[Leica] Anyone using Drobo

[alal at poly.edu (A. Lal)]

Thanks for the info Jeff.  This is enough to keep me thinking for a while.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Moore" <jbm at jbm.org>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 6:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Anyone using Drobo


> 2010-09-15-09:28:22 A. Lal:
>> The info on ReadyNAS FAQ page is quite reassuring. A point in the
>> ReadyNAS' favour is that it can run slimserver - very useful if one
>> is interested in ripping CDs and storing them on a NAS for playback
>> via a Squeezebox.
> 
> The current, Intel-CPU generation of ReadyNASsen presumably have more
> available horsepower, but I found that with an earlier (SPARC-based?)
> ReadyNAS that running Slimserver on a separate Ubuntu server I have
> other reasons to keep running, using the NAS purely as file storage,
> resulted in snappier user interface response for my Slim clients.
> 
> I've just kept with that, running the current Squeezebox Server on a
> quad-core Core2 box whose second gig-ether interface is direct-wired
> to the second gig-ether interface of the ReadyNAS Pro, whereby they
> share their own private subnetwork to share the music tree.  I remain
> entirely satisfied with how that performs. :-)
> 
> Oh, and since the ports are auto-whatever, you don't even need a
> crossover cable.
> 
> But the on-NAS Squeezebox Server is definitely worth trying.  One less
> box sucking power, and it's probably snappier on the new boxes.
> 
> BTW, if you're a fan of Slim music clients, I commend the Squeezebox
> Touch to your attention.  While I remain baffled by its user interface
> when trying to control it via the remote (not sure whether it's buggy,
> or just so dissimilar to the classic Slim clients that it confuses
> me), it's a fine thing sonically.  Pretty darned decent via the analog
> outputs, more like flat-out excellent as a digital transport, and
> supports 24/96 at a bargain price compared to the likes of the
> Transporter.
> 
>> Which model ReadyNAS do you have, BTW?
> 
> We're now using a ReadyNAS Pro (six drives, configured with sufficient
> redundancy to theoretically survive two simultaneous drive failures).
> In addition to offering lots of space and presumably more failure
> resistance, it's markedly faster than the ReadyNAS NV (note: not the
> current NV+) it replaced - so that shares from the NAS became
> not-too-annoying as working storage for some purposes, rather than
> just someplace you'd start copying things as a backup, then go get a
> cup of coffee or leave it in the background and do something else.
> 
> Indeed, my completely instrumentation-free, seat-of-the-pants
> reckoning is that shared space from the Pro as mounted via copper
> gig-ethernet on my wife's Mac Mini feels about as fast as the
> (laptop-class) local disk in the Mini, or maybe a little faster.
> 
> http://www.readynas.com/?cat=24
> 
> -Jeff
> 
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