External Enclosure for multiple drives

would the DROBO work?

Sounds like the DROBO drive enclosure would suite your needs. It provides 4 disk slots and USB 2.0 interface. You can hot swap any size SATA disks you have around, and it will create a redundant data store (not really RAID) to protect your data from the failure of a single drive. The disks do not have to be the same size, but it helps. Somewhat expensive at $500, but pretty nice.

-howard

andcraig said:

Does anyone know of any external drive enclosures to fit 2+ SATA drives?

I don't want one that only does RAID, all of my disks are different sizes.

USB or firewire, preferably with a fan.

any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Here are some ideas...some are kinda pricey...

Here's a cnet review of a drobo that hfg mentioned above...
http://reviews.cnet.com/hard-drives/drobo/4505-3186_7-32470303.html

http://cooldrives.stores.yahoo.net/sataenclosures.html

http://www.wiebetech.com//home2.php


if you have the ability to use esata controller cards these are good options...will give you faster speeds than firewire and usb as well...

http://www.macgurus.com/productpages/sata/BurlyPortMultiEncl.php

http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Norco Technologies/DS500N/

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Stardom/ST66005SS2/

http://www.wiebetech.com/products/silversata.php

http://www.macgurus.com/productpages/sata/CalDigit_S2VR.php

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fusion.html

How about

OWC Mercury Elite
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MEFW924AL2K/

This one has FW 800, 400, and USB 2.0, you can install 2 HDD and use them as two separate drives by changing the jumper in the enclosure, you can also span or have them in raid 0 if you decide later on, it also has a small fan in the back. If you have a macbook pro or mac pro, it'll match perfectly, although if I were to get one, I would airbrush OWC Mercury Elite Pro off and replace it with an logo.

I was also looking at the ministack v3 and guardian maximus as well, I'll decide soon enough, good luck with your decision.