Drobo 5D User manual

Drobo 5D Getting Started Guide

Drobo 5D Getting Started Guide 2
Table of Contents
Before You Begin............................................................................................................3
Product Features at a Glance...................................................................................................................3
Checking Box Contents............................................................................................................................4
Checking System Requirements ..............................................................................................................5
Operating Systems Supported.........................................................................................................5
Connectivity Interfaces Supported for the Drobo 5D .......................................................................5
Checking the Hardware You Need...........................................................................................................8
Selecting Drives ...............................................................................................................................8
Determining Drive Space Requirements........................................................................................10
Using Power Protection..................................................................................................................10
Setting Up Your Drobo 5D.............................................................................................11
Installing Drobo Dashboard....................................................................................................................11
Installing an mSATA SSD.......................................................................................................................16
Inserting the Drives.................................................................................................................................17
Connecting Cables on Your Drobo 5D...................................................................................................18
Connecting Directly to Your Drobo 5D...........................................................................................18
Daisy-chaining with Your Drobo 5D...............................................................................................19
Formatting the Drives .............................................................................................................................22
Selecting a File System and Volume Size for Your Drobo 5D.......................................................22
Turning On Your Drobo 5D and Formatting the Drives .................................................................23
Where to Go Next..........................................................................................................28
Using Best Practices...............................................................................................................................28
Keeping Your Software Up to Date ........................................................................................................28
Checking for Software Updates Automatically...............................................................................28
Checking for Software Updates Now.............................................................................................30
Manually Updating Firmware from the Website.............................................................................30
Safely Shutting Down Your Drobo 5D ....................................................................................................31
Safely Shutting Down Your Drobo 5D Using Drobo Dashboard....................................................32
Safely Shutting Down Your Drobo 5D Manually............................................................................34
Using the Online User Guide..................................................................................................................34
Using Context-Sensitive Help.................................................................................................................34
Using the Knowledge Base ....................................................................................................................35
Registering Your Drobo 5D ....................................................................................................................35
Getting Support.......................................................................................................................................38
Copyright, Safety and Limited Warranty........................................................................39

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Before You Begin
Before you begin setting up your Drobo 5D, it’s a good idea to check system and hardware
requirements.
This section covers the following topics:
Product Features at a Glance
Checking Box Contents
Checking System Requirements
Checking the Hardware You Need
Product Features at a Glance
For a quick overview of features of the Drobo 5D, refer to the following images.
Figure 1: Front of the Drobo 5D with the bezel (faceplate) removed.

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Figure 2: Back of the Drobo 5D.
Checking Box Contents
Check your product's box to ensure it contains all the components in the list below.
•Drobo 5D
•2 m (6.6 ft) Thunderbolt cable
•2 m (6.6 ft) USB 3.0 cable
•1.8 m (6.6 ft) power cord with power supply
•Quick Start Card
•Safety and Warranty Guide

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Checking System Requirements
Check to ensure your operating system and cable interface are supported.
This section covers the following topics:
Operating Systems Supported
Connectivity Interfaces Supported for the Drobo 5D
Operating Systems Supported
Operating systems supported for the Drobo 5D are as follows.
•OS X 10.7.x Lion
•OS X 10.8.x Mountain Lion
•Windows 7 (Service Pack 1 or later, 32-bit and 64-bit)
•Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit)
Notes:
-For best performance and interoperability, ensure you are running the latest service packs for
the appropriate Windows operating systems.
-For the most current list of supported operating systems, check the specifications for your
products online at www.drobo.com/products/index.php.
Connectivity Interfaces Supported for the Drobo 5D
Your Drobo 5D connects directly to your computer using one of the following connectivity ports.
We recommend that you use the fastest connection you have available on your computer.
Notes:
-You can only use one connection at a time.
-If you would like to use the USB 3.0 interface and it is not available on your computer, you
can purchase and install an add-on adapter card. (This is a circuit board that fits into an
expansion slot in your computer and provides the interface you want.)
Thunderbolt
Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt is a flexible, high-performance
interface that provides a high-speed connection to peripheral devices from a computer. It has the
ability to combine data, video, audio and power all in a single connection, concurrently. Each
Thunderbolt connector can provide two full-duplex channels, with each channel providing 10
Gbps of bi-directional bandwidth, meaning it can transmit and receive data at the same time.

