Data Robotics DroboPRO FS NAS – Unleashed

Data Robotics latest foray into the NAS arena with the DroboPRO FS 8-bay incarnation of the DroboPRO 8-bay may just be what the doctor ordered! The previous attempt with the Drobo FS 5-bay somewhat lacked the performance and really seemed outdated in that area. Whilst a great system for the entry level user, it really did not stack up as a primary or secondary data repository. Idea for the home user rather than an SMB class NAS. The DroboPro FS on the other hand awaits a warm reception for many Drobo die hard users to get an IP sharing device with performance as well.

The instant attraction of the system is the ease of setup, out of the box through to having it boot up for the first time is for the most part totally seamless. The packaging used depicts care thought and impressive. The cloth that protects the device is a snug fit and no longer oversized or floppy after closure. Clear and concise packaging for the all the goodies that come with the unit is admirable. Data Robotics it seems has ironed out many of the creases it suffered esthetically and is clearly ready for action.

Our inside scoop is going to focus on reasons to buy one of these units allowing you to simplify your data backups, provide protection as well as allow you to share simultaneously. As previously mentioned out of the box is seamless the only part that requires manual intervention is inserting hard disk drives if you have decided to purchase a diskless model. Inserting drives? That is as simple as you can get no screws or trays, bare drive insert and it ‘slots’ into place. Hey, presto you are ready to roll. Simple!, integration time = 2 minutes for 4 drives that is all. After that  connectivity is via a router/switch and proceed to  insert the Drobo CD into your PC/MAC, and install Drobo Dashboard. Once done, power on your unit, and let the NAS mount itself on your PC/MAC. After this you can set up your desired folders inside the root map and begin storing all your prized digital possessions.

Data Robotics also has expanded the features of the NAS via third-party add-ons (Drobo Apps). The Drobo Apps are very easy to install and use. The method of install is Drobo Dashboard -> Advanced Controls -> Tools -> Settings -> Admin. Check the “Enable Drobo Apps”.

Restart your Drobo, and you will be presented with a DroboApps share. Check the box to mount the share, download the apps you want, and place the .tgz file into the share. Once done restart the DroboPro FS once more and the apps shall install themselves. There is a more in-depth guide at this link from Data Robotics.

The DroboPro FS can be configured for Dual Disk Redundancy which is the equivalent of a RAID 6 array via the settings option in the Drobo Dashboard. The Drobo also allows you to create more Shares to be mapped i.e. a share for media and a share for documents. Email Alerts are also an option to notify you on the fly if anything goes awry with you Drobo.

The interfaces available in this NAS version from Data Robotics are more or less the same as the Drobo FS The DroboPro FS couples two RJ-45 ports allowing single use or port trunking when both are required.

Outstanding Features of the DroboPRO FS

• Automated RAID setup – BeyondRAID.
• Dual Drive Redundancy (equivalent of RAID 6)
• Drobo SYNC (Drobo to Drobo replication)
• Automated and Continuous Thin Provisioning
• Pay as you grow storage

All in all Data Robotics has transitioned the conventional DroboPRO 8-bay into a sharing, replicating and protective 8-bay NAS, catapulting Data Robotics amongst many other leading NAS vendors. The self healing aspect of the device makes it easy to maintain and efficient.

Hopefully this snippet has provided a quick insight for the DroboPro FS and why this may turn out to be much better than its predecessors.

Until next time I leave you with another quote:

Author: Gulamabbas Mawji - Email: gam[at]eaegis.com

We have the entire DroboPRO FS product range at keen prices.

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