The Ethernet Disk offers affordable network storage in a sleek rack-mountable casing. Performance isn´t great, but given its target audience this probably isn´t a show-stopper. Expansion is an issue though.LaCie is best known for its external storage options, and the company recently expanded its portfolio to include a Network Attached Storage (NAS) range, the Ethernet Disk. Designed to run ‘headless´ in a rack, the Ethernet Disk can also serve as a PC if required. Its target is the small workgroup market, and this file and print server supports between 10 and 25 users. Several capacities are available, ranging from an entry-level 80GB (AU$599, reviewed here) right up to 500GB (AU$1499). As NAS kit goes, the Ethernet Disk range carries relatively low price tags, and so offers good value for money.
First impressions do count, and as PC kit goes the Ethernet Disk cuts a dash with its pierced aluminium panel and blue LEDs on the front of the rack-mountable casing. Apart from the light-show, the only other device gracing the front panel is a power switch. The Ethernet Disk range comprises four models, each based on the same hardware: a 733MHz Pentium III processor with 128MB of RAM, plus a parallel port for a network printer, a VGA port, two PS/2 and two USB 1.1 ports. More usefully, it has a FireWire 400 port, which lets you add additional external storage to the system or maybe a tape backup unit. The system also has a spare PCI slot for an optional Gigabit Ethernet card.
The casing holds just one IDE hard disk and it´s not possible to add further storage internally. RAID is not an option either. However, LaCie envisages other Ethernet Disks being daisy-chained together, although this would really have to be achieved via the FireWire port and not the slow USB ports -- quite why LaCie didn´t install USB 2.0 supports beats us.
Shunning the more usual NAS OS of choice, Linux, the Ethernet Disk server is one of the first to use Windows XP Embedded. An embedded OS is one that´s been broken down to its component pieces, allowing developers to cherry pick the specific elements they need. But it´s still Windows XP underneath it all, and because the Ethernet Disk has mouse, keyboard and VGA ports, there´s nothing to stop you from using it as another desktop PC -- in fact, its lid is strong enough to take quite large monitors sitting on top of it. There´s only one small question-mark hanging over the use of Windows XP Embedded and that´s the security angle: let´s face it, Windows XP has shaped up to be one of the most patched operating systems Microsoft has released. Sure enough, updates are available from the LaCie Web site, and at the time of writing there was one 6MB patch to be applied -- a process that´s both straightforward and swift.
A simple tool is provided to help you locate the server. Beyond that, server management is conducted via an elegant Web-based front-end, although you can also control the appliance using Windows Remote Desktop. It took just a few minutes to get it up and running; adding users and setting up shares took a few minutes longer. There´s even a wizard to simplify this task -- this device is aimed at technically unsophisticated users. The Ethernet Disk supports Linux and Mac as well as Windows workgroups, up to a maximum of 25 users (although 10 is more realistic). On the Linux front, support is offered not via NFS, as you might expect, but SMB/Samba, so there are some caveats here. FTP access is also supported.
LaCie Ethernet Disk
Company: LaCie Australia
Price: AU$599
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 02 9669 6900
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