Thecus N2800 User manual

Thecus
N2800
N4800 Series
User’s Manual

2
Copyright and Trademark Notice
Thecus and other names of Thecus productsare registered trademarks of Thecus
Technology Corp. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Apple, iTunes and Apple OS X are registered
trademarks of Apple Computers, Inc. All other trademarks and brand names are
the property of their respective owners. Specifications are subject to change
without notice.
Copyright © 2013 Thecus Technology Corporation. All rights reserved.
About This Manual
All information in this manual has been carefully verified to ensure its correctness.
In case of an error, please provide us with your feedback. Thecus Technology
Corporation reserves the right to modify the contents of this manual without notice.
Product name: Thecus N2800/N4800 Series
Manual Version: 5.1
Release Date: February. 2013
Limited Warranty
Thecus Technology Corporation guarantees all components of Thecus NAS
products are thoroughly tested before they leave the factory and should function
normally under general usage. In case of any system malfunctions, Thecus
Technology Corporation and its local representatives and dealers are responsible
for repair without cost to the customer if the product fails within the warranty
period and under normal usage. Thecus Technology Corporation is not responsible
for any damage or loss of data deemed to be caused by its products. It is highly
recommended that users conduct necessary back-up practices.
Check the functions that are available on your particular Thecus NAS model at:
http://www.Thecus.com

3
Safety Warnings
For your safety, please read and follow the following safety warnings:
Read this manual thoroughly before attempting to set up your Thecus IP
storage.
Your Thecus IP storage is a complicated electronic device. DO NOT attempt
to repair it under any circumstances. In the case of malfunction, turn off the
power immediately and have it repaired at a qualified service center.
Contact your vendor for details.
DO NOT allow anything to rest on the power cord and DO NOT place the
power cord in an area where it can be stepped on. Carefully place
connecting cables to avoid stepping or tripping on them.
Your Thecus IP storage can operate normally under temperatures between
5°C and 40°C, with relative humidity of 20% –85%. Using Thecus IP
storage under extreme environmental conditions could damage the unit.
Ensure that the Thecus IP storage is provided with the correct supply
voltage (AC 100V ~ 240V, 50/60 Hz, 3A). Plugging the Thecus IP storage to
an incorrect power source could damage the unit.
Do NOT expose Thecus IP storage to dampness, dust, or corrosive liquids.
Do NOT place Thecus IP storage on any uneven surfaces.
DO NOT place Thecus IP storage in direct sunlight or expose it to other heat
sources.
DO NOT use chemicals or aerosols to clean Thecus IP storage. Unplug the
power cord and all connected cables before cleaning.
DO NOT place any objects on the Thecus IP storage or obstruct its
ventilation slots to avoid overheating the unit.
Keep packaging out of the reach of children.
If disposing of the device, please follow your local regulations for the safe
disposal of electronic products to protect the environment.

4
Table of Contents
About This Manual ......................................................................... 2
Limited Warranty........................................................................... 2
Safety Warnings ............................................................................ 3
Table of Contents .......................................................................... 4
Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................. 7
Overview ............................................................................................... 7
Product Highlights................................................................................. 7
Package Contents .................................................................................. 9
Front Panel.......................................................................................... 10
Rear Panel ........................................................................................... 12
Chapter 2: Hardware Installation ................................................ 14
Overview ............................................................................................. 14
Before You Begin ................................................................................. 14
Cable Connections ............................................................................... 14
Chapter 3: First Time Setup ......................................................... 16
Overview ............................................................................................. 16
Thecus Setup Wizard ........................................................................... 16
OLED Operation ................................................................................... 18
USB Copy............................................................................................. 19
Typical Setup Procedure ...................................................................... 19
Chapter 4: System Administration ............................................... 21
Overview ............................................................................................. 21
Web Administration Interface ............................................................. 21
My Favorite.................................................................................. 22
Logout ........................................................................................ 24
Language Selection....................................................................... 24
System Information ............................................................................ 25
System Information ...................................................................... 25
System/Service Status .................................................................. 25
Logs............................................................................................ 26
On-line Register ........................................................................... 27
Syslog Management ...................................................................... 28
System Monitor ............................................................................ 29
System Management ........................................................................... 31
Time: Setting system time............................................................. 31
Notification configuration ............................................................... 32
Firmware Upgrade ........................................................................ 32
Schedule Power On/Off.................................................................. 33
Administrator Password ................................................................. 34
Config Mgmt ................................................................................ 34
Factory Default............................................................................. 35
Reboot & Shutdown ...................................................................... 35
File System Check ........................................................................ 35
Wake-Up On LAN (WOL)................................................................ 37
SNMP Support .............................................................................. 38
UI Login Function ......................................................................... 38
System Network .................................................................................. 39
Networking .................................................................................. 39
DHCP/RADVD ............................................................................... 40