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The Drobo 5D has two Thunderbolt ports, enabling you to take advantage of Thunderbolt's daisy-
chaining capabilities. With Thunderbolt, you can daisy-chain up to six peripheral devices and one
display from a single computer. Note that because Thunderbolt has dual-protocol support (with
DisplayPort and PCI Express), you can connect your computer to Thunderbolt devices or
DisplayPort products. You can also connect non-Thunderbolt devices at the end of a daisy-chain
by using Thunderbolt technology adapters.
Here are three options for connecting your Drobo device using its Thunderbolt interface.
1. Your Drobo device directly connected to a computer (with no daisy-chain).

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2. Multiple Drobo devices connected in a chain with a DisplayPort monitor at the end.
3. Your Drobo device connected to an external Thunderbolt monitor that is then connected to a
computer (with the Drobo device at the end).

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USB 3.0
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a popular interface that allows you to attach additional hardware
devices to your computer in a plug-and-play style. USB 3.0, also known as SuperSpeed USB,
provides data transfer speeds of up to 4.8 Gbit/s, much faster than USB 2.0.
In order to take advantage of this technology, your Drobo 5D must be connected to a USB 3.0
port on your computer. If your computer does not have USB 3.0, you can consult with your
computer manufacturer to find a compatible USB 3.0 card.
Note: If your computer only has a USB 2.0 connection, then Drobo 5D will auto-negotiate to USB
2.0 speeds.
Checking the Hardware You Need
To use your Drobo 5D, you will need at least two drives. If you plan to use Dual Disk
Redundancy, which protects your data against two drive failures, you will need at least three
drives.
This section covers the following topics:
Selecting Drives
Determining Drive Space Requirements
Using Power Protection
Selecting Drives
The Drobo 5D supports both standard 3.5” SATA hard disk drives (HDDs) as well as SATA solid
state drives (SSDs) for added performance. For HDDs, these drives can be from any
manufacturer and with any capacity. For SSDs, please visit our web page for compatible drive
options.
In addition, the Drobo 5D has a Drobo Accelerator Bay, which accepts an industry-standard
mSATA SSD(Solid State Drive). When the mSATA SSD is installed, Drobo’s Data-Aware Tiering
feature is enabled, accelerating performance when reading data from your Drobo device. Having
an mSATA SSD installed leaves all drive bays available for high-capacity hard disk drives (HDDs)
so that you can get both high-capacity and accelerated performance out of your Drobo device.
Using only SSDs in the main drive bays of your Drobo 5D provides the fastest performance when
reading and writing data to and from your Drobo device.
In summary, here are the recommended number and type of drives you can use with your
Drobo 5D. Note that you need at least two drives in the drive bays to ensure your data is
protected in the event of drive failure.
•2 to 5 HDD(Hard Disk Drive)s in the main drive bays - enables you to maximize capacity
•2 to 5 HDDs in the main drive bays plus an mSATA SSD installed - enables you to
maximize capacity and accelerate read performance
•2 to 5 SSD(Solid State Drive)s in the main drive bays with no mSATA SSD - enables you
to maximize read and write performance
For a performance comparison of these options, see the following illustration.

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Important Notes:
-If an incompatible SSD is inserted into the Drobo device, the drive light will blink red,
indicating the need to replace that drive. Please refer to our web page on compatible drive
options.for more information.
-The mSATA SSD card is not part of the disk pack of your Drobo 5D, allowing you to leave it
installed even if you transfer drives from the drive bays to another Drobo device, for example.
-When Data-Aware Tiering is enabled, an icon displays in Drobo Dashboard, the software
companion to your Drobo device.
-The Drobo 5D is not compatible with IDE(Integrated Drive Electronics), SCSI(Small
Computer System Interface), PATA(Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment) or
SAS(Serial Attached SCSI) drives.
Warning! Any pre-existing data on the drives will be erased when inserted into the Drobo 5D.

