I have had a Drobo device in my office for years that I use to back up family pictures and other data when needed. The thing is great because it rebuilds the array if one drive breaks and you can use any 3.5-inch HDD you want without worrying if it matches the other drives in the system. This flexibility and ease of use make Drobo an excellent choice for both personal and professional data storage needs.
New Drobo Products for Business Users
Drobo has announced that it has added three new products to its line for business users. The new storage devices include an 8-bay file sharing Drobo with a remote backup feature, an 8-bay SAN, and a 12-bay SAN. Both of the SANs attach via iSCSI, which is a network protocol that allows for the transfer of data over intranets and to manage storage over long distances.
The 8-bay file sharing Drobo is particularly interesting because it offers a remote backup feature. This means that businesses can ensure their data is not only stored securely on-site but also backed up to a remote location, providing an additional layer of security against data loss due to local disasters or hardware failures. This feature is crucial for businesses that need to maintain high availability and data integrity.
Availability and Pricing
The two 8-bay offerings are available right now and the 12-bay will ship in Q2 2011. Prices for the new gear start a bit over $2000, which is a reasonable investment considering the advanced features and reliability that Drobo devices offer. These devices are all certified to work with virtualization systems in the business world, including VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Exchange, and Symantec. This certification ensures that businesses can integrate Drobo storage solutions seamlessly into their existing IT infrastructure.
For example, a company using VMware for virtualization can easily add a Drobo SAN to their network, providing scalable and reliable storage for their virtual machines. Similarly, businesses using Microsoft Exchange for email services can benefit from the robust data protection and easy expandability that Drobo devices offer.
In addition to their technical capabilities, Drobo devices are known for their user-friendly interfaces. Even users who are not IT professionals can manage and configure these devices with ease. This is particularly beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses that may not have dedicated IT staff.
Moreover, Drobo’s BeyondRAID technology allows for the mixing and matching of different drive sizes and brands, which can be a cost-saving feature. Businesses can start with a few drives and add more as their storage needs grow, without worrying about compatibility issues.
In conclusion, Drobo continues to innovate and provide valuable storage solutions for both personal and business users. The new 8-bay and 12-bay devices offer advanced features like remote backup and iSCSI connectivity, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. With their ease of use, flexibility, and robust data protection features, Drobo devices are an excellent choice for anyone looking to secure their data.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.