5
Linking Aggregation ...................................................................... 41
Additional LAN.............................................................................. 44
Storage Management .......................................................................... 44
Disks Information ......................................................................... 44
RAID Information ......................................................................... 47
NAS Stacking ............................................................................... 58
ISO Mount ................................................................................... 64
Share Folder ................................................................................ 66
Folder and sub-folders Access Control List (ACL) .......................................... 70
iSCSI .......................................................................................... 72
iSCSI Thin-Provisioning ................................................................. 77
LUN ACL ...................................................................................... 78
Advance Option ............................................................................ 80
User and Group Authentication ........................................................... 81
ADS/NT Support ........................................................................... 81
Local User Configuration................................................................ 83
Local Group Configuration.............................................................. 85
Batch Users and Groups Creation.................................................... 88
User Quota .................................................................................. 89
User and Group Backup ................................................................. 89
LDAP Support............................................................................... 90
Network Service .................................................................................. 90
Samba / CIFS .............................................................................. 90
AFP (Apple Network Setup)............................................................ 91
NFS Setup ................................................................................... 92
FTP ............................................................................................. 93
TFTP ........................................................................................... 94
WebService.................................................................................. 95
UPnP........................................................................................... 95
Bonjour Setting ............................................................................ 96
SSH ............................................................................................ 97
DDNS.......................................................................................... 97
UPnP Port Management ................................................................. 98
Application Server ............................................................................... 99
iTunes® Server ...........................................................................100
Module Installation ......................................................................100
Auto Module Installation ...............................................................101
Backup .............................................................................................. 102
Rsync Target Server ....................................................................102
Data Guard (Remote Backup)........................................................103
ACL Backup and Restore...............................................................115
Data Burn...................................................................................116
Thecus Backup Utility ...................................................................119
Windows XP Data Backup .............................................................120
Apple OS X Backup Utilities...........................................................121
External Devices................................................................................ 121
Printers ......................................................................................121
Uninterrupted Power Source..........................................................126
Chapter 5: Tips and Tricks ......................................................... 126
USB and eSATA Storage Expansion.................................................... 126
Remote Administration...................................................................... 127
Part I - Setup a DynDNS Account ..................................................128
Part II - Enable DDNS on the Router ..............................................128
Part III - Setting up Virtual Servers (HTTPS) ...................................128
Firewall Software Configuration ........................................................ 128
Replacing Damaged Hard Drives ....................................................... 129
Hard Drive Damage .....................................................................129

6
Replacing a Hard Drive .................................................................129
RAID Auto-Rebuild.......................................................................129
Chapter 6: Troubleshooting ....................................................... 130
Forgot My Network IP Address .......................................................... 130
Can't Map a Network Drive in Windows XP ........................................ 130
Restoring Factory Defaults ................................................................ 130
Problems with Time and Date Settings .............................................. 131
Chapter 7: Updates for FW v2.03.01.......................................... 132
Status ........................................................................................132
Added Hardware Information ........................................................132
Disk Information..........................................................................133
Data Guard (Local Backup) ...........................................................136
Volume Expansion Management ....................................................152
Appendix A: Customer Support.................................................. 153
Appendix B: RAID Basics ........................................................... 154
Overview ........................................................................................... 154
Benefits ............................................................................................. 154
Improved Performance .................................................................154
Data Security ..............................................................................154
RAID Levels....................................................................................... 154
Appendix C: Active Directory Basics .......................................... 157
Overview ........................................................................................... 157
What is Active Directory? .................................................................. 157
ADS Benefits...................................................................................... 157
Appendix D: Licensing Information ........................................... 158
Overview ........................................................................................... 158
Source Code Availability .................................................................... 158
CGIC License Terms........................................................................... 159
GNU General Public License............................................................... 159

