Tag Archives: synology

Drobo S vs. Synology 1511+ Performance Numbers

Since I got my Drobo S back up and running with a new power supply, I thought I’d put up some quick performance numbers.  The tests are just copying some DVD images back & forth using Windows Explorer and timing on a stopwatch.

Synology via Gigabit Ethernet

Read: 3920357376B in 53 files, 2 folders from Synology to my Desktop on my Shift PC: 67 seconds = 58512797 B/s = 468.10 megabits / s = 58.5 MB/s (just to put all the units out there in case anybody’s confused)

Write: 3921112106B (same as the test below from the same spot) to Synology: 69 seconds = 56.8MB/s

Drobo S via eSATA

3921112106B in 58 files, 2 folders from Drobo-S to same spot on Shift PC: 49 seconds = 80022696 B/s = 640.18 megabits / s = 80.0 MB/s.

Write: 3921112106B to Synology: 53s = 74 MB/s.

Drobo S wins soundly.  Here’s the summary, again:

  • Drobo S via eSATA: 80.0 MB/s read, 74 MB/s write
  • Synology 1511+ via Gig-E: 58.5 MB/s read, 56.8 MB/s write

Anybody think I can tweak settings to get the Synology to go faster?  Let me know what they are.

Synology Arrived

Amazon delivered it around 11am this morning.

I opened it up and started reading the online manual.  Turns out that they have a Synology Hybrid RAID technology that seems close enough to Drobo’s BeyondRAID to suit my needs: you can add drives as you go, add drives with different sizes, etc.

But I overestimated how many hard drives I’ve got sitting around.

So I ordered some 3TB Hitachi 5K3000 drives to use.  They’ll come Tuesday.  Sucks that it takes so long, but it will take me a bit of time to figure out my whole backup strategy anyway…

Now I’m regretting I didn’t wait for the Synology 2411+…  Hmph.  Well, not like I need more than 9TB now anyway, but still.

Drobo emailed me back and asked if I had the thing plugged into a surge protector or directly into the wall.  WTF kind of absurd question is that?  Weaksauce.

NAS: Drobo vs. FreeNAS vs. Synology

I’ve been psyched for Drobo ever since the first time I saw their video years ago where the guy played back a movie while pulling out and putting back in drives.  Wicked awesome.

But they haven’t kept up, imo, with the times.  They still have some really cool underlying tech, but the apps aren’t there.  And just like Windows Phone vs. iPhone, if the apps aren’t there, it’s not such a great platform.

So anyway, last night I was setting up a new AsRock Vision 3D Media Center with Windows 7, and I noticed that it wasn’t seeing the Drobo S that I had plugged in via eSATA.  I went to the closet with the Drobo and noticed its lights were occasionally blinking on for about 50ms, but nothing else.  Drives weren’t spinning, etc.  I tried unplugging, replugging, using another outlet, disconnecting eSATA, etc.  No luck.  I noticed that the light on the external power supply was relatively dim and varying in intensity, so my conclusion is that the power supply is dying.

This is when I decided to switch away from Drobo.  I realized that if I wanted my data back, I only really had 3 options:

  1. Buy a new drobo and stick the drives in it
  2. Buy a new power supply for this Drobo and hope it works
  3. Try to use data recovery software to cobble together the data from the pieces.

#3 is obviously a horrifyingly time consuming prospect.  #1 isn’t much better.  I’m trying #2, but so far Drobo customer support isn’t super fast.  If this were truly mission critical stuff, I’d be pwned.

It was at this point I decided to get a non-Drobo NAS appliance.

I narrowed in on the Synology DS2411+ being what I wanted pretty quickly.  It’s quiet, can hold 12 drives, can accept external expansion, and can connect to IP cameras.  The applications that run on it seem quite good.  Sadly, Amazon said the DS2411+ was “usually available in 1-4 weeks”.

That just won’t do.  So I’m having a Synology DS1511+, which is identical except that it can only hold 5 drives rather than 12, delivered to me tomorrow.

I considered FreeNAS, an open DIY NAS built on FreeBSD, and the hacker in me was really intrigued…   but in the end realized I could click buy it now on Amazon and have a Synology DS1511+ delivered to my house tomorrow for something like a $6 delivery fee.  And that’s awesome.

Plus, just because I have the Synology doesn’t mean I can’t try a FreeNAS as well… It’s free after all.

I’ll update with how the Synology works and whether the Drobo (with all my ripped DVDs, and tons of important documents) is resurrected or not.