For those who don't know what this is, here is an over enthusiastic Cali Lewis telling you all about it
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05yqvb5n36M[/youtube]

So anyhow, do you use it and how? 

I have been thinking seriously lately about getting one and think it could be a good back up solution in addition to an off site backup.  If you have one, do you use it for every day files and have it like an extra drive, or is it just for archive stuff that you don't use very often.  Do you put just extra back up files on there, or the files you are currently working on?

If I got one i think I would put back up files of my images on there, and perhaps some music and video that is taking up room elsewhere.  I currently keep all the images I am working on in a 'my documents' drive in my computer, then transfer files I am done with onto a backup drive in my computer.  It would be nice, perhaps to have that backup drive as the drobo since it is a RAID system. 

Another question for those who use it.  If I want to put it on my home network and plug it into the router, do I really need the DroboShare unit?  Or is that just if i want to share it over the internet?


BHphoto Link

Great thread.  I just bought one.  It arrived late yesterday and is awaiting my husband to set it up (hey, I never claimed to be a techy ). 

I'll be happy to report my impressions once it is up and running.  On paper anyway it seems like the ideal storage solution.

However being paranoid I will still have my stock port backed up on a separate 1TB drive...

While many people like RAID, it has its problems as well (and in my opinion is much over-rated for home usage).  For example, if your RAID controller goes bad and you can't find a replacement then you have probably just lost all of your data.  You would be surprised how often this happens.  Trying to find a replacement RAID controller for hardware that is only a few years old can be very difficult.

So, in 5 years, when your Drobo unit dies, you might just lose all of your data.

So, in 5 years, when your Drobo unit dies, you might just lose all of your data.

Exactly why I am backing up all data to additional storage

yeah, i upload to a remote server too.  I use Mozy but that jungledisk looks quite nice too.  I pay $5.00/month for unlimited space.  It isn't viable to start uploading a terabyte of data.. but files that are constantly changing it is a good way to keep things backed up, as it is only 1or2 GB

And did you hear about that new nano-tech material they developed, where on the size of a dollar bill and about as thick, you could store someting like the equivalent of 1000 dvds... years yet from production but they were able to store data in the lab

Quote from: Vonkara on February 24, 2009, 13:25

I have a 500GB Lacie hard drive but things are changing. Hard drive could be an old story in a couple of years, replaced by Flash memory. The flash memory is thinner and you can drop your flash drive on the ground without loosing your data. Exactly like our memory cards, there's no mechanical parts.

No but I can't wait LOL. I feel everyday like I live in the past each time I hear about a new tech. Not all seem to be good ideas. But we see every years that they can put more memory in the same memory cards. 3 years ago a 4gb CF card was the top, now we are at 16gb I think, maybe more.

32gb actually

Wow LOL... I just brought a 4gb extreme IV for the price my 1gb III cost me 3 years ago. Now I know why

Just think about this. A RAID is overkill for home use. It covers against online failures if you have to have a lot of data at your fingertips. Not really suited for nearline backup.

The price is a normal disk x 4.
It's still the same enclosure on one place.
Fire, dropping it, voltage disasters, flooding, will all destroy it.

For half the price you can buy 2 normal USB external disks and store one at a different location, offline, unpowered, high and dry.

There is a 1TB disk for 109 euro from Iomega... buy 2.

where do you get the x4 figure from?  RAID does't have to be any more expensive than the single drives, and at most 2x more expensive, depending on which type of RAID system.  I agree it shouldn't be your only option but the fact is, that hard drives fail, all by themselves, without a natural disaster - this is the ONLY thing that RAID is trying to protect and it does it well.

Off site backups are good too and very necessary but I only get around to those once a month a most.  If that was all I had, when my drive failed (and it will) I would loose a month's worth of work.  RAID is good because it is automatic.

Maybe I am missing something, but from what I read before purchasing, the Drobo is not technically a RAID system.  Supposedly it functions similarly but does not use a RAID configuration or controller. 

Not saying it is any more reliable than RAID, just not the same thing. 

When your data is important it is crazy to have it all on any one drive or even system.  Backup is essential no matter what system you go with. 

Maybe I am missing something, but from what I read before purchasing, the Drobo is not technically a RAID system.  Supposedly it functions similarly but does not use a RAID configuration or controller. 

Not saying it is any more reliable than RAID, just not the same thing. 

Lisa:

Whether Drobo is technically "RAID" or not isn't important.  The fact is that if the Drobo device died, you could not read the data off of the drives that were in the Drobo without purchasing another Drobo unit.  The Drobo unit IS the "controller".  This is essentially the same problem with a RAID system.

Drobo is proprietary (as are most other RAID systems).  As such, you need their proprietary technology to read the data off of your drives.  That is why I recommend going with a non-proprietary system (such as another hard disk with software that can copy/synchronize/backup your data to the second drive).  In a non-proprietary system, if a hard drive fails, then you just get another one and restore.  In a proprietary system, you are stuck with trying to find a specific piece of equipment that might no longer be available.

Looks like Geopappas was right.  Not worth risking your data on.  I am glad this happened right out of the box instead of waiting a week or two until I had transferred a lot of data to it and then dying.  I definitely won't be getting another one!

Lisa:

I am very sorry to hear of your problem and frustration.

In my previous posts, I wasn't trying to put down the Drobo specifically, but the pitfalls of RAID generically.  I am sure that Drobos work fine (for the most part).  I was just trying to warn about the potential issues that might arise down the road from using RAID.  You should feel blessed that this didn't happen down the road once you had loaded it with all of your data.  The worst thing is to feel as if you are completely protecting yourself, but in reality you are leaving yourself open to failure.  It is sort of like replacing your front door with a top of the line model, but leaving the back door wide open.

Most people are trying to protect against a single point of failure (their hard drive), but then their "solution" is to purchase another single point (a RAID controller)!  That doesn't make much sense to me.

As I stated before, I would recommend staying away from proprietary technologies (RAID controllers, Drobo, etc).  Once you add a proprietary technology to the mix, you are stuck with it (at least for a while) and you endanger yourself to the possibility that it isn't available when you need it the most.

I myself have two (2) 1 TB drives that are synchronized (via SyncBack SE) on a schedule.  One drive is my data drive and the other is the backup drive.  If one drive fails, I just purchase another and synchronize the new drive from the old one.  If SyncBack goes out of business, then I can purchase one of the other software products that does the same thing (e.g., Acronis True Image).  Pretty simple.

(FYI: I also have a third drive that runs the O/S and all of my applications.  I don't backup my O/S or apps (it's not worth the time and effort to me)).

If you are determined to use RAID, then I would suggest trying mirroring alone (RAID level 1).  I believe that if a RAID controller fails with RAID level 1, then you should still be able to retrieve your data (without the controller) by attaching the drives directly to the computer, but I would still suggest due diligence.

Good luck.

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Edit:

If you (or anyone else) is looking for a good hard drive, then I would recommend checking out the Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB drive (WD1001FALS).  The Caviar Black series is Western Digital's high-end series (aka business class).  They have a 5 year warranty and you can get one for about $120.