How Cute Is This - Drobo Mini

 Statement of Interest:  I own a Drobo storage unit. I paid for it with my own money. I installed it into my digital system myself. It has worked flawlessly since. It is likely to be all I need to safeguard my digital images.

Now that we have that out of the way, here is the latest cute-as-a-bug idea from Drobo. They have made a mini version of the big Drobo FS unit I use for people who want security in a smaller space.

The unit operates very much like mine - Up to 4 SATA hard disk drives are slotted into the unit at the font and configured with the software. They then receive the data and parcel it out amongst themselves so that no one unit has the entire key to the liquor cabinet. Should any one of the hard disk drives look like it is going to fail, the Drobo alerts the user to replace the dodgy disk before it is dead and the data marches merrily on. No loss, no risk.

Mine uses big disks, this one uses small disks - but as time has advanced the sport, this unit can work even faster than mine - it is fitted with USB3.0 and Thunderbolt entry ports. It will work fine for USB 2.0.

There is good provision for cooling round the back of he unit and you'll notice from the back view that there is a lock on the power supply socket. In my case my biggie is locked into a vented steel cabinet, so ( hopefully) no-one can run off with the unit and the data.

$ 730 will get this one in your home or office, and then add the SATA drives. The box does contain the Thunderbolt cable and the setup is deliciously easy. Hey, I managed it, and I trained on Fisher-Price computers...

PS: Apple not included - that is my lunch.

Uncle Dick