Drobo Review

If we know anything about DROBO B1200I and the new B1200i, their mission statement is to keep storage simple. The 12-bay SAN has historically supported up to 48TB of storage via SATA and SAS hard drives via Drobo's BeyondRAID automatic and instantaneous drive management system. Now the B1200i has a new trick up its sleeve, automated data-aware tiering. Maintaining the simplicity mantra, the B1200i can support a trio of SSDs to deliver automatic data tiering, while preserving the other nine bays for large capacity storage, all with plug-and-play simplicity.

Once up and running, getting down to business provisioning the B1200i is pretty straightforward too. Through a series of GUI management screens, administrators can configure everything from thin provisioning volumes to gathering reports on drive usage and relevant performance metrics. Drobo makes a big push around thin provisioning, and thin reclamation as well, highlighting that new volumes can be created in seconds. The reason for this goes back to the way the Drobo unit works by its nature, everything is automatic. So instead of having to specify a location for a volume, Drobo creates Smart Volumes that lay across a series of drives, rather than a specific location. Capacity allocation to all volumes is done from a common pool of storage that auto-reclaims, making management a breeze.

On the hardware front, the B1200i is built for business, with not only modular components, but high availability features like quad-NICs and dual redundant hot swappable power supplies. The design also features a removable controller card and hot-swappable cooling fan, meaