G'day MTAU.

I know there are similar threads online here so I won't waste time and I'll try to get right to the point. I deal with a lot of video media (DV/HDV, Digibeta, REDCODE etc) and as of late I'm noticing that keeping all that data managed over multiple hard drives is not only difficult, but scary... knowing if one of the hard drive fails I'm really in trouble!

I've heard both good and bad things about Drobo (gen 2) and I'm at a loss as to if I should consider using it as a secondary source of storing data or to look elsewhere. I'm really looking for a solution thats really a seamless path for upgrading as well as safe redundant storage. I know speeds aren't groundbreaking so I'd plan only to keep older files/backups on the Drobo whilst keeping my Icecube Gen 2 caddie in use for editing and compositing.

Would people suggest using the Drobo in the scenario suggested above? Also, does anyone know if it's possible to setup a secondary petition on the Drobo for Time Machine use (as to limit it to a particular size and not use up all the HDD space...) or should I keep Time Machine separate as is now?

Any feedback or recommendations for other units would be greatly appreciated! Many thanks in advance

You're not planning to use Drobo to Time Machine Backup the data that's already on the Drobo are you? That seems a little, er, pointless.

Well, potentially, and it isn't exactly pointless... it's just if I can replace my multiple externals (Storage, Storage, Time Machine etc) into the one unit thats also a redundant storage system, it'd be far more convenient...

More or less, I'm just wondering what alternatives there are out there to the Drobo and how they compare.

Has anyone had experience with the Drobo apps at all?

There is a Drobo app that lets you set the size of a TIme Machine drive so it doesn't use up the entire Drobo. I have one of these drives and I love it. I only use it as a backup solution so the USB only tides me quite well.
I have never seen a FW800 version in action, so I can't comment on its speed.

The only negative is that if the Drobo case goes south, you need to put the HDDs into another one to get access to your stuff. I don't really see this as a problem though.

I say grab one and try it out.

the idea of storing data on the same physical device you backup on is crazy. no ifs. no buts.

as for drobo itself. i'll pass. I have a Biggest Quadra from LaCie, which has been basically replaced by the 4big Quadra.
the idea of using different sized disks is good i guess, but personally i'd rather just buy it and know it works, rather than using shit thats lying around and waiting for the day it fails.

I have a FW800 Drobo, performance is good; but it's bottlenecked by the older machine I use for a server.

The way I've got it setup is to present 2x 2TB virtual storage volumes as required; so with the drives i have now i have 4TB of addressable storage on top of about 3.6TB of real (protected) storage. One volume is for my file share and the other is for space limited time machine backups for all my network computers / server volume.

Works great for that. however as leon suggests; if the controller goes titsup you'd need a new Drobo, so really you'd want to be using soemthing physically seperate to keep your data backed up if your promary data is being kept on one of the drobo volumes.

So buy new drives and install them, it's what I did.

just some quick maths using prices from streetwise:

Drobo: $999 + $339*4 = $2355

LaCie 4Big Quadra 4TB : $2099

LaCie Biggest Quadra 4TB: $2275

both the LaCie units offer full FW400/FW800/USB2/eSATA, and they just work out of the box, no stuffing around because the unit "lies" to your OS.

Most people in the know don't pay that much for a Drobo.
My Drobo cost $640 from my local reseller.
Seagate 1TB drives cost $135 from MSY. When I built mine (was at least 5-6 months ago) I put 500GB Western Digital drives in which were $99 each.

So you could build a 4TB Drobo for $1180
$640 (Drobo)
$135 x 4 = 540

My understand of the Lacie products is that even though they are 4TB, if you want protection, they drop down to 2TB. With the Drobo, if I have 4TB of drives in there, I get 2.7TB of usable space.

The whole robo is shit" debate will always rage on, much like Mac (Drobo) vs. PC (other drive products).

Most people in the know don't pay that much for a Drobo.
My Drobo cost $640 from my local reseller.

Can I ask which reseller please.

I'm glad i got my drobo when i did, the price from the disty has gone up a heap recently. I've used a bunch of RAID / NAS devices and really love the elegance of the Drobo.

What makes you think LaCie products drop to 2TB when protected?

My 4TB lacie shows up as the same 2.7TB as your drobo.

Actualy my Drobo shows up as 2x 2TB Volumes, and when i need more "physical" storage i'll throw in 1.5TB mechs....

i think you mean "actual" not "physical".