LaCie 2big Quadra 3 TB 2-Disk RAID Hard Drive 301431U

by LaCie

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 10 x 9.5 inches ; 6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10.5 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001P5C9R6
• Item model number: 301431U
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The LaCie 2big Quadra 3 TB hard drive is a complete solution that's ideal for companies with small servers, creative professionals, or offices that need large storage and backup capacity with speed and security. The Quadra 2big offers low energy consumption and is quieter than traditional RAID towers, making it a quiet, green addition to any workspace.

The 2big Quadra 3 TB offers: 3 TB of total disk space. 4 RAID modes for higher performance or more security. Innovative cooling system that keeps noise low. Hot-swappable disks for non-stop data access.

The 2big Quadra can be rack mounted for space efficiency. View larger.

1. The blue orb on the front lets you monitor performance. 2. Installing new drives are easy with easy-to-use drive trays.

Dual Drive Bays and Multiple Configurations
Offering three terabytes of capacity, this hard drive offers plenty of space to store all your important data, digital media files, and more. Each included drive features an extremely fast speed of 7,200 rpm and has up to 32 megabytes of cache for optimal performance. If you don't need 3 TB of space, the 2big Quadra also comes in 2 TB and 1 TB versions.

The 2big Quadra gives you the option of four different RAID modes. The ability to hot-swap drives in some RAID modes is an especially useful feature: you can remove and replace drives even while the 2big Quadra is running.

Depending on the RAID mode you choose, you can have either fast performance and large storage space or more protection. Please note that depending on the configuration, the usable amount of space might be less than three terabytes.

Installing new drives is a cinch: simply put the new disk on a drive tray and insert it into an empty drive bay. An included tool lets you lock the drives in place. The 2big Quadra is expandable and scalable for even greater storage and faster transfer rates.

Four Interfaces for Compatibility and Speed
Four interfaces ensure compatibility and maximize the speed of any setup. High-speed USB 2.0 is nearly universal and has a maximum bus speed of up to 480 Mbps. FireWire 400, popular for many digital video applications, offers up to 400 Mbps, and FireWire 800 can achieve up to 800 Mbps.

Get the fastest transfer through the eSATA, with rates of up to 3,000 Mbps, perfect for digital media applications such as photography, animation, audio/video projects, and HD post-production.

Designed by Neil Poulton, the 2big Quadra looks good in any office. View larger.

Striking Looks That Fit Any System
Styled by renowned product designer Neil Poulton, the 2big Quadraas a striking, minimalist design that features an illuminated blue hemisphere in the center. The aluminum-housed drive is stackable for easy expandability and is designed to enhance any work environment.

The glowing blue hemisphere on the drive's front and the LEDs on the drive's rear let you easily monitor your system's performance. You'll know immediately when RAID is rebuilding, when the temperature is getting too high, and more.

Save Energy and Minimize Noise
The 2big Quadra is made with energy savings in mind, and compared to traditional RAID towers, it can save 30 percent to 80 percent on energy consumption. It also features an innovative, reliable cooling system that promotes system longevity and that keeps the system almost 50 percent more quiet than comparable drives.

Backup Software Included
LaCie comes with Genie Backup Manager Pro for PCs and Intego Backup Manager Pro for Macs, making backup and computer recovery easy. In addition, it is compatible with Apple's Time Machine.

The LaCie 2big Quadra is backed by a three-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
LaCie 2big Quadra, two disks, eSATA-to-eSATA cable, FireWire 800 cable (nine-to-nine pin), FireWire 400 cable (six-to-six pin), USB 2.0 cable, power supply kit, LaCie utilities CD-ROM with user's manual, Genie Backup Manager Pro software with disaster recovery (Windows XP/2000/Vista), Intego Backup Manager Pro software with disaster recovery (Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5), quick-install guide, two-in-one RAID mode change, and drive removal tool.