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Determining Drive Space Requirements
In order to protect your data from drive failure, your Drobo 5D requires more space than what you
will use for your data, sometimes as much as double or more the amount of space.
The best way to determine how much usable, protected storage space you will have available for
your data, based on the number and capacity of your drives, is to use our Capacity Calculator at
www.drobo.com/calculator.
A shortcut to estimating the capacity available for your data is to omit the largest drive and then
add the capacity of the remaining drives. If you plan to use Dual Disk Redundancy, omit the
largest two drives. For example:
Single Disk (Default) Redundancy
Dual Disk Redundancy
Notes:
-Actual capacity is often less than what is shown in the examples above due to the different
systems used for rating capacity. This has nothing to do with Drobo devices.
-Know that all Drobo devices enable you to easily increase storage capacity at any time by
simply inserting additional drives or replacing smaller drives with larger ones.
Using Power Protection
We recommend using the following power protection with your Drobo device:
•An uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which protects against sudden losses in power
•A power surge protector to protect against power surges

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Setting Up Your Drobo 5D
Once you have unpacked your Drobo 5D from its box and ensured you meet all system and
hardware requirements, it is time to set up your Drobo 5D for use. This can be done in just a few
easy steps!
1. Install Drobo Dashboard.
2. Install an mSATA Card (optional).
3. Insert the drives.
4. Connect the cables.
5. Turn on the power and format the drives.
Installing Drobo Dashboard
Drobo Dashboard is the software companion to your Drobo 5D, enabling you to easily set up and
manage your Drobo device. Immediately following installation, you can choose to set Drobo
Dashboard to automatically install version updates, which we highly recommend.
Drobo software and firmware updates can also be installed from
www.drobo.com/support/updates.
Note: You need to have administrator rights on the computer on which you install Drobo
Dashboard, and also have access to the Internet.
1. Navigate to www.drobo.com/start and click on the latest Drobo Dashboard for your Drobo
product to run and install it.
Note: The first time you install Drobo Dashboard, you will be asked to select a language from
the drop-down list. Please do this.
The Drobo Dashboard Installer (or Installation Wizard) opens, preparing to install.

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On a Mac, this screen appears as follows.
In Windows, this screen appears as follows.

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2. Click the Next (Windows) or Continue button (Mac), as appropriate.
Note: If the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator window appears, click the Yes button. Follow the
instructions to install the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator, clicking the Next button as needed. When
finished, you are returned to the InstallShield Wizard to continue installation.
3. Follow the directions of the Installation Wizard, clicking the Next or Continue button after
each page, as appropriate.
4. When you reach the installation page, click the Install button.
On a Mac, this screen appears as follows.

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In Windows, this screen appears as follows.
Depending on your operating system, one of the following may result:
•On a Mac, you will be prompted for your administrator password. Enter it and click the
appropriate button.
•In some Windows operating systems, a Windows Access Control dialog box appears,
asking if you want to allow changes to your computer. Click the Allow or Yes button, as
appropriate.
Drobo Dashboard installs on your computer.
5. If you are on a Mac, you will be prompted to restart your computer in order to complete
installation. Do this.
6. After installation is complete, leave the Launch Drobo Dashboard check box selected and
click the Finish button.
Note: Before Drobo Dashboard launches, you may be asked if Drobo can collect anonymous
information on your usage. Click Yes or No, as desired. You may also be prompted to
register your Drobo device now.
The Drobo Dashboard application launches and the All Drobos page opens. After a few
seconds, Drobo "discovers" all Drobo devices currently connected and displays them on this
page.
If you have no Drobo devices yet connected or powered on, a "No Drobos Detected"
message displays until you do.

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Installing an mSATA SSD
You can install an mSATA SSD into your Drobo 5D. Doing so provides accelerated performance
when reading data from your Drobo 5D. For more information on drive requirements, see
Selecting Drives.
It is best to install the mSATA SSD before inserting drives into the Drobo 5D's drive bays.
Important Notes:
-The mSATA SSD is not part of your Drobo device's disk pack, so you can add or remove it at
any time.
-Your Drobo device must be powered off and unplugged before installation.
-It is important to ground yourself before installing the mSATA SSD in order to discharge
static electricity. To do so, touch a grounded metal object just before installation.
Warning! If there is any pre-existing data on the mSATA SSD it will be erased. If you wish to
keep the data, copy it to another drive or medium before using with your Drobo device.
1. Gently turn the Drobo 5D on to its side to access the bottom of the Drobo 5D, and open the
Drobo Accelerator Bay door by turning the latch from lock to unlock using a coin.
2. Slide the mSATA SSD into the slot as depicted in the image below.
3. Make sure the mSATA SSD is aligned properly with its connector, and then close the Drobo
Accelerator Bay door, turn the latch back to the lock icon, and return the Drobo 5D to its
normal position.

