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Anyone Here Using a Drobo?

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J-Mac:
I know there were a few threads in the past about the Drobo - an NAS-like device that allows quick and supposedly painless HD swapping along with continual backup of all the HD's data.  Kind of like a non-tech RAID setup but actually a bit more than that.

I started looking harder at the Drobo a few weeks ago at Amazon.com where it was priced at $474 at the time.  Then it dropped to $458 within a day, which kept me looking a little longer than I otherwise would, as the price is the main obstacle for me.

Then today I noticed that the price at Amazon was lowered yet again:  To $349!!  Now that is well over $100 less than the price just a few weeks ago, and it is now screaming at me, luring and enticing me every time I pass within a few meters/yards of my computer!!

I have read all the reviews and articles I could find about it and I am still wanting one for my setup.  I know it has some drawbacks - r/w speed primary among them, as it uses only USB 2.0 - but I am willing to tolerate all that I have read about.  However I have not spoken to nor corresponded with anyone that I know, either personally or via a forum like DC, who is actually using a Drobo.  I really like to hear from someone other than the online magazines and blogs before I commit to an expense like this.

Sooo....    Anyone here actually using a Drobo at home or work?

Thanks!

Jim

40hz:
Not exactly a response to your question, but if you have an old PC lying around you might want to take a look at a very nice storage server over at www.freenas.org prior to dropping $400.

From the website:
FreeNAS is a free NAS (Network-Attached Storage) server, supporting: CIFS (samba), FTP, NFS, AFP, RSYNC, iSCSI protocols, S.M.A.R.T., local user authentication, Software RAID (0,1,5) with a Full WEB configuration interface. FreeNAS takes less than 32MB once installed on Compact Flash, hard drive or USB key.
The minimal FreeBSD distribution, Web interface, PHP scripts and documentation are based on M0n0wall.
--- End quote ---

You can check out the interface screenshots at:

http://www.freenas.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=28

It's free for the download and comes with no use/user restrictions. I put together one of these as a temporary fix for a nonprofit client who was waiting for a backordered SnapServer. They wound up keeping it and canceled their order for the Snap. Sweet! :Thmbsup:

J-Mac:
Thanks for the tip.

I do have a couple sitting around doing nothing, but both are about 8 yrs old - one maybe a little older.  Both ran Windows 98SE and I don't believe the hardware - at least what is left that might be working - will support anything newer, unfortunately.  Believe it or not, I already started a small project with the older of the two - turning it into a "hidden" safe!  (Pretty cool - I'll post more when it's complete, but basically I gutted all but a small power supply and a few lights so that it will look as if it'sconnected to my network and running as a server.   ;) 8)  )

But if anyone is using the Drobo and gives it good references, I'd like to get one running.

Thanks!

Jim

40hz:

Believe it or not, I already started a small project with the older of the two - turning it into a "hidden" safe!  (Pretty cool - I'll post more when it's complete, but basically I gutted all but a small power supply and a few lights so that it will look as if it'sconnected to my network and running as a server.   ;) 8)  )

-J-Mac (July 16, 2008, 12:08 PM)
--- End quote ---

Hide in plain sight? A man after my own heart. That is very cool.  8)

We once hid a server room.

Instead of all those AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY and keypad deals, we suggested our client put in a standard bolt lock, paint the door a dull gray, stencil the word JANITOR on it, and add a few scuff marks. They did. Nobody ever gave it a second glance after that.

 8)

Carol Haynes:
FreeNAS looks worth watching but given that they describe is as Alpha/Beta software would you really want to commit your data to it.

Also it uses its own filing system so you have to have FreeNAS running to be able to get to the data - realistically what are the chances of troubleshooting problems if anything goes wrong?

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