LaCie has backed up the 2big's solid performance with software which shouldn't confuse even the most inexperienced of NAS users. The software is called NAS OS2, and its simple front-end accessed through the browser is largely based around widgets.
Half a dozen widgets can be scattered along two sides of the browser window at any one time, with most of the more common options available by default. The networking widget configures IP addresses, proxies and network access, there's a drive information module which provides capacity readings, and the general options widget has uptime figures and information about running services.
Other widgets include tools for backing up information to external drives and locations and a RAID management utility which allows for switching between RAID 0 and 1. An environmental management service allows the glowing blue orb to be turned off and the device to descend into sleep mode after a set amount of time has passed.
The location of these widgets can be customised on-screen and, if they're selected, the full range of relevant options is loaded into a main area in the centre of the screen. LaCie also provides a desktop application, but it's very simple, allowing the device to be recognised by your PC and mounted as a network drive, but with few advanced options.
