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subego · Aug 9, 2011, 07:55 AM

Like the title says. It was cool five years ago but it's not worth the trouble anymore.

My most important needs in no particular order:

1) Quiet
2) Quiet
3) Can use the (SATA) WD Caviar Greens I have lying around
4) Quiet

Any ideas?

turtle777 · Aug 9, 2011, 08:36 AM

Drobo.

How quiet is "quiet" ? Drobo's are not ultra quiet, but also not loud.

-t

subego · Aug 9, 2011, 08:50 AM

How quiet is "not ultra quiet, but also not loud"?

(Thanks for the recommendation, too)

turtle777 · Aug 9, 2011, 09:18 AM

When I'm back home, I can try to measure my DroboFS's dB with an iPhone app.
Maybe not that accurate, but better than nothing.

-t

subego · Aug 9, 2011, 09:21 AM

That would actually be very cool.

jersey · Aug 12, 2011, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Drobo.

Turtle, what are your general thoughts about the Drobo? I'm looking for something, and the Drobo fits my needs, but their proprietary file format gives me the shivers. Have you had any issues?

Not meaning to derail this thread, sorry op.

turtle777 · Aug 12, 2011, 03:33 PM

I still like it, no issues, only had it for a few months.

Write speeds are SLOW when compared to a FW attached HD. Took me a while to get used to.
I'm using it for my entire iTunes library, no problems so far.

Important though: anything you delete is deleted ASAP. It doesn't go to trash (because it's a network volume).
So one's gotta be careful about that.

-t

Waragainstsleep · Aug 12, 2011, 04:49 PM

I have seen more Drobos than I'd like suffer multiple simultaneous disk failure and catastrophic data loss. I don't trust them at all which is a pity since I really liked them otherwise.

Is it just the noise you don't like on your ReadyNAS? I've installed a couple of them more recently (NV+) and they seem pretty good. They weren't too loud either.

turtle777 · Aug 12, 2011, 05:12 PM

Simultaneous disk failure as in hardware issues ? Isn't that unlikely ?

Or are you talking about some failure related to their unique RAID configuration ?

-t

seanc · 06:21 PM

Buffalo Terastations are quite nice, they use XFS. Buffalo have been pushing the recent ones I've seen out with 2TB Seagate LP drives which are equivalent to WD Green in my opinion.

Disk failures can't really be blamed on Buffalo/Netgear/Drobo - they don't make the drives and it's your responsibility to backup your data.

Final option is to build a FreeNAS from an old PC - maybe build an Atom based ITX system?

turtle777 · Aug 12, 2011, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

Disk failures can't really be blamed on Buffalo/Netgear/Drobo - they don't make the drives and it's your responsibility to backup your data.

Correct. That's why you run a RAID. With the Drobo, you can even run Dual Disk Redundancy, where two simultanous disk failures can be recovered from.

-t

subego · Aug 12, 2011, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep

I have seen more Drobos than I'd like suffer multiple simultaneous disk failure and catastrophic data loss. I don't trust them at all which is a pity since I really liked them otherwise.

Is it just the noise you don't like on your ReadyNAS? I've installed a couple of them more recently (NV+) and they seem pretty good. They weren't too loud either.

The noise is just an irritant. I've had a PSU die, it's eaten two fans, I'll reboot and then it'll fsck for no reason, there's the TCP ACK delay bug, it's slow, and the final straw is it's just had a total file system meltdown. Not only can't I copy anything off of it, if I try, it floods my whole network with... something, bringing my router to it's knees.

Good times.

I almost pulled the trigger on a Drobo, but opted for the Synology DS1511+ at the last second. If it's too loud, I'm thinking of running power and Ethernet into a closet.

subego · Aug 12, 2011, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by jersey

Turtle, what are your general thoughts about the Drobo? I'm looking for something, and the Drobo fits my needs, but their proprietary file format gives me the shivers. Have you had any issues?

Not meaning to derail this thread, sorry op.

No derail at all.

OreoCookie · Aug 13, 2011, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep

I have seen more Drobos than I'd like suffer multiple simultaneous disk failure and catastrophic data loss.

People should keep in mind that there is still a single point of failure: the RAID enclosure/Drobo. Regarding multiple simultaneous disk failures, I can think of two reasons why several disks fail at the same time: (1) If you bought several identical disks, they can be of the same batch. Statistically, hard drives tend to fail either within the first six months or after several years. If the disks you bought are of the same batch, then the probability that they fail at the same time is actually pretty significant. (2) Things like electricity spikes can induce hard drive failure.

subego · Aug 13, 2011, 06:30 AM

Wow. The Synology is crazy-cow quiet, which is a touch louder than ultra quiet, but much quieter than not loud.

Waragainstsleep · Aug 13, 2011, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by seanc

Disk failures can't really be blamed on Buffalo/Netgear/Drobo - they don't make the drives and it's your responsibility to backup your data.

Ordinarily I'd agree with this but in the shop I worked in we sold maybe 6 Drobos that I recall. Different branded disks were used for different customers. Of those 6 I know that 4 of them suffered simultaneous disk failure of 2 disks and hence total data loss.
I have installed Netgear RAIDs, Promise RAIDs, Xserve RAIDS, Apple internal RAIDs, HP RAIDs Buffalo RAIDs and plenty of United Digital RAIDs both before and after the Drobo fiasco and I have never seen another RAID unit suffer this problem even once. This tells me there is something about the way the Drobo works (or doesn't) that makes multiple failures more likely.

Many of those other RAIDs were using 14, 15, or 16 drives instead of just 4 so multiple failure should be more likely in the bigger units. Of course using Enterprise class disks helps but again a few of those big units were using desktop class disks and still no multiple failures.

Waragainstsleep · Aug 13, 2011, 06:30 AM

Regarding the ReadyNAS, have you tried cleaning or replacing the fans?

subego · Aug 13, 2011, 06:58 AM

It's something of a requirement after they stop working.

seanc · Aug 13, 2011, 07:19 AM

Hmm well that sounds very odd Waragainstsleep.
One thing I know of about the Buffalo units is that you can rip all 4 drives out, plug them into a Linux box, assemble the RAID and access your data.

subego · Aug 14, 2011, 02:34 AM

Seems I spoke a little hastily against the ReadyNAS, at least the part where it's killing my network.

I've got a bad Ethernet cable, in my frigging wall.

Have to say though, I'm not regretting the Synology so far. Along with not having to fish with a paperclip to unlock a drive tray (another problem with the ReadyNAS I forgot about), the whole thing just feels more polished.

Not to mention quiet.

Waragainstsleep · Aug 14, 2011, 08:04 AM

Are you sure its the cable and not the socket/end?

art_director · Aug 14, 2011, 10:31 AM

I quickly perused this thread and kept seeing the word 'Drobo.' Every time I think of a Drobo my blood boils. Had one and it was a slow critter hardly worth the billing it receives. Went back to a traditional RAID unit and never looked back.

subego · Aug 14, 2011, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep

Are you sure its the cable and not the socket/end?

No.

Troubleshooting has yet to begin, so it could be the cable, the socket, or the plug at the router end.

subego · Sep 1, 2011, 05:55 PM

The Synology is frigging awesome. I got a second one to back up the first, and put it in my bedroom. That's how crazy-cow quiet we're talking.