Drobo S - Firmware and DashBoard Updating ?

Drobo - End of Sale Drobo S
1

I have not updated my Firmware and DashBoard in quite awhile and I really should update now that I have some spare time.

Question:
What has proven to be, for you, the best later versions - Combination of “Firmware Version” and “DashBoard Version” to use with a “Drobo S” (1st Generation, aka Drobo S with USB 2.0 connector)

2

Latest version of both using eSATA

3

Good to know, that latest version of both Firmware and Dashnoard are the way to go fo the Drobo S because it appears that the datarobotics support/updates page no longer provides older versions for you to download.

Questions:

I have a USB connected Drobo S and was wondering …

  1. Does the latest Firmware/Dashboard versions, now allow you to apply updates over an eSATA connection or are you still restriced to appling updates over a USB connection ?

  2. When using the Drobo S over an eSATA connection do you still have the eSATA restriction that the Drobo drives will never spin down (and you have to use a USB connected Drobo, if you want them to spin down) ?

  3. How much faster have you found the eSATA connected Drobo verses a USB 2.0 connected Drobo S ?

4

Can anyone answer these eSATA Drobo S connection questions, for me ?

5

  1. Seems the answer is yes. Posted here in DroboForums.
    http://www.drobospace.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=3613

  2. Esata speeds compared with USB 2.0 found here.
    http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Data-Robotics-Drobo-S-Review/?page=3
    Using 7200rpm disks, in Single redundancy, they were getting 2.5x faster in their tests using esata over usb2.0

6
  1. I have applied updates over eSATA with no problems.
  2. I never want any of my drives to spin down. When I had a gen 2 drobo, I set up a lauchd script that touched a file on the drobo every 5 minutes. I hate computers sleeping and I really hate drives that spin down. :slight_smile:
  3. With 5 matched drives I was getting 80 meg/s transfers over eSATA and I think USB2 was @ 20 Meg/s.

I’m using a supported Sonnet E2P card as well.

7

Thanks for info ! … Additional questions:

Questions:

  1. I s there a supported Drobo S, “eSATA - Expresscard”, for use in a windows laptop pc ?

  2. How does the speed of a New - Drobo S using its USB 3.0 connection compare with Drobo S using its eSATA connection ?

8

Supported cards http://support.drobo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/545/kw/sonnett/session/L3RpbWUvMTMyMzQ1MTk2Mi9zaWQvZzd6ZjdhTGs%3D You can use the Sonnett in a laptop

No idea about comparing USB3 with eSATA. I don’t have a usb3 port on my Mac or Drobo S.

9

I was using esata before then I moved to USB 3.0. It is fast as esata and much more reliable.

I had problem with esata every month ie Corrupt file system and loss of data even after changing esata cable.

The computer is slower when starting with esata but faster with usb 3.0

That is what I observed after using it for past 7 months.

10

At all personal send today?