LaCie 2Big or 5Big? Or others?

[50548]

I am about to order a new TB-based HD/RAID system to consolidate ALL my files which are currently contained in a number of internal and external HDs (2.2TBs plus a 2TB Time Machine external).

I was thinking about going with a LaCie 2Big setup (6 or 8TB) but just wanted your opinion before I bite the bullet...counting future storage needs and my growing iTunes library, would you say that 6TB or 8TB are enough for the next 5 years or so?

Or should I go for the 5Big directly? I normally prefer LaCie's design and overall reliability, as I've faced no issues so far with their disks.

Other brands to consider performance- or reliability-wise? My minimum requirements are:

- At least 6TB of RAID 1 (3+3) storage;
- TB interface;
- fast and silent performance.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Kurso]

I had a LaCie 5Big for a long time. It ran great but I sold it so that I could get a new Synology. The LaCie looked great but I way always jealous of the capability of the Synology boxes.

IMO LaCie is resting on it's Apple relationship and not moving as fast as other players.

 

[g4cube]

The Synology is a NAS that connects via your Ethernet network. There are two versions of the 2big and 5big - a network version like the Synology, and a Thunderbolt version which is beyond the capability of Synology as they don't offer Thunderbolt peripherals.

If you want speed and performance for media editing, Thunderbolt is the way to go.

The OP was interested in Thunderbolt interface storage.

As to how big? Only the OP knows what is needed in the future. 8TB max for the 2big, and 20TB max for the 5big when using 4TB drives.

 

[50548]

The Synology is a NAS that connects via your Ethernet network. There are two versions of the 2big and 5big - a network version like the Synology, and a Thunderbolt version which is beyond the capability of Synology as they don't offer Thunderbolt peripherals.

If you want speed and performance for media editing, Thunderbolt is the way to go.

The OP was interested in Thunderbolt interface storage.

As to how big? Only the OP knows what is needed in the future. 8TB max for the 2big, and 20TB max for the 5big when using 4TB drives.

Thanks. As I said above, my CURRENT data load is around 2.2TB which should then be mirrored in a RAID 1 setup (leading to a minimum of 3TB storage on each RAID partition).

However, I was interested in knowing your opinions about the average evolution of your storage needs over a period of perhaps five years or so...did they increase much or are they relatively static?

A final question: what is the difference performance-wise between the 2big and the 5big? I can see at least one great advantage of the 5big, which is to configure its five different HDs as part-RAID 1, part-RAID 0, part-JBOD etc AT THE SAME TIME...the 2big can't do that with just two HDs.

Please let me know your thoughts.

 

[g4cube]

I have both.

Primary advantage for me is that the 5big when all 5 drives are striped in RAID-0 gives me the best performance for HD video editing. I have 2 of them. One configuring all 5 drives as RAID-0, and the other in a hybrid RAID-0/1 config.

Having the 5big gives me several advantages, including those you recommend. With 5 drives within, I can configure two separate RAID-1 arrays inside the 5big, and have an extra slot simply used as a single volume.

That being said, the other advantages of the 2big and 5big may be better for you. If cost is a factor, then you have to consider the 2big first, and then only add storage as your needs increase capacity requirements. For me even with 2x4TB drives in the 8TB 2big is insufficient. I use mine for archiving projects; in JBOD mode. I can put entire projects and dedicate a single drive for each project, so I do have multiple extra drives.

With that extra drive slot in the 5big, I am able to use any of the project drives from the 2big.

In both, I can purchase extra drive modules as my storage requirements increase, and they always are.

I really never delete anything. The cost of individual drives is so low, I just buy drives as I need them. If I need more of that storage online, then I can add to the daisy-chain. Only limiting factor is space and $$$.

Not to worry, I have quite a few portable drives to for shuttling between computers, or when traveling.

I'm a storage junky, with purchases from WD, Seagate, LaCie, and G-Tech. Right now, the LaCie kit seems to be keeping me the most satisfied. I just had to try the G-Tech stuff to see if I was missing anything, and I have concluded that I'm not. Don't really like the plasticky feel of the WD kit. Seagate was interesting for the interface flexibility, but I found I wasn't really using it - I do have the various USB, eSATA, FireWire, and Thunderbolt adapters for the desktop and portable drives.

How am I using all that stuff? Lots and lots of multiple backups.

I do have NAS, but that's simply used for the end result - my video and music library which serves the house.

 

[50548]

I have both.

Primary advantage for me is that the 5big when all 5 drives are striped in RAID-0 gives me the best performance for HD video editing. I have 2 of them. One configuring all 5 drives as RAID-0, and the other in a hybrid RAID-0/1 config.

