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drobo posts

Drobo 4-bay storage robot now $100 less for dad, mankind

by Thomas Ricker posted Jun 9th 2009 at 5:58AM

It's no secret that we're smitten with Drobo's storage "robots." But they're expensive, especially compared to direct-attached or NAS storage devices built on a traditional RAID architecture. But if price is holding you back then you'll be happy to hear that for a limited time, you can take 20% off the list price of the 4-bay array. If you're lucky, you already have a handful of loose drives to plug-in else why not stuff it to capacity for 8TB of disk this Father's Day? Granted, still no built-in Ethernet without the optional DroboShare, but at least you've got an extra paper hundie to dry your tears.

Data Robotics goes large with 8-bay DroboPro

by Darren Murph posted Apr 7th 2009 at 8:30AM

Not sure if you've been keeping tabs, but it's been just shy of a full year since we've seen a new piece of hardware from the labs of Data Robotics. 60,000 Drobos later, we're being formally introduced to the bigger, stronger and more capacious DroboPro. As the name implies, this 8-bay beast is truly aimed at small businesses and creative professionals, but there's nothing here that the average consumer can't fall in love with. Generally speaking, everything here has remained the same as the second-gen Drobo: it looks similar, it uses the same genius BeyondRAID intelligent data storage technology and it's not really meant to be used on networks. Interested to hear more? Hop on past the break for all the dirt.

Gallery: Data Robotics goes large with 8-bay DroboPro

Continue reading Data Robotics goes large with 8-bay DroboPro

Engadget's recession antidote: win a 1.5TB Drobo!

by Darren Murph posted Mar 24th 2009 at 12:00PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we're serving up one of the hottest giveaways yet: a second-generation Drobo (with FireWire 800), complete with twin 750GB Western Digital hard drives. You read right -- a 1.5TB intelligent storage solution to get your life completely back in order. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting!

Huge thanks to Data Robotics for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) second-gen Drobo and two (2) 750GB Western Digital hard drives. Approximate value is $675.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, March 24th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

DroboApps go live, they grow up so fast

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 21st 2008 at 2:48PM

Data Robotics launched the Drobo dev program in beta back in July, and it looks like things have worked out swimmingly -- the company just officially launched the first set of DroboApps, including an iTunes server, DLNA server, BitTorrent client, and FTP server. Over 100 developers have joined the Drobo Developer Connection, and there are more than 20 apps available now -- a number Data Robotics expects to grow quickly. You'll need a DroboShare NAS adapter to take advantage of the new apps, of course -- a $199 toll we'd like to see integrated into a future unit. We'll see how it goes, though -- we see a lot of potential in this sort of NAS / server hybrid.

Drobo (second-gen) mini-review

by Ryan Block posted Jul 8th 2008 at 8:36AM

Despite its shortcomings, we were pretty into the original Drobo when it was launched about a year ago. Not only is it crazy easy to set up and get running, but being able to swap out drives and continuously expand your storage pool without completely replacing your array is obviously advantageous compared to traditional RAID arrays. So it kind of goes without saying that we were stoked to hear Data Robotics was launching a new Drobo, which promised FireWire 800, and quieter, faster operation.

We were kind of hoping they'd get it over with and build in Ethernet (or at least WiFi) connectivity instead of continuing to charge an extra $200 for the DroboShare add-on -- that it comes without left us with some mixed feelings. But then again, this new model doesn't cost any more than the first-gen product ($500), so we can't hold it too much against 'em -- and as we found, it is a fair amount faster (and significantly quieter) than its predecessor. Read on for more.

Gallery: Drobo (second-gen) mini-review

Continue reading Drobo (second-gen) mini-review

Data Robotics announces second-gen Drobo with FireWire 800

by Ryan Block posted Jul 8th 2008 at 8:35AM

For those whose major complaint about the Drobo was its lack of FireWire 800, today's your day. The new version of the virtualized-storage device features the much requested interface (and a second port for daisy-chaining), but despite the fact that it still lacks built-in Ethernet / WiFi, it does come equipped with an upgraded processor to better take advantage of FireWire 800's higher throughput, as well as a much larger, quieter case fan. Data Robotics claims their new model can achieve data transfer speeds of more than 2x over the original model, as well as outperform ReadyNAS and LaCie models (in RAID 1/5) when tested with identical drives.

The price stays the same at $500 for the device itself, and (as before) you can buy it bundled with two 1TB drives (for $900) or four 1TB drives (for $1,300). For those waiting for the price to dip even lower, Data Robotics is also clearing out inventory on its earlier model; until they sell out, first-gen Drobos will be going for $350, or $750 and $1,075 bundled with two and four 1TB drives, respectively.