7
Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
Thank you for choosing the Thecus IP Storage Server. The Thecus IP storage is an
easy-to-use storage server that allows a dedicated approach to storing and
distributing data on a network. Data reliability is ensured with RAID features that
provide data security and recovery—over multiple Terabyte of storage are available
using RAID 5 and RAID 6. Gigabit Ethernet ports enhance network efficiency,
allowing Thecus IP storage to take over file management functions, increase
application and data sharing and provide faster data response. The Thecus IP
storage offers data mobility with a disk roaming feature that lets you swap working
hard drives for use in other Thecus IP storage, securing the continuity of data in the
event of hardware failure. The Thecus IP storage allows data consolidation and
sharing between Windows (SMB/CIFS), UNIX/Linux, and Apple OS X environments.
The Thecus IP storage’s user-friendly GUI supports multiple Languages.
Product Highlights
File Server
First and foremost, the Thecus IP storage allows you to store and share files over an
IP network. With a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, you can centralize
your files and share them easily over your network. With the easy-to-use
web-based interface, users on your network can access these files in a snap.
To learn about the Web User Interface, go to
Chapter 4: Using the Thecus IP Storage > Web Administration Interface
FTP Server
With the built-in FTP Server, friends, clients, and customers can upload and
download files to your Thecus IP storage over the Internet with their favorite FTP
programs. You can create user accounts so that only authorized users have access.
To set up the FTP Server, refer to
Chapter 4: Network Service> FTP .
iTunes Server
With the built-in iTunes server capability, the Thecus IP storage enables digital
music to be shared and played anywhere on the network!
To set up the iTunes Server, refer to
Chapter 4: Application Server>iTunes Configuration.
Printer Server
With the Thecus IP storage’s Printer Server, you can easily share an IPP printer with
other PCs connected to your network.
To set up the Printer Server, refer to
Chapter 4: External Devices Server>Printer Information.
Multiple RAID

8
Thecus IP storage supports multiple RAID volumes on one system. So, you can
create RAID 0 for your non-critical data, and create RAID 1,5,6,50 or 60 (depend
on model) for mission-critical data. Create the RAID levels depending on your
needs.
To configure RAID modes on the Thecus IP storage, refer to
Chapter 4: Storage Management >RAID Information.
iSCSI Capability
Thecus IP storage is not only a file server, but it also supports iSCSI initiators. Your
server can access Thecus IP storage as a direct-attached-storage over the LAN or
Internet. There is no easier way to expand the capacity of your current application
servers. All the storage needs can be centrally managed and deployed. This brings
ultimate flexibility to users.
To set up an iSCSI volume, refer to
Chapter 4: Storage Management > iSCSI
Superior Power Management
Thecus IP storage supports schedule power on/off. With this feature, administrator
can set at what time to turn on or off the system. This feature is a big plus for
people who want to conserve energy. Wake-On-LAN enables administrator to
remotely turn on the system without even leaving their own seat.
To schedule system on and off, refer to
Chapter 4: System Management> Scheduled Power On/Off

9
Package Contents
N2800
The Thecus IP storage should contain the following common items:
System Unit x1
QIG (Quick Installation Guide) x1
CD-Title (Acronis backup CD & Universal CD & TwonkyMedia CD)
Ethernet Cable x1
Accessory bag x1
Warranty Card x1
Power adapter x1
N4800 Series
The Thecus IP storage should contain the following common items:
System Unit x1
QIG (Quick Installation Guide) x1
CD-Title (Acronis backup CD & Universal CD & TwonkyMedia CD)
Ethernet Cable x1
Accessory bag x1
HDD Compatibility list Card x1
Multiple Languages Warranty Card x1
Power cord x1
Please check to see if your package is complete. If you find that some items are
missing, contact your dealer.

10
Front Panel
N2800:
The Thecus N2800’s front panel has the device’s controls, indicators, and hard disk
trays:
Front Panel
Item
Description
1. Power Button
Powers the N2800 on/off.
2. USB Port
USB 3.0 port for compatible USB devices, such as digital cameras,
USB disks, and USB printers.
3. USB Copy
Button
Copies USB storage contents to N2800.
4. Card reader
Supports SD/SDHC/MMC cards via USB interface.
5. HDD1 led
Blinking white: HDD activity
6. HDD2 led
Blinking white: HDD activity
7. WAN led
Solid white: WAN Cable link
Blinking white: Network activity
8. LAN led
Solid white: LAN Cable link
Blinking : Network activity
9. USB Copy led
Blinking white: USB copy activity
10. Card reader
led
Blinking white: Card reader copy activity