Having the 5big gives me several advantages, including those you recommend. With 5 drives within, I can configure two separate RAID-1 arrays inside the 5big, and have an extra slot simply used as a single volume.

That being said, the other advantages of the 2big and 5big may be better for you. If cost is a factor, then you have to consider the 2big first, and then only add storage as your needs increase capacity requirements. For me even with 2x4TB drives in the 8TB 2big is insufficient. I use mine for archiving projects; in JBOD mode. I can put entire projects and dedicate a single drive for each project, so I do have multiple extra drives.

With that extra drive slot in the 5big, I am able to use any of the project drives from the 2big.

In both, I can purchase extra drive modules as my storage requirements increase, and they always are.

I really never delete anything. The cost of individual drives is so low, I just buy drives as I need them. If I need more of that storage online, then I can add to the daisy-chain. Only limiting factor is space and $$$.

Not to worry, I have quite a few portable drives to for shuttling between computers, or when traveling.

I'm a storage junky, with purchases from WD, Seagate, LaCie, and G-Tech. Right now, the LaCie kit seems to be keeping me the most satisfied. I just had to try the G-Tech stuff to see if I was missing anything, and I have concluded that I'm not. Don't really like the plasticky feel of the WD kit. Seagate was interesting for the interface flexibility, but I found I wasn't really using it - I do have the various USB, eSATA, FireWire, and Thunderbolt adapters for the desktop and portable drives.

How am I using all that stuff? Lots and lots of multiple backups.

I do have NAS, but that's simply used for the end result - my video and music library which serves the house.

Tks again - I also prefer LaCie, although I am still not sure whether I should go for the 5big due to cost reasons (even though, ultimately, the $300 difference is not that much)...

But one question still stands: what is the difference PERFORMANCE-wise between both setups?

 

[50548]

Another question: the 2big has the following config:

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2

Can I have a 6TB RAID 1 setup PLUS a 4TB RAID 0 setup? Or is this logically impossible?

 

[iamgalactic]

Another question: the 2big has the following config:

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2

Can I have a 6TB RAID 1 setup PLUS a 4TB RAID 0 setup? Or is this logically impossible?

Assume you mean 5big for above? You can do that, but would be a 2TB RAID 1 plus a 6TB RAID 0 (RAID 1 halves the capacity due to mirroring the data e.g. for a 6TB RAID 1 you would need 2x6TB drives)

I'm running 2xLaCie Thunderbolt 2Bigs in an 8TB striped RAID 0 - which gives me 650 read/write with Blackmagic Speed Test.

Disk speed tests don't really simulate real world usage though, but it is fast.

 

[dexb]

Hi there,

just want to know your professional opinion on which one would be more reasonable way to store/backup media files:

Lacie 5big thunderbolt with raid0+1 option(2 drives with raid0 and 2 drives with raid1 backing up those previous drives ..leaves one drive for scratch disk or just spare drive)

or

2 x Lacie 2big thunderbolt first with raid0 and second with raid1 backing up that first 2big.

My main concern obviously is when hardware causes drive failures. But is that really a real threat?

 

[tangfj]

Hi there,

just want to know your professional opinion on which one would be more reasonable way to store/backup media files:

Lacie 5big thunderbolt with raid0+1 option(2 drives with raid0 and 2 drives with raid1 backing up those previous drives ..leaves one drive for scratch disk or just spare drive)

or

2 x Lacie 2big thunderbolt first with raid0 and second with raid1 backing up that first 2big.

My main concern obviously is when hardware causes drive failures. But is that really a real threat?

You might want to consider a 2big thunderbolt raid0 for speed and then some NAS (synology or drobo) for backup. The NAS may be more useful since it's on the network/etc. I have a drobo 5d and synology ds1512 and am pretty happy with the setup.

 

[puckhead193]

I am about to order a new TB-based HD/RAID system to consolidate ALL my files which are currently contained in a number of internal and external HDs (2.2TBs plus a 2TB Time Machine external).

I was thinking about going with a LaCie 2Big setup (6 or 8TB) but just wanted your opinion before I bite the bullet...counting future storage needs and my growing iTunes library, would you say that 6TB or 8TB are enough for the next 5 years or so?

BRLawyer, did you ever order the drive? If so, how are you liking it?
If apple does indeed release the new mac pro on tuesday, i was thinking of ordering this drive since the new MP only has 1 drive. My plan was to use the LaCie 8TB 2big Thunderbolt in a raid. (one drive to store all my music, photos, documents, etc. and then have the other drive as backup instead of using Time Machine.

Also I was looking at the WD My Book Thunderbolt Duo http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=630