Gallery: Data Robotics announces second-gen Drobo with FireWire 800

Drobo gets dev community and SDK beta: run UPnP, BitTorrent, and any other servers you want

by Ryan Block posted Jul 2nd 2008 at 2:54PM

Looks like Data Robotics just started up their Drobo Developer Community (DDC) and SDK program, kicking off on their eventual goal to let users develop their own apps and servers for their Drobo storage device. For the first "DroboApp" and proof-of-concept, they've already whipped up a working UPnP / DLNA server for streaming audio and video content directly from the Drobo to compliant devices (like the Xbox 360 and PS3, for example), and they hope the early beta offering will spur the community into developing drop-in servers for things like iTunes music and AFP, Rsync, FTP, web, BitTorrent, and anything else you can think up. (One Linux developer has already ported the Drobo Dashboard app to Linux using the SDK).

The DroboApps themselves are compiled for Linux, stored on the Drobo, added via drag and drop into a simple directory on the file system, and run on the Linux-based DroboShare hardware (meaning you won't be able to take advantage of DroboApps with a bare Drobo). Exciting stuff for the storage geeks in the house, especially those looking for some of the extensibility of Microsoft's Windows Home Server platform

Ask Engadget: What's the best home media server?

by Darren Murph posted Jun 26th 2008 at 11:36PM

So we've asked you which HD media streamer you prefer. And we've done the same for NAS drives. But what if you're the type that's looking for the best of both worlds? Take it away, Stuart:

"We have a laptop and a desktop, with plans to add another computer in the near future. I'd like something that can primarily provide a large (1TB+) storage repository that can be accessed via our network, as well as have space for data backups and media streaming capabilities. I've read articles on Drobo and Windows Home Server-based devices, but after a certain point my brain just starts to get overloaded. Which solution out there would be best for me? I'm trying to stay below $700 if possible."

We think your task is pretty clear cut here, reader. Which home server out there is a notch above the rest? Would you recommend a pre-built device or a homegrown solution? After giving this one a whirl, toss your own inquiry over to ask at engadget dawt com - your very words may grace this space next week.

Data Robotics offers Drobo / Western Digital combos at deep discounts

by Joshua Topolsky posted May 28th 2008 at 3:35PM

If you're having a tough time picking a storage solution, the Drobo folks may have just made your choice a lot easier. Starting today, the company is offering the first-ever bundles of its much-loved drive array with Western Digital GreenPower SATA hard drives in 2TB and 4TB configurations at a pretty deep discount. Besides knocking $50 off the price of a standalone Drobo (reducing the cost to $449), the 2TB and 4TB versions will clock in at $749 and $1075 apiece, giving you a savings of up to $528. The deals require a mail-in rebate, and you can still add any type of drive you want. Hit the read link for all the info, and for the love of all that's sacred... start backing up!

DroboShare Drobo NAS mini-review

by Ryan Block posted Jan 14th 2008 at 9:01AM

So we snagged a DroboShare to hook our lonesome, directly-attached Drobo into. At $200 for what's essentially a USB network adapter we had some pretty high expectations, but thankfully we've been pretty impressed so far. Setup simply entails upgrading your Drobo hardware and Dashboard software to the latest versions (v1.1), restarting the box, and then plugging into the DroboShare. That's it. Detection, configuration, everything else is entirely automatic. Within a few moments it auto-mounts as a shared network drive via SMB, regardless of what file system the Drobo itself is running, or whether you're running Windows or Mac. (For those running on Linux or other operating systems, the DS is still accessible over your network via standard SMB share just like any other server.)

Click on for more on network auto-mounting and a couple speed tests.

Gallery: DroboShare Drobo NAS mini-review

Continue reading DroboShare Drobo NAS mini-review

DroboShare makes your Drobo NAS -- for a price

by Ryan Block posted Jan 14th 2008 at 9:00AM

The number one complaint about the Drobo is pretty obvious: getting the damn thing on your network without using a host computer. Well, consider that complaint sorted. Today Data Robotics is releasing a NAS upgrade for Drobo called the DroboShare, which will support:

Gigabit Ethernet (yes!), static or dynamic IPs
Auto-mounting SMB shares via Drobo Dashboard (supports SMB authentication)
Dual USB 2.0 ports for two Drobos per DroboShare
EXT3 file system support (officially!)
Capacities up to 16TB per Drobo (provided you feed it 4TB drives that won't be out until, say, 2010)
And possibly our favorite: email alerts, should a drive happen to crash, for example

It's also worth noting that Drobo is still capable of switching between NAS and direct-attached modes if you decide you want to take your Drobo OFF the network (but why would you do a thing like that?). The biggest problem with this add-on? It's $200, which brings the total cost of a DroboShare NAS rig to $700 -- without drives. Still, we have a feeling for many a Drobo user -- ourselves included -- the value of the functionality will far outweigh the borderline unreasonable price tag.

