Windows 10: Can I repurpose LaCie Big5 HomeServer as NAS?

I have been given a LaCie Big5 unit that has never been used. It is setup as a Windows Home Server unit. I do not have the disks/password that came with the unit and have no desire to use as a Windows Home Server since that technology was obsolescent about 10 years ago. I can see the unit on my network and have tried to map to it using its IP address as reported by my router. My thought was that if I could network to it, I could reformat it and use it for network attached storage. When I attempt to map it, I am asked for a password to access. Don't have that. I do have the Microsoft product k

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Homeserver

I was searching on the internet looking for a NAS but found something about a home server. They said homeservers can be cheaper and you can do more with them. So now my question is.

Where do I start?
Does someone know a nice homeserver system, or can someone put one together for me?(I mean on a wepshop)
My Budget is 200 EUR. (I can go a littlebit higher)
I will use it for storage and running a minecraft server.


Thanks for helping me out!

BasG

 

LaCie Updates NAS OS 3

LaCie today announced an update to its NAS OS 3 software, increasing RAID 5 write speeds by 25 percent, expanding hybrid cloud capabilities, and adding more professional features. NAS OS 3 powers the LaCie 5big NAS Pro and 2big NAS professional storage solutions. These improvements advance LaCie's commitment to providing its customers with innovative and user-friendly NAS.

With this update, the LaCie 5big NAS Pro now features RAID 5 write speeds up to 100MB/s on a single LAN, a 25 percent increase from the previous NAS OS version. This speed boost enables admins to easily back up several computers at the same time. Alternatively, content creators can edit 1080p content directly from the NAS.





Hybrid Cloud Advancements
In addition to letting users sync data between a computer and the cloud, NAS OS 3.1 now lets users sync data between a computer and the NAS. This ensures that all employees have the most current version of files on all their devices. Sync makes sure that an employee in sales, for example, will always have the most up-to-date price list and can pull marketing collateral from their phone or tablet during a sales pitch.

More Professional Features
NAS OS 3 now features hardware monitoring that alerts the admin in real-time of potential issues with the fan, CPU and RAM. It also features SMART hard disk diagnostic tests and hardware status email alerts. These new capabilities let admins stay on top of data security and prevent downtime.
LaCie has also added support for multiple iSCSI initiators and targets. This brings flexibility to a company's virtualization scheme, including those that integrate Citrix, VMware or Hyper-V servers. Admins can combine storage into data center arrays while letting host computers mount network storage as if it were direct-attached disks. They can even host multiple virtual machines using several iSCSI targets.

LaCie NAS Solutions for Professionals
The LaCie 5big NAS Pro and 2big NAS, powered by NAS OS 3, offer fast and secure professional network storage. These solutions feature true hybrid cloud integration with network-attached and secure cloud storage in a single view, giving users anywhere and anytime access to files. With speed, reliability, usability, and backup for PC or Mac, these products are ideal for small business network storage needs. For additional information, visit www.lacie.com/NAS.

Availability
The NAS OS 3 update (version 3.1) is available today for the 5big NAS Pro and will be available in August 2013 for the 2big NAS. The upgrade offers full compatibility with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, and Mac OS 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8. The upgrade can be downloaded at no cost by visiting the "Support" widget in the product's Dashboard.

 

Network Attached Storage (NAS) recommendations

Thanks for the suggestions!

Currently, I have a 2TB LaCie, connected via USB 2.0. There is no USB 3.0 on this PC. I started to think about merely getting a USB 3.0 PCI card. But, thought, it might be best to invest in a reasonably priced NAS.

Maybe to keep cost down, I could get a single drive NAS, and also keep a copy of my data on the LaCie. Thus, use the NAS for accessing speed, and the LaCie merely as a backup. Hmm...