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LaCie ships plug-and-play CloudBox NAS server

LaCie announces the availability of the CloudBox NAS server that it first introduced more than a year ago.

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
Dong Ngo
2 min read
The new CloudBox NAS server from LaCie.
The new CloudBox NAS server from LaCie. LaCie

LaCie today announced the availability of its latest network attached storage (NAS) server, the CloudBox.

Originally, the storage vendor announced this device more than a year ago, suggesting it'd be a unique network storage server that offers 100GB of local storage and a matching 100GB of online storage, with the two being synced over the Internet. The final device shipping today, however, appears to be quite traditional.

The CloudBox is now available in either 1TB, 2TB, or 3TB capacities and doesn't seem to come with any online storage. Instead it works by itself as a personal cloud server for the owner, similar to the Cloud Station feature of a Synology NAS server, such as the DS412+. The CloudBox is a single-volume storage device, meaning that it doesn't have any RAID capability for data-safety redundancy.

LaCie said that the NAS server will have a very simple two-step setup process that allows users to "simply plug the LaCie CloudBox into a power outlet and connect the Ethernet cable into a router," and the rest will be done without software installation. If this is true, it'd make it the most user-friendly NAS server to date.

In addition, the CloudBox offers file sharing, and backup capability for both Mac and Windows computers within the local network. Remote users can also access files for the server via smartphones, tablets, or laptops.

Like most storage devices from LaCie, the CloudBox is designed by Neil Poulton and has the signature squarish look. It's available now, with the 1TB version costing $120.