Create a central file server for your office.

The LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini has changed the way we do business at the office. In order to share files in times past we had to put files in each other’s shared folders, email large attachments, or swap flash drives with our coworkers. Since we invested $200.00 in the Ethernet Disk Mini, we have absolutely become more productive in our file access and sharing. Instead of each station having it’s own information, now each station logs into the central file server and downloads information directly. In other words, everyone’s information is in one hard drive and can be accessed from any computer at any time.

You don’t have to be a genius to set this thing up. It’s very simple. All you do is plug it into your router/switch/hub, install the IP software on your computer, assign it a static (non-changing) IP address, and log in to the drive through your browser to set up a few important features. (Type the IP Address in and it will take you there. Check your manual for default admin passwords)

You will have to set up users and passwords for your staff. Then you set up what they call “Shares” which basically means folders. The final step is to assign permissions to the users. Simply put, tell the drive who has access to which folders. This is a beautiful feature because sensitive information can be kept sensitive.  Then to access your files, go to My Network Places and you should see folders for your different shares.  I recommend you create a shortcut to your actual drive by clicking “My Network Places” >>> Workgroup Computers >>> Right Click on your LaCie Drive and click “Create Shortcut”.  This will place a shortcut on your desktop (Well, it should anyways if you are running XP).

Another great feature is the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) function. This means the drive can be accessed over the internet from your home, overseas…anywhere! It is a completely secure server. Many people have tried to hack ours and failed (I keep a watch on the log file). My tip for extra security is make your user names with one capital letter and one number. Your passwords should use a capital and numbers as well. This is almost impossible for hacker softwares to crack. If anyone is interested, I will be happy to write a tutorial on the FTP function. Be warned, this one gets pretty techy.

Finally, my advice is to purchase a USB drive with the same storage capacity for backup. If you have all of your eggs in one basket, it is easier for you to lose everything. Get in the habit of backing your data up. LaCie comes with a great backup tool for the Ethernet Disk Mini. You can even schedule backups. I purchased two identical LaCie EDMs with one as backup. If my primary drive ever goes down, I can simply plug my backup (with identical shares, users, permissions, and IP address) into the network and viola, I’m up and running again in minutes.

These little drives can revolutionize your office. I’m always in favor of centralizing data. It helps your team become more motivated and effective in their administrative functions.

320 Gigabytes – $179.00
500 Gigabytes – $209.00

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