LaCie/Seagate 12big Thunderbolt 3 Desktop RAID

At NAB Convention, LaCie, a brand from Seagate Technology plc, announced the 12big Thunderbolt 3, a professional 12-bay desktop RAID storage unit.

With up to 96TB of capacity, the performance of Thunderbolt 3 and RAID-5/6, the 12big helps video professionals meet the data demands of 4/5/6K cameras. It boasts a 50% higher capacity ^(*) than any other desktop DAS solution on the market – with a footprint smaller than a tablet. It features Seagate’s enterprise drives with a five-year limited warranty for reliability and data availability to safely store and edit massive amounts of ultra hi-res footage.

12big Thunderbolt 3 front and rear

Thunderbolt 3 performance
For the 12big, the company harnessed the performance potential of Thunderbolt 3 technology and squeezed the best speeds out of the HDDs. The firm added a hardware RAID controller and 7,200rpm drives, and the result is speeds of up to 2,600MB/s ^(**) and 2,400MB/s in RAID-5.

“We are thrilled to see LaCie push the boundaries of speed, video bandwidth and compatibility with its latest Thunderbolt storage solution,” said Jason Ziller, director, Thunderbolt marketing, Intel Corp. “Products like the LaCie 12big help highlight what Thunderbolt 3 makes possible.”

That kind of speed can slash time off nearly every post-production workflow task. Users can ingest hours of RAW footage from a Blackmagic cinema camera into Adobe Premiere Pro in a fraction of the time. They can then edit multiple streams of ProRes 422 (HQ), ProRes 444 XQ, as well as uncompressed HD 10-bit and 12-bit video. For big projects packed with high-def clips, thumbnail and preview rendering becomes much more responsive.

“LaCie is committed to helping video professionals master ever-increasing data demands by ensuring their irreplaceable data is secure, available on demand and always driving value,” said Tim Bucher, SVP, branded solutions, Seagate and LaCie, “The combination of higher spatial resolution and 3D imagery, as well as higher dynamic range and frame rates, is driving the need for high-capacity and high-speed digital storage systems. We purpose-built the LaCie 12big to have the speed, capacity and reliability to efficiently download and edit even the most demanding content-so our customers can focus on making their creative vision a reality.“

With double the video bandwidth of its predecessor, Thunderbolt 3 lets the user daisy chain dual 4K displays or a single 5K display to the 12big. With two 4K displays, a video pro can spread out his/her workspace by dedicating one display to the timeline and the other to previewing 4K footage. It is even possible to provide power to a compatible laptop through the Thunderbolt 3 cable ^(**).

Massive capacity
With up to 96TB of capacity, the 12big can store 100 hours of 4K ProRes 444 XQ footage in RAID-5 ^▲. With that capacity, it’s possible to store footage from 48 firm’s Rugged Thunderbolt 2TB shuttle drives. Instead of buying a new storage device every time more capacity is needed, the company recommends pros invest up front in a future-proof, RAID-protected solution. This consolidated approach improves data access and security, which can save money in the long term.

Enterprise class
The 12big features 256MB cache, 7,200rpm Seagate enterprise drives for accessibility, reliability and robust performance. Designed to operate 24/7 on 16-bay racks (instead of 8/5 operations for traditional HDDs), these HDDs are rated for 8760 hours of operation per year for availability. The 12big comes with a five-year limited warranty that covers drives, enclosure and spare parts.

RAID Manager

RAID Manager
The redesigned firm’s RAID Manager offers an intuitive interface to administer the 12big. A user-friendly interface assists the user in setting up and monitoring storage. Wizards help create and manage volumes optimized for individual needs. Plus it offers advanced features such as CPU settings, auto rebuild, and drive diagnostics.

Designed for professionals
From the front of the product, drive status LEDs keep track of drive health and RAID build status, and drives can be conveniently accessed. Ensuring long-term component health, the aluminum enclosure dissipates heat efficiently and four thermo-regulated fans pull heat away from the drives. And even if a fan fails, the product is still fully functional. For universal compatibility, users can connect to USB-C laptops-and even USB 3.0 computers via the included USB-C to USB-A cable.

The 12big will be available this summer in 48, 72 and 96TB capacities through the company’s online store and firm’s resellers.

^(*) Compared to the current highest capacity 64TB desktop storage solutions on the market at the time of this announcement
^(**) Actual data rates may vary depending on operating environment and other factors, such as RAID mode, RAID configuration, disk capacity, and system configuration.
^(***) Delivers up to 45W (port A) or 15W (port B) to power compatible laptops.
^▲ Based on 764GB per hour of 4K ProRes 444 XQ footage (source). Quantitative usage examples for various applications are for illustrative purposes.