11
N4800 Series:
The Thecus N4800 Series front panel has the device’s controls, indicators, and hard
disk trays:
Front Panel
Item
Description
1.Power Button
Power on/off N4800 Series
2.OLED
Displays current system status and messages
OLED screen saver will be enabled after screen is left idle for more
than 3 mins
OLED screen will be diabled after it is left idle for more than 6 mins
OLED
3.HDD 1 LED
Yellow: HDD activity
Red: HDD failure
4.HDD 2 LED
Yellow: HDD activity
Red: HDD failure
5.HDD 3 LED
Yellow: HDD activity
Red: HDD failure
6.HDD 4 LED
Yellow: HDD activity
Red: HDD failure
7.WAN/LAN1
LED
Blinking green: network activity
8.LAN2 LED
Blinking green: network activity
9.USB Copy
●Blue: USB Copy activity
●Red: USB Copy failure
10.HDD Tray
Four HDD trays support 4x 3.5" or 4 x 2.5”HDDs
11. USB Port
USB 3.0 port for compatible USB devices, such as USB disks.

12
Rear Panel
N2800:
The N2800 rear panel features ports and connectors.
Back Panel
Item
Description
1. eSATA Port
eSATA port for high-speed external storage expansion.
2. USB Port
USB 2.0 port for compatible USB devices, such as digital
cameras, USB disks, and USB printers.
3. WAN/LAN1
Port
WAN/LAN1 port for connecting to an Ethernet network through a
switch or a router.
4. LAN2 Port
LAN2 port for connecting to a local Ethernet network through a
switch or a router.
5. System Fan
System fan that exhausts heat from the unit.
6. Power
Connector
Connect the included power cords to this connector.
7. HDMI
For Video/Audio out
8. VGA
For Video out

13
N4800 Series:
The N4800 Series rear panel features ports and connectors.
Back Panel
Item
Description
1. Power
Connector
For connect the power adaptor
2. WAN/LAN1
Port
WAN/LAN1 port for connecting to an Ethernet network through a
switch or router
3. LAN2 Port
LAN2 port for connecting to an Ethernet network through a switch
or router
4. USB Ports
USB 2.0 ports for storage expansion
5. eSATA Ports
eSATA port for high-speed storage expansion
6. LINE Out
For Audio out
7. VGA
For Video out
8. HDMI
For Video/Audio out

14
Chapter 2: Hardware Installation
Overview
Your Thecus IP storage is designed for easy installation. To help you get started,
the following chapter will help you quickly get your Thecus IP storage up and
running. Please read it carefully to prevent damaging your unit during installation.
Before You Begin
Before you begin, be sure to take the following precautions:
1. Read and understand the Safety Warnings outlined in the beginning of the
manual.
2. If possible, wear an anti-static wrist strap during installation to prevent
static discharge from damaging the sensitive electronic components on the
Thecus IP storage.
3. Be careful not to use magnetized screwdrivers around the Thecus IP
storage’s electronic components.
Cable Connections
To connect the Thecus IP storage product to your network, follow the steps below:
1. Connect an Ethernet cable from your network to the WAN/LAN1 port on the
back panel of the Thecus IP storage.
▲N2800 WAN/LAN1 port
▲
2. Connect the provided power cord into the universal power socket on the
back panel. Plug the other end of the cord into a surge protector socket.
▲
▲

15
3. Press the power button on the Front Panel to boot up the Thecus IP storage.
▲
▲

16
Chapter 3: First Time Setup
Overview
Once the hardware is installed, physically connected to your network, and powered
on, you can configure the Thecus IP storage so that it is accessible to your network
users. There are two ways to set up your Thecus IP storage: using the Thecus
Setup Wizard or the LCD display. Follow the steps below for initial software
setup.
Thecus Setup Wizard
The handy Thecus Setup Wizard makes configuring Thecus IP storage a snap. To
configure the Thecus IP storage using the Setup Wizard, perform the following
steps:
1. Insert the installation CD into your CD-ROM drive (the host PC must be
connected to the network).
2. The Setup Wizard should launch automatically. If not, please browse your
CD-ROM drive and double click on Setup.exe.
3. The Setup Wizard will start and automatically detect all Thecus storage
devices on your network. If none are found, please check your connection
and refer to Chapter 7: Troubleshooting for assistance.
4. Select the Thecus IP storage that you like to configure.
5. Login with the administrator account and password. The default account
and password are both “admin”.
NOTE
For MAC OS X users, double click on Thecus Setup Wizard .dmg file.

17
6. Name your Thecus IP storage and configure the network IP address. If your
switch or router is configured as a DHCP Server, configuring the Thecus IP
storage to automatically obtain an IP address is recommended. You may
also use a static IP address and enter the DNS Server address manually.
7. Change the default administrator password.