Product Description

The LaCie 2big quadruple interface professional 2-disk RAID delivers fast speed, large capacity and data security. With eSATA 3Gbits, FireWire 800, FireWire 400 & Hi-Speed USB 2.0, it provides complete universal compatibility with any PC or Mac. The easy-to-use 2big Quadra comes with two extractable, lockable and hot-swappable disks for a user-controlled solution. With four RAID levels, it meets your storage needs, whether it¿s security, capacity, speed or a combination. With burst transfer rates as high as 165MB/s** (eSATA), it¿s ideal for audio/video projects (DV and SD video playback or 2D/3D imaging). The sturdy heat sink metal design provides 60% more surface area for natural heat dissipation. The 2big Quadra comes with Genie Backup Manager Pro software with disaster recovery for Windows users and Intego Backup Manager Pro software with disaster recovery for Mac users. It also features Triple Power Management and the LaCie Shortcut Button, which can launch any application you choose in one push. Box Contents: LaCie 2big Quadra, eSATA-to-eSATA (3Gbits) cable, FireWire 800 (9-to-9 pin) cable, FireWire 400 (6-to-6 pin) cable, Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable, Power supply kit, Quick Install Guide, LaCie Utilities and User Manual on CD-ROM. System Requirements: eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire 400 or USB ports, Windows 2000/XP or Vista, Mac OS X 10.3 or higher, Minimum free disk space: 600 MB recommended

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I wanted, July 25, 2009

By 

Larry Stone (Roselle, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: LaCie 301350U 1TB 2big Quadra 2-Disk RAID Hard Drive (Personal Computers)

I bought this (2x500GB version) to use as a RAID-1 (mirrored) startup disk for a PowerPC Macintosh. Since I use the system as a server (including mail server), reliability is a must. This works exactly as I wanted with the mirroring completely transparent to the computer - it just appears as a single disk of the size of one of the drives and can be formatted and partitioned by Disk Utility the same as any other disk device. No RAID setup is required within OS X which means I can just take it to another system should the current system fail.

As for noise, it's quieter than some other external drives I have. Yes, when it's busy (such as when backups are running - the system is also my backup server), the fan speeds up and it gets a little noisier but most of the time, it has added almost no additional noise.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great solution for secure data storage, February 9, 2010

By 

Doc Holliday (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: LaCie 2big Quadra 3 TB 2-Disk RAID Hard Drive 301431U (Personal Computers)

I love the Lacie 2big Quadra 3TB hard drive. I purchased this drive to store my iPhoto library which is currently over 300gb and growing (I'm scanning all the old family photos). I recently had a hard drive crash with my library and fortunately had it backed up--otherwise it would have been a disaster. This hard drive is a great solution. I set it to "SAFE" mode so my 3TB drive is actually running as a 1.5TB, with the two internal disks mirroring one another. If one crashes, the other is still safe. I will continue to back up on some other hard drives as well for good measure, but this gives me a lot of peace of mind. It was very easy to install and get up and running. I also purchased an eSata adaptor for my MacBook Pro and I was amazed at how fast I was able to transfer the 300 gb library! Love it, love it, love it! Other reviews have complained that this drive is noisy. I dont agree. Yes, you can hear it running, but it's quiet and does not interfere with TV viewing in the same room beside my chair. It runs cool. Others complained about not liking the big, blue light on the front. I dont know--I think it's kinda cool looking. The build is good, seems solid. Has nice rubber pads on the bottom that act as shock absorbers if it is knocked a bit. All in all, a very good drive and I highly recommend.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way to go in backups, December 12, 2009

By 

P H F "Designer of odd things" (Far south of Maine) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: LaCie 2big Quadra 3 TB 2-Disk RAID Hard Drive 301431U (Personal Computers)

This Lacie can be used as a full backup drive or a RAID. I am a photographer and it backs up my portfolio. I am using it as a RAID and it just keeps working. If one drive goes down the other is exactly the same. The bad drive is replaceable. I am very pleased with my LaCie drives.LaCie 301431U 3TB 2big Quadra 2-Disk RAID Hard Drive

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