Software:

To start out with, you configure the unit with a start-up CD that will find the N5200 on your network and configure the admin password. It works for both Windows and OSX and is very simple to use.

64MB for the OS

256MB ram

Daughter board

After everything is setup, you can access the N5200 over it’s built in website. Just like any of the router control panels you have probably used. To make things easier, the LCD on the front cycles through the IP addresses that both the LAN and WAN ports currently have.

To go through every menu option in the control panel would be pointless and better left to the manual. (which can be found here if you are interested)

Network

Default pass = admin

Change default pass

One of the N5200’s features I was not familiar with (at least by this name), is “Nsync”. This is a system for automatically backing up information on the array. You can choose an FTP to upload files to (along with login information), how often you would like to backup files, and what files or folders should be backed up.

Login

Uh oh, SMART error!

Not a good thing!

Overall the order of events go like this: Configure/monitor the RAID array, setup folders, define the rules for who can access them, and then choose the methods you want to use to connect to the N5200.

UPS control

Status

FTP

Setting up user names and passwords can be done individually, or by uploading a text file with list of names/passwords and groups. ACL settings for each folder can be used to deny or allow groups or individuals read/write permissions.

Windows workgroup

Log files

RAID setup

Since that is pretty much all you need to do for setup, lets get on to the performance and testing.

Formatting

RAID formatted

The local IP

Testing:

Setup:

• Thecus unit with 5 320GB Seagate Barracuda's in Raid5

• Mac Pro (2 dual core processors, 2ghz, 2gb Ram)

• FTP transfers with CyberduckFTP and Opera 9.21 (OSX)

The transfer speeds are really impressive, and is a definite reason to upgrade my whole network to Gigabit Ethernet. I was a bit surprised that uploading hundreds of small files quicker than downloading them. Normally, with a RAID 5 Array, writing is a slower process than reading. I suspect these results might be because of the N5200’s large onboard RAM (256MB) that allow it to buffer data.

Downloading (Cyberduck)

Opera FTP

Upload speeds

The speed of the large single file transfers are just off scale compared to standard 100 BaseT speeds. Even so, the maximum speed of gigabit Ethernet is 125MB/s, so there is still plenty of room for even faster hard drives and future upgrades.

Conclusion:

Thecus put in a lot of effort and patience to work with me for this review. Canadian customs have a history of holding their shipments without any reasons given, so they agreed to ship it to Temujin and then he shipped it to me (and promptly kicked himself for not keeping it once I told him what it was like!).

On top of that, the unit I received had a damaged daughter-board. The daughter-board has the 4 gigabit LAN ports. Within 2 weeks of speaking with Thecus, I had a replacement Daughter-board, and the instructions on how to replace it. To diagnose the problem, their support crew asked me some simple questions, and to upload the log file that the N5200 made. Two E-mail’s is all it took to get the correct solution.

And of course I find it very hard to find any flaws in the N5200 itself. I noticed that the FTP server they use limits itself to displaying 2033 folders at one time. But umm, I really should just split up my music directory a bit more anyway!

It’s fast, it’s small enough to be transported to LAN parties and has an incredibly powerful yet simple interface. While the average user isn’t going to want to spend $1000 on a NAS, there is a large section of small businesses who should be VERY interested in this. LAN organizers should check this out, photographers, video editing, people with large collections of media, and anyone who wants a central file server that does gigabit speeds.

This is high end product, that has enough features and performance to earn it’s keep. I know this is cliché, but it’s a Kick-Ass piece of hardware that will not disappoint.

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