[NickPapageorgio]

I am trying to determine what to buy for my latest build and storage/backup is a huge issue. I do a lot of photography and currently use several external drives to store and backup because I cannot afford to lose some of these images.

I am looking at putting probably 4 - 1TB HDs (Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000333AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive) in my next case but a friend has the Drobo (Data Robotics, Inc.) and it is impressive. Is the extra $500 worth it though if I can fit the HDs in a case with everything else? If I put them in the case I would dedicate one strictly as backup.

Quite frankly I like the drobo but don't want to pay $500 if putting these HDs in my ATX case can achieve the same goal. Maybe I've answered my own question?!

Anyway, I saw some older posts here mentioning the drobo but I am curious as to some newer options and general opinions.


THANKS!

[Peter.Cort]

its not worth it in my opinion if you aren't going to be bringing it around to other computers. if you work in a lab and have a ton of pics that you need to carry around with you then something like that would be a start, but unnecessary in my opinion. It's a cool idea but if you aren't an extreme data sharing person which it doesn't seem like you are, then you're fine without it. and if you need to share data just network the pc and you can draw from the files in the pc.

[NickPapageorgio]

Originally Posted by Peter.Cort

its not worth it in my opinion if you aren't going to be bringing it around to other computers. if you work in a lab and have a ton of pics that you need to carry around with you then something like that would be a start, but unnecessary in my opinion. It's a cool idea but if you aren't an extreme data sharing person which it doesn't seem like you are, then you're fine without it. and if you need to share data just network the pc and you can draw from the files in the pc.

Thanks Peter, I think you are right. I was talking myself out of it as I typed my original message but I needed to hear someone else say it!

I think I'll use a fast HD for my OS, a 1TB for storage, and another 1TB to back that up.

[Peter.Cort]

yeah reassurance always helps a bit. lol. i'd get a small(ish) 250gb for os and programs and all that jazz and then a few 1tb or even 1.5tb drives for storage and backup and you'll be golden. 3 drives won't cause any space/heat problems.

just be sure to get a 7200.11 seagate for you're OS as they are the cheapest/fastest drives you can get. also the samsung spinpoint 1tb drives are mad nice.

[NickPapageorgio]

Originally Posted by Peter.Cort

yeah reassurance always helps a bit. lol. i'd get a small(ish) 250gb for os and programs and all that jazz and then a few 1tb or even 1.5tb drives for storage and backup and you'll be golden. 3 drives won't cause any space/heat problems.

just be sure to get a 7200.11 seagate for you're OS as they are the cheapest/fastest drives you can get. also the samsung spinpoint 1tb drives are mad nice.

Someone told me the samsung spinpoints don't do as well as the seagates (???).

What do you think about the
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive ($65/newegg)
for my OS and main programs

and

2 -
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000340AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drives ($110 each/newegg)
for my storage/backup

?!

[jfenwick]

Originally Posted by NickPapageorgio

What do you think about the
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive ($65/newegg)
for my OS and main programs

Lol, I have 7 of these between my 3 computers and external backup system.

[Peter.Cort]

the spinpoints are extremely good and some of the quietest hdd's on the market.

[hikaricloud]

Originally Posted by NickPapageorgio

Someone told me the samsung spinpoints don't do as well as the seagates (???).

What do you think about the
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive ($65/newegg)
for my OS and main programs

and

2 -
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000340AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drives ($110 each/newegg)
for my storage/backup

?!

You may want to even get a smaller main HD, but if you want the 500, it doesn't really matter.

If you're going to get huge hard drives, definitely get the 1.5TB models. Per GB, it's worth it. Those 1tb drives are about 11 cents per gig, while the 1.5tb is just over 9 cents per gig. Also, this way you have the same amount of power consumption with an extra gig of space. You can't go wrong. The 1.5tb drives are 140 at this moment, totally worth it.

[NickPapageorgio]

Some of the reviews on the 1.5 TB aren't as good. The last few on newegg say they have a tendency to freeze. Anyone have that problem? I may stick to the 1TB.

On another issue, I have about $400 in BestBuy gift certificates that I'd like to put towards my new rig. Problem is, they don't sell a lot and their prices are high. It's basically free money (gift's) so I'd like to spend it towards this which frees up MY money for more goodies. Any suggestons?!

[mikesgroovin]

I personally like the Drobo. Probably not enough to buy one, simply because it's at a price range where you start to wonder. Couple of reasons why I like it:

1) It's quiet

2) Manufacturer and size dont matter, just pop in a drive and then it takes over and let's you know when it's ready.

3) Easy-to-read "meter" explaining how much space is left

4) A lot of the problems with external enclosures is the heat/power/and interface...oddly, the ONLY three parts that make up a darn enclosure. Drobo perfected all of these 3.

5) I asked my father to bring a HDD over during Thanksgiving so that I could give him some movies. The HDD wouldn't spin up correctly in an external enclosure. Windows wouldn't read/write to it properly. Linux didn't even see it. I tried and tried. (placing it inside the PC rather than in it's enclosure, etc). I figured, bunk drive. My father took it home... same exact results. It was hard to part ways with a 1TB drive so he called me up and I said... "Well, time to break out SpinRite", he said that he wanted to try 1 more thing before that. So, he puts it in his Drobo and starts laughing histerically because the Drobo recognized it right away and starting buzzing/churring away ... It's still in there, every bit of it is recognized... lol. So, he found a new home for it.

6) I like the fact that it has its own proprietary raid array. They say "It's like a RAID5 but not" And i've never seen it lose any data. My father had one of the 4 go down inside and then pop in another drive. a little while later everything was still there.

7) It's pleasant to look at. It's not some bulky tower.

I don't know... perhaps I would have a whole slu of ideas and reasons why I wouldn't like it if I owned one. But, I don't ...

Ya see, I really don't hate everything.