Drobo lifespan and reliability

I have a Gen 2 Drobo 4-bay that I purchased in late 2012. The two FireWire ports stopped working a year ago and it randomly dismounts from my computer.

Is this behavior normal? How long do these things last? I’m considering a replacement, but the reliability makes me question dropping $700 on a new one.

There is no “normal”…bought mine in 2008 and it still works. Technology can last 50 days or 50 years, depending on individual components.