Drobo Update?

I have heard rumors of a 6 bay Drobo, and firewire support, but only that. Just rumors. I'd like to see a transfer speed increase myself, though I doubt that would be enough for me to upgrade units.

There used to be a forum, at Data Robotics' web site, but it has since gone down. That's where these rumors would spread. Kind of like here.

 

A couple of things:

I don't know if you plan to shift video projects via wifi or not. From experience, shifting very large files over wifi is a painful experience.

Most network attached storage is very slow, until you start spending good money. It's ok for small files, but when you get to shifting a 10GB file (which is a small video project) then you start getting very long transfer times and mysterious failures.

Also Time Machine on a Drobo over an AEBS is an unsupported solution. Yes, it might *seem* to work with a hack, but no way, no way would I ever trust my backups to an unsupported hack. False security is worse than no security.

I'd get either

- a Time Capsule (how much is a proper working, supported Time Machine worth to you?)

- or find an old Mac mini or mac laptop or something else with gigabit ethernet, and connect the Drobo to that, or connect several large drives mirrored (e.g 2x1tb separate externals - faster and cheaper than a drobo) and use that as a networked Time Machine repository plus network storage.

 

You've got the right idea about file transfers.

About Time Machine on a disk attached to an AEBS, a lot of people do that, and it *seems* to work. However, it's still officially unsupported. Which is maybe fine for some people and some home use.

It isn't for me. I don't want to risk TM failing 6 months down the line or when my system disk dies and I need to do a complete reinstall from the TM backup.

It stores millions of files in a complex nest of files and folders and links, and I'm not sure how bulletproof it is when dealing with large transfers over a flaky wifi connection.

That might be why Apple recommend running network TM off a host OSX machine - there's more software and processor power in there to deal with issues that might crop up.

 

The forums are still there: http://www.drobospace.com/

You just have to be a registered member and have a Drobo serial number.

I personally do not use time machine. I have a Powermac G4 running as a server, it has 5 drives in a RAID 5. Those are mirrored to the Drobo for redundancy. That way, my files are being pulled from a fast RAID over gigabit, while the Drobo does its thing in the background.

 

Its not the "hack", you imply it to be. Its far more legit...........

http://www.drobo.com/pdf/time_machine_app_note.pdf

 

That info you linked to has nothing about running TM on a Drobo (or other disk) linked to an AEBS.

It only shows TM running on a Drobo linked to a Mac computer. That's fully supported by Apple, and will hold the TM store for any other Macs on the same local network.

My concern is about running TM on a Drobo (or any disk) directly plugged into an AEBS or any other network disk interface. That's unsupported. It can be made to 'work' via the hack, but I wouldn't trust it.

 

Can any drobo users comment on the noise level?

 

drobo update

FWIW, I talked to a Drobo rep at MacExpo last Jan and he indicated (with a nod) that the firewire version was in the works. They can't talk about it. But I have no other confirmation of this. I have friends who like the Drobo USB version, but I wouldn't ever rely on USB for large data transfers. It's too painfully slow.

I hope Drobo announces their plans soon, because I can't wait much longer without some indication.

 

Obviously the rumors were true - firewire 800 is released.

I ordered one and was told at least 2 weeks till it ships (? vaporware)

Can anyone comment on NOISE levels?

 

It does make noise. When its moving data, or booting up, there's a humming sound. And when it gets warm you hear the fan running.
But I wouldn't call it loud...........

 

Could you compare it with, say, the noise on the Mac Pro.

My mac pro I can barely hear under my desk. The RAID5 box I just sent back was WAY louder, when I shut it off it was a dramatic drop in room noise, and it was touted as "quiet" in reviews I read.

And are you talking about the new one (supposedly quieter) or the original drobo?

Thanks so much for the feedback

 

Everything I've read about connecting a Drobo (or any other external for that matter) to an AEBS makes the process out to be simple. Anything plugged into the AEBS, shows up on the mac as any other connected drive. There is no 'hack' involved, or even any additional software. If you can connect a regular external to the AEBS, you can connect the Drobo to it. It appears just as a normal (2GB) drive. It's that simple.

If I am wrong, please correct me, but this is what I've gathered from researching a lot about it and getting feedback from others with this setup.

 

I think the issue is that apple does not support time machine backups to ANY drive hooked to an AEBS via USB without the hack. I may be wrong on that, as I don't use that setup, but I think time capsule is the only way to get support that way.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

Oh - and any more comments on Drobo noise!!??

 

Oh, yes, that was fixed with one of the recent updates. AEBS now works perfectly as a network gateway between computers and external drives. No hack required.

Hooking a Drobo up to a wireless network through AEBS should work perfectly now.

P.S. All I know about noise levels is that the first drobo is "kind of" noisy, and the new one is supposed to be significantly more quiet.

 

As far as I know, no.

From Apple:

Nothing about disks connected through AEBS there. (and funnily enough, nothing about TC either)

I'm one of the people who got burnt, buying a buffalo linkstation with the intention of using it as a TM drive, so I'm bitter about that.

 

I did a little research and found the sources I was talking about. USB drives off of AEBS ARE working now. A Drobo connected to an AEBS for use with Time Machine should be a great solution!

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=457214&highlight=aebs+time+machine+update

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/03/19/apple-updates-time-machine-and-airport/

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/03/19/time-machine-now-works-with-airport-extreme-usb-drives/


If I remember right... they made these firmware updates about 1-3 months after Time Capsule's launch.

 

I have an origional Drobo. Does anybody have the new one yet?

The noise is different then my Mac Pro. I think the Mac Pro fans are louder, being that the Drobo only has one. But the Drobo is up on my filing cabinet, and I definately hear the humming sound from time to time, whereas I don't hear my Mac Pro on my carpeted floor.