LaCie 2big, Little Big Disk Thunderbolt&trade, Thunderbolt, 2big Thunderbolt, Big Disk Thunderbolt User Manual

THUNDERBOLT SERIES USER MANUAL

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the User Manual for the LaCie Thunderbolt™* Series. LaCie's Thunderbolt
Series storage enclosures feature transfer rates with the potential to reach up to 10Gb/s!
Plug them into a Macintosh computer that supports Thunderbolt technology for the
ultimate in performance with High Definition video and graphics. This exciting new line of
storage is ideal for professional editors, photographers, and graphic artists that demand
extraordinary performance both in the office and the field.

This manual will guide you through the process of connecting your Thunderbolt Series enclosure and explain its
features. For questions on installation or usage, please consult the Getting Help page.

BOX CONTENT

LaCie 2big Thunderbolt Series / LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series

■

Power supply

■

Drive stand for upright use (the 2big Thunderbolt Series is shipped on its stand)

■

Quick Install Guide

■

CD with documentation

■

Note on the cable: Visit www.lacie.com for details on cables that support Thunderbolt technology.

Important info: Please save your packaging. In the event that the drive should need to be repaired or

serviced, it must be returned in its original packaging.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Your system must meet certain requirements in order for your LaCie product to function properly. For a list of
these requirements, please refer to the product packaging or consult the product support web page at

www.lacie.com/support/.

Thunderbolt technology connection:

Thunderbolt Series enclosures must be connected to a Macintosh computer that supports Thunderbolt
technology.

* Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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VIEWS OF THE DRIVE

Front View

2big Thunderbolt Series

Activity LED and power button1.

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Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series

Activity LED and power button1.
Removable stand2.

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Rear View

2big Thunderbolt Series

Disk tray1.
Disk lock2.
Power supply connection3.
Thunderbolt technology ports4.

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Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series

Thunderbolt technology ports1.
Power supply connection2.
Chain lock option3.

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HARD DISK HEAT MANAGEMENT

Heat Dissipation Design

The Thunderbolt Series enclosures feature metal bodies that dissipate drive heat. The large surface area of the
heat sink casing absorbs all internal heat, keeping the drives safe and prolonging their life. Since LaCie's unique
design draws heat away from the internal drives, the external casing will be warm to the touch after extended
use. Please make sure that the vent on the back bezel is not obstructed and that there is a natural airflow
across the casing.

POSITION AND STACKING

2big Thunderbolt Series

In most instances, the 2big enclosure heat dissipation will be maximized when it rests on the stand in a vertical
position.

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Users interested in placing two 2big enclosures in a specially designed rack may visit LaCie for further
information. When placing the enclosures in a rack, LaCie recommends that you allow for adequate airflow so
that the units do not overheat.

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Important info: Do not stack more than two 2big enclosures. Doing so will void the warranty.

Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series

Heat dissipation is maximized when the Little Big Disk enclosure rests on its stand in a vertical position. Please
make certain that it has ample space on all sides of the casing for proper airflow.

Do not stack the unit with other Little Big Disks or similar items. Stacking your Little Big Disk(s) will void the
warranty.

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RECEIVING POWER/LED POWER BUTTON

RECEIVING POWER

To receive power, Thunderbolt Series enclosures must be:

Connected directly to a Macintosh computer that is compatible with Thunderbolt technology1.
Connected to a power source via the included power supply2.

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL LED/POWER BUTTON

Led States - 2Big Thunderbolt Series

LED Behavior State

The product is in active mode.

Off

The product is: turned off; not receiving power; not connected to a Macintosh computer that
supports Thunderbolt technology; experiencing system failure; or, experiencing electronic
board failure. See below for information on powering down the drives within the enclosure. If
the device is connected to a power supply and turned on but the LED remains off, contact

LaCie Customer Support.

Led States - Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series

LED Behavior State

The product is in active mode, working properly and waiting for data access.

The product is starting up. The LED will become solid blue once it has initialized.

Disk access

Off

The product is: turned off; not receiving power; not connected to a Macintosh computer that
supports Thunderbolt technology; experiencing system failure; or, experiencing electronic
board failure. See below for information on powering down the drives within the enclosure. If
the device is connected to a power supply and turned on but the LED remains off, contact

LaCie Customer Support.

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Power Button

The LED button may be used to conserve energy if you do not expect to use the disks for an extended period of
time. To reduce power consumption:

Unmount the partition(s) (see Unmounting Your Drive)1.
Press the LED button2.

The enclosure will stop sending power to the disks. Please note that the enclosure will maintain the daisy chain
with other Thunderbolt devices even when the drives have been powered down.

To power on the drives, press the LED button. The partition(s) will appear on the desktop.

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THUNDERBOLT TECHNOLOGY AND DAISY CHAIN

THUNDERBOLT TECHNOLOGY

Thunderbolt technology is an active cable technology with extraordinary promise. A single Thunderbolt
technology connection includes two bi-directional streams, each with a potential bandwidth of up to 10Gb/s. As
the illustration demonstrates, the streams run in opposite directions to support simultaneous operations: one
bi-directional stream for data operations and another bi-directional stream for video operations. For example,
files can be copied to the Thunderbolt Series volume (upstream) while playing back an HD film on your
computer (downstream). Certainly, it is possible to perform both actions with existing interface technologies but
not at the speeds offered by a Thunderbolt technology connection. See the performance comparison in the
illustration.

While maximum theoretical transfer rates are rarely sustained, it is no less impressive to imagine the amount of
high-end data that can be passed to and from your LaCie Thunderbolt Series storage. To take advantage of the
throughput offered by Thunderbolt technology, the two internal drives in your LaCie enclosure have been
preconfigured as a Striped RAID Set (RAID 0).

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