A request for help from......

digitalfailure

digitalfailure

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A request for help from users of the Generation 2 (fw+usb2) Drobo back up device....... do we have any :D


If so......How often does the fan run on your unit and how loud is it?, but here's the odd part. I need the details of the drive when it's NOT in use, that being PC/Mac on and surfin etc, but no data transfer to drobo.

Mine turns the fan on to cool the drives (which should be a sleep :suspect: and therefore not generating heat ) at regular and frequent intervals, and considering the size and speed of the fan it spends an awful long time cooling them.

Currently it turns the fan on after 10 minutes of the mac being turned on, this fan then runs for just under 12 minutes and then turns off. It'll stay off for almost exactly 10 minutes before starting the whole process again.

So.... currently the fan is on more than it's off :eek:, ambient room temp isn't an issue as it's done it everyday since it was installed on NY day.

Drobo support aren't being exactly fun, they first said said it's normal and then said they will exchange but are confident the new unit will do the same thing.

So...... give me your experiences
 
I was chatting with Ray last night :)

He's got a different unit to me, so I can't carry out a direct comparison, in fact everyone I know who has drobo seems to have the larger 5 bay units and they don't report fan issues.

Reading on google seems to suggest that the fan can be hit or miss with some people reporting that they are near silent. Mine sounds like a sodding vacuum cleaner ! And with it's 10 mins off, 10 mins running its getting right on my pip.

The only upside of it so far is that it's a fantastic oven timer ! No more burnt pizza :D
 
It currently has 2 Samsung green drives, I opted for low energy, slower drives as the unit shouldn't need to do much, I currently only let time machine back up weekly and I back up back my image folder at the same time and was actually keen to keep the running costs to a minimum.

Having the fan on for 50% of the time the unit is on is kicking that theory right out of the window.

The displaced air actually feels quite cool if I stick my hand behind the unit, I'd estimate that the fan is running at half speed because its much faster when you boot it up.

There's no way to read off the drive temps or the internal cabinet temp according to drobo tech support, I thought that was a bit ghey really given that the thing is obviously being triggered and that the dashboard software is really very good.
 
The way the fan runs for an almost exact period of time after a similar almost exact rest period would suggest its not a heat issue, but a programmed event (ive asked mr support bloke to ask the people who did the firmware if there's anything hidden that he's not aware of before they have to exchange the unit.

It's the same in any ambient air temp and the drives "should" be asleep because there's no data transfer. Occasionally the drives spin up as it does it's stuff with them but that's much much quieter and for about 5 seconds.
 
does sound like potential firmware issue then, something theyve coded in..

i mean i run samsung HD203WI and HD204UI in my NAS and currently at idle (logging in has just woken it up from its overnight spindown/sleep) they range theyre at 21/22c so id imagine yours should be putting out similar.
 
I'd have expected that as that's pretty much the same as the ambient air temp.

Drobo have said again its normal, for me running a cooling fan for 50% of the units on time isn't normal.... And if it's heating up with only 2 drives, I dread to think what its going to be like when the other 2 go in :eek: 100% on :gag: ?????
 
I've got a drobo, the generation prior to yours though :)

A few points;
A) "green" drives in a raid style storage device is absolutely pointless. Those types of devices are (and should be) programmed to control the spinning of the disks themselves not the disk.
B) just because you are not transferring or reading data doesn't mean the controller on the storage device is not managing its data on the device. It will be and should be constantly performing its optimisations and health checks. This is different compared to just a bunch of disks devices.
C) besides dropping a spinning disk the biggest reason for corruption is high temperature on disks. It is essential to keep the airflow going to secure the data stored on it. A single drive on idle will be around 27 degrees increasing in temp when used and see point b that doesn't have to be by you.
D) heck compared to the big hp msa storage works devices I have for a San it is relatively silent :)

So whilst annoying it is normal and for the good of your data.
 
Thanks for the reply :)

There have been a few developments to report since my last post.

Drobo tech support have now decided that they are going to courier a new unit out, initially they only offered a refurb, but in light of the newness of the unit they're sending a brand new one. :)

Interesting to read your comment on green drives, they were recommended by drobo prior to purchase :)
 
digitalfailure said:
Thanks for the reply :)

There have been a few developments to report since my last post.

Drobo tech support have now decided that they are going to courier a new unit out, initially they only offered a refurb, but in light of the newness of the unit they're sending a brand new one. :)

Interesting to read your comment on green drives, they were recommended by drobo prior to purchase :)
Click to expand...

to be honest i dont think it matters using green disks in most modern NAS units, at least the good ones will control the disk. if its on the compatible list then i wouldnt worry.

thats good to hear about the new unit, thats certainly better than netgear who replaced my old faulty unit with a very "used" refurb :nono: luckily i switched to synology after that fiasco and they are much better :)
 
I think it was talk of Synology that prompted the new unit.

To be fair, although drobo didn't initially tell me anything of help, they are very very good with regards to ease of contact and the speed of reply, so full marks to them. I question their ability to operate in English as they seem to struggle a little, up to now both operators names have been German. But things are moving the right way :thumbs:
 
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