![]() To make file transfers even faster, the Drobo Elite comes with two Ethernet ports, allowing you to use Jumbo Frames on your Ethernet network. It acts like direct-attached storage, without actually having the unit attached to your computer.Įven better, using Drobo Dashboard, you can unmount a volume on the Elite from one computer, and quickly mount it to a computer in the next room, allowing you to quickly migrate projects from one computer to the other, without changing any connections to the drive, or moving the drive itself. You can create three partitions (Smart Volumes) on the Elite, and assign a partition to each server. However, let’s say you have three servers. Cool.Īnd, since the Drobo allows you to insert up to eight hard disks, this provides up to 16 TB of storage in one unit, depending upon the size of the hard disks you use.įor traditional file sharing, you still need to attach the Elite to a standard file server (unlike the new Drobo FS, which directly attaches to the network and acts as it’s own server). As one fills up, you can replace it with a larger one. The hard disks don’t have to match in size, speed, or manufacturer. ![]() Part of the expandability the Drobo Elite provides is the ability to mix-and-match hard disks. This allows you to share a single storage unit between multiple devices. These scalable volumes allow different computers or servers to attach to different volumes on the same unit. Where the Drobo Elite excels is the ability to create multiple “Smart Volumes” in one RAID. As Apple continues removing ports, the ability to be sure that you can access your data via the one port they WON’T remove – the Ethernet port – provides great peace of mind.Īll Drobo’s are known for their expandability and the ability to protect your data if one hard drive dies (Drobo calls this “Beyond-RAID,” because traditional RAIDS do not allow you to swap out a smaller hard drive for a larger one without first having to remove all your data to separate storage, then reformat the RAID and replace your data when the swap is complete.) This means that I no longer have to worry about what ports are on my laptop or getting an interface card for a G-5 or MacPro. The even bigger benefit to iSCSI is that your data comes in via your Ethernet port – along with Internet connectivity – they easily share the same wire. (In an ideal environment, the maximum data rate is 128 MB/second, but latency in the switch and contention across the network prevents speeds in excess of 100 MB/second.) ![]() While the speed is limited to the speed of your network, if you are running your data through a 1 gigabit switch, you should expect data rates greater than 80 MB/second. This protocol allows you to connect the Elite to a network switch, which allows the device to be accessed over the network, rather than connect directly to a computer. Designed for small to medium businesses that need flexible, RAID-protected storage across multiple servers or computers.įollowing the lead of the Drobo Pro, the Drobo Elite attaches to your network via iSCSI. The Drobo Elite is the high-end of the Drobo product line. * Click here for my review of the Drobo Pro * Click here for my review of the Drobo S This is the fourth of their products I’ve reviewed. The short answer is that the unit performed flawlessly, but getting it setup was not as easy as I expected.ĭata Robotics makes a family of products under the brand name of Drobo. So, I asked Data Robotics to loan us a unit to review and use during the NAB Show. I’ve been a fan of their products for a while, and decided that the show this year gave us a great opportunity to put one of their latest products to the test – the Drobo Elite. Note: For my policy on reviews and disclosure, please read this article.Īs you read earlier in this issue, Data Robotics was one of our sponsors for our NAB Show coverage this year. [ This article was first published in the April, 2010, issue of
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