Gallery: DroboShare makes your Drobo NAS -- for a price

Drobo review

by Ryan Block posted Jun 5th 2007 at 12:12PM

Anyone who's ever futzed with a drive array on the fritz or tried to upgrade their large home storage system knows the plight well -- disks will eventually fail and/or run out of space, and when they do, neither scenario is particularly pleasant for a RAID user. (Trust us, we have the horror stories to prove it.) Even though the Data Robotics Drobo isn't ready to take the place of your NAS, if you've been looking for a simple, convenient, reliable method of keeping vast amounts of data in one spot, this may be the way to go. We've been fortunate enough to have a Drobo of our own to fool around with for the past few weeks, and we're pretty excited about how it's gone. Read on for our thoughts.

Gallery: Drobo review

Continue reading Drobo review

Drobo price drops to $500

by Ryan Block posted May 2nd 2007 at 3:52PM

You spoke, Data Robotics listened. Even though we didn't think the $700 pricetag for a Drobo is that unreasonable considering its capabilities, Data Robotics is apparently deciding to preemptively strike and cut its price before it even reaches retail availability. With enough pre-orders in to increase volume and cut costs, Data Robotics was apparently able to shave a full $200 bones (nearly 30%) off the top, meaning now you'll only have to ante up $500 if you want to take one home. Pre-order customers will even get a check back for the $200 difference, which we presume they'll probably blow on more (or larger) drives.

P.S. -For the curious: it's still slated to land in early June.

Drobo unboxed and dissected in one fell swoop

by Paul Miller posted Apr 13th 2007 at 5:07PM

Just when you thought we couldn't geek out anymore about Data Robotic's new Drobo "intelligent" storage array, along comes tipster Ben with a snazzy photoset complete with unboxing shots and scandalous pics of the internals. Apparently Data Robotics was selling 'em at a "lemonade stand" outside the company HQ in Mountain View, CA for $200 off the rather pricey $700 sticker price, and Ben just couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy one and rip in. Any unconfirmed reports of Engadget editors patrolling the streets of Mountain View tomorrow in search of such "lemonade stands" will most likely be baseless and unfounded.

[Thanks, Ben L]

The skinny on the Drobo storage array device

by Ryan Block posted Apr 10th 2007 at 5:21PM

While not quite a robot as we here at Engadget typically think of them, there's no doubt that Data Robotics's Drobo storage array / external enclosure is making some interesting propositions with this new storage device. Here's everything the storage-minded need to know about the company and its forthcoming product:

The device will come drive-free, and cost $700. It will launch in the summer.
It does not use RAID of any kind. Instead, it uses pooled virtualized storage.
Unlike RAID 5, which requires 3+ drives of the same size, users can add disparate SATA (I or II) drives of any size.
The storage pooling impact is estimated as the size of the largest drive. So if your largest drive is 500GB, that will be the maximum amount of space lost from the storage pool for redundancy. With four 1TB drives you would get 3TB addressable storage, and ~2.7TB after formatting.
The device can address an infinite amount of storage, limited only by file systems and drive capacities.
All drives are hot swappable; new drives are instantaneously available.
The device is block-aware and makes use of a "virtual hot spare", meaning that if a drive is pulled or lost and there's enough free space on the drives, data will be double-copied and made redundant again.
Data has corruption protection as well; if data is corrupt on one drive, the device will intelligently find another copy of the data which is not corrupt.
For lack of necessity, the device does not support FireWire 400 / 800 or eSATA; its internal data speeds are not fast enough that those interfaces would benefit performance.
The device will only format NTFS and HFS (PC and Mac); it may be updated to support other file systems.
It features NVRAM and a battery backup so even non-journaled file systems will be protected against corruption during loss of power.
It will monitor drive health by its own system of metrics, and pre-emptively predict drive failures.
Data Robotics plans to launch higher capacity Drobos with more drive bays.
There will also be an open API for interfacing with the Drobo.

Hopefully that should answer a few questions about this thing -- got any more? We'll and find out. So, kinda high price aside, you as stoked about this thing as we are?