18
8. Finished! Access the Thecus IP storage Web Administrator Interface by
pressing the Start Browser button. You can also configure another Thecus
IP storage at this point by clicking the Setup Other Device button. Press
Exit to exit the wizard.
OLED Operation
OLED Operation
The N4800 Series is equipped with an OLED on the front for easy status display and
setup. There are four buttons on the front panel to control the OLED functions.
OLED Controls
Use the Up (▲), Down (▼), Enter () and Escape (ESC) keys to select various
configuration settings and menu options for N4800 Series configuration.
The following table illustrates the keys on the front control panel:
OLED Controls
Icon
Function
Description
▲
Up Button
Select the previous configuration settings option.
▼
Down Button
USB copy confirmation display.

Enter
Enter the selected menu option, sub-menu, or parameter setting.
ESC
Escape
Escape and return to the previous menu.
There are two modes of operation for the OLED: Display Mode and Management
Mode.
Display Mode
During normal operation, the OLED will be in Display Mode.
Display Mode
Item
Description
Host Name
Current host name of the system.
WAN/LAN1
Current WAN/LAN1 IP setting.
LAN2
Current LAN2 IP setting.
NOTE
The Thecus Setup Wizard is designed for installation on systems running Windows
XP/2000/vista/7 or Mac OSX or later. Users with other operating systems will
need to install the Thecus Setup Wizard on a host machine with one of these
operating systems before using the unit.

19
Link Aggregation
Current Link Aggregation status
System Fan
Current system fan status.
CPU Fan
Current CPU fan status
2009/05/22 12:00
Current system time.
RAID
Current RAID status.
The Thecus IP storage will rotate these messages every one-two seconds on the
OLED display.
USB Copy
The USB Copy function enables you to copy files stored on USB devices such as USB
disks and digital cameras to the Thecus IP storage by press USB copy button. To
use USB copy, follow the steps below:
N2800:
1. Plug your USB device into an available USB port on the Rear Panel.
2. Press the “USB Copy Button”.
3. The N2800 will start copying USB disks connected to the rear USB port. The
LCD will display the USB copy progress and result.
N4800 Series:
1. Plug your USB device into an available USB port on the Front end.
2. In Display Mode, press the Down Button (▼).
3. The OLED will display “USB Copy?”
4. Press Enter () and the N4800 Series will start copying USB disks
connected to the front USB port.
5. All of data will be copied into system folder named “USB copy”.
Typical Setup Procedure
From the Web Administration Interface, you can begin to setup your Thecus IP
storage for use on your network. Setting up the Thecus IP storage typically follows
the five steps outlined below.
For more on how to use the Web Administration Interface, see
Chapter 4: Web Administration Interface.
Step 1: Network Setup
From the Web Administration Interface, you can configure the network settings of
the Thecus IP storage for your network. You can access the Network menu from
the menu bar.
For details on how to configure your network settings, refer to
Chapter 4: System Network .
Step 2: RAID Creation

20
Next, administrators can configure their preferred RAID setting and build their
RAID volume. You can access RAID settings from the menu bar of the Web
Administration Interface by navigating to Storage Management > RAID
Management.
For more information on configuring RAID, see
Chapter 4: Storage > RAID Management.
Don’t know which RAID level to use? Find out more about the different RAID levels
from Appendix B: RAID Basics.
Step 3: Create Local Users or Setup Authentication
Once the RAID is ready, you can begin to create local users for Thecus IP storage,
or choose to setup authentication protocols such as Active Directory (AD).
For more on managing users, go to Chapter 4: User and Group Authentication.
For more information on configuring Active Directory, see
Chapter 4: User and Group Authentication > ADS Support.
For information about the benefits of Active Directory, see Appendix D: Active
Directory Basics.
Step 4: Create Folders and Set Up ACLs
Once users are introduced into your network, you can begin to create various
folders on the Thecus IP storage and control user access to each using Folder
Access Control Lists.
More information on managing folders, see
Chapter 4: Storage Management > Share Folder .
To find out about configuring Folder Access Control Lists, see Chapter 4: Storage
Management > Share Folder> Folder Access Control List (ACL).
Step 5: Start Services
Finally, you can start to setup the different services of Thecus IP storage for the
users on your network. You can find out more about each of these services by
clicking below:
SMB/CIFS
Apple File Protocol (AFP)
Network File System (NFS)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
iTunes Server
Printer Server