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Inserting the Drives
After installing Drobo Dashboard and, if needed, installing an mSATA SSD, you are ready to
insert drives into your Drobo 5D. For more information on drive requirements, see Selecting
Drives.
Warning! Any pre-existing data on the drives will be erased, as the drives will be formatted. If you
wish to keep the data, copy it to another drive or medium before using with your Drobo device.
Note: Once you insert the drives into your Drobo device, they function as a unit or “pack.” To
access the data on them, you will need the entire pack.
1. Remove the front bezel (faceplate) from the front of your Drobo device by pulling it off.
2. With one hand, hold the drive so that the label on the top of the drive faces up (and its
connectors are positioned at the device and toward the left). Refer to one of the images
below, depending on whether your Drobo device is vertical or horizontal.
3. With your other hand, use your thumb to depress and hold open one of the drive locks to a
selected drive bay. Refer to the image below.
4. Slide the drive into the drive bay, release the drive lock and push the drive into place until you
feel it connect.
The drive lock snaps behind the drive, securing it into place.
Note: If you are inserting an SSD (Solid State Drive), ensure that it is compatible by visiting
our web page on compatible drive options.
5. Insert additional drives in the same manner, following steps 2 through 4.
6. When finished, replace the faceplate right side up, so that when your Drobo device is turned
on, you will be able to see the indicator lights.
You are now ready to connect cables and power on your Drobo device.

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Connecting Cables on Your Drobo 5D
After installing Drobo Dashboard and inserting the drives into your Drobo 5D, you are ready to
connect the power and data cables on your Drobo device. There are two ways you can connect
the data cables:
•You can connect the Drobo 5D directly to your computer using the Thunderbolt port USB
or the 3.0 port. For information on the different connectivity interfaces available and their
requirements, see Connectivity Interfaces Supported for the Drobo 5D.
•If you use the Thunderbolt port, you also have the option to connect the Drobo 5D to
another Thunderbolt-enabled device that is attached to your computer (including another
Drobo device or a display monitor) in a daisy-chain manner. The Drobo 5D can be the
first in the daisy-chain (directly attached to your computer), in the middle, or at the end.
For more information and steps, see Connecting Your Drobo 5D in a Daisy-chain.
Connecting Directly to Your Drobo 5D
You can connect the Drobo 5D directly to your computer using the Thunderbolt port or the USB
3.0 port. For information on the different connectivity interfaces available and their requirements,
see Connectivity Interfaces Supported for the Drobo 5D.
If you are using a Thunderbolt port and would like to connect the Drobo 5D in a daisy-chain, see
Connecting Your Drobo 5D in a Daisy-chain.
As you follow the steps below, refer to the following image.
1. Plug one end of the USB or the Thunderbolt cable into the back of your Drobo 5D.
2. Plug the other end of the cable into your host computer.
3. Connect the power supply to the power connection at the back of your Drobo device.
4. Connect the other end of the power supply to a power source.
Note: We recommend plugging into an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or surge
protector. For more information, see Using Power Protection.
You are now ready to turn on your Drobo device and format the drives.

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Daisy-chaining with Your Drobo 5D
With the Thunderbolt port, you can connect the Drobo 5D directly to your computer or to another
Thunderbolt-enabled device in a daisy-chain manner. The Drobo 5D performs best when it is the
first in the daisy-chain, but it can also be in the middle or at the end.
You can daisy-chain up to six peripheral devices and one display (which can be a DisplayPort
monitor) from a single computer. The non-Thunderbolt display needs to be at the end of the
chain.
Note: As long as they are plugged in, Drobo devices do not need to be powered on for
Thunderbolt interfaces to remain active. This enables other devices in the chain to remain
accessible by the computer.
Here are three options for connecting your Drobo device using its Thunderbolt interface.
1. Your Drobo device directly connected to a computer (with no daisy-chain).

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2. Multiple Drobo devices connected in a chain with a DisplayPort monitor at the end.
3. Your Drobo device connected to an external Thunderbolt monitor that is then connected to a
computer (with the Drobo device at the end).