businesses, backing up data is vital. Until now, storage solutions that efficiently protect and manage heterogeneous environments have been cumbersome, cost-prohibitive and difficult to configure” said Erwan Girard, LaCie Solutions Business Unit Manager. “LaCie has partnered with industry-leading companies to provide a full-featured professional backup server that will automatically configure and back up PCs and Mac computers for a fraction of the cost.”
Lacie’s 5big Backup Server looks set to compete with HP’s recently announced X310 and X510 Data Vault, with the small business owner now offered a selection of Windows Home Server-powered backup solutions. “LaCie is a leading storage manufacturer that believes simple and intuitive usability is not just for the home, but also for small businesses,” said Mike Schutz, Microsoft Director of Product Management. “The combination of LaCie’s 5big Backup Server and Microsoft’s robust Windows Home Server platform allows users to take mission-critical technology and use it for their small business to store, protect and access important data without the need for large IT budgets or specialized environments.”
LaCie are shipping the 5big Backup Server fully populated with 5 x 1TB or 2TB drives, with external storage expansion available courtesy of an eSATA and 4 USB ports at the rear. As with other lines in the 5big range, all drive bays are lockable for enhanced security.
Today’s announcement is one of two new small business server products unveiled by LaCie. The French manufacturer also unveiled the 5big Storage Server, utilising the same chassis, with Windows Storage Server 2008 replacing Windows Home Server. Lacie’s 5big Backup Server is available from today, with the choice of 5TB and 10TB options, with a three year warranty included. Pricing (5TB) as follows:
| Country | Suggested Price |
|---|
| Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy | €1,239 |
| France | €1,249 |
| Finland | €1,359 |
| UK | €1074.99 |
| Switzerland | CHf 1,729 |
| Denmark | 5,789 DKK |
| Norway | 9,459 NOK |
| Sweden | 13,709 SEK |
| USA | $1,199.99 |
We’ve got one of the first production models en route to us for review – stay tuned for our thoughts in the coming weeks.
LaCie Unveils Centralized Backup Server for Windows® and Mac® Office Environments
05 August 2010
Today LaCie announced a customized, resource-efficient, backup server for small office environments – the LaCie 5big Backup Server. Housed in the award-winning LaCie 5big enclosure, the new backup appliance allows small companies to benefit from an enterprise-grade centralized backup solution that fits into any office environment – without requiring deployment efforts or specialized IT skills.
Leveraging the high performance of the 64-bit Intel Atom processor and the usability of Microsoft’s Windows Home Server software, the LaCie 5ig Backup Server provides seamless setup and automatic backup for small businesses. It can support configurations of up to 10 PC and 25 Mac workstations simultaneously. The server includes five hot-swappable hard disks with capacities up to 10TB – and is scalable with its USB and eSATA connections.
Tailored for centralized backup and data protection, the LaCie 5big Backup Server features system block level backup deduplication, as well as file level restore capabilities. Whether users experience unexpected file loss or require an entire system restore, the LaCie 5big Backup Server ensures all data can be recovered. For businesses that experience a crashed workstation, the server can initiate a bare metal restore, enabling a boot and complete system and data recovery.
“For small businesses, backing up data is vital. Until now, storage solutions that efficiently protect and manage heterogeneous environments have been cumbersome, cost-prohibitive and difficult to configure” said Erwan Girard, LaCie Solutions Business Unit Manager. “LaCie has partnered with industry-leading companies to provide a full-featured professional backup server that will automatically configure and back up PCs and Mac computers for a fraction of the cost.”
“LaCie is a leading storage manufacturer that believes simple and intuitive usability is not just for the home, but also for small businesses,” said Mike Schutz, Microsoft Director of Product Management. “The combination of LaCie’s 5big Backup Server and Microsoft’s robust Windows Home Server platform allows users to take mission-critical technology and use it for their small business to store, protect and access important data without the need for large IT budgets or specialized environments.”
Unlike many small business servers, LaCie’s 5big Backup Server is fully compatible with Mac systems and environments through its support for AFP, Spotlight®, and the AppleTalk® stack for legacy applications. Additionally, it is compatible with Time Machine. Administrators will appreciate having a centralized backup appliance for cross-platform management for access rights and automatic backup and restore.
LaCie’s 5big Backup Server uses the Intel Atom processor D410, a small, power-efficient chip that has been combined with the Intel 82801IR I/O Controller to deliver the processing performance and input/output connectivity required to meet the needs of small businesses.
“Small businesses need highly efficient professional backup solutions that are quieter and easier to use,” said David Tuhy, general manager, Intel Storage Group. “LaCie’s 5big Backup Server with the energy-efficient performance of the Intel Atom processor delivers advanced storage features in a compact high-capacity appliance that can be quickly deployed.”
For small businesses, the 5big Backup Server is one of the most powerful, easy to manage backup solutions available. In addition, it has a minimal environmental impact through its recyclable aluminum casing, and power optimization: advanced power management, power-efficient processor and Level V power supply for efficiency. Additionally, the LaCie 5big Backup Server houses an ultra-quiet Noctua fan, allowing businesses to place the product wherever they choose – including a desktop.
Availability
The 5big Backup Server is available in a number of capacities and includes a three-year warranty. For users who require real-time hardware replacement, they can purchase LaCie’s Advance Care Option. The server is available through the LaCie Store Online, LaCie Storage Partner and LaCie Reseller+, starting at the suggested retail price of £1 074.99. For more information, visit www.lacie.com.
More: LaCie
About Terry Walsh
Terry Walsh is the founding editor and owner of We Got Served. Since February 2007, the site has provided detailed coverage and analysis of the emerging home server category, and has subsequently grown into a trusted outlet for digital home news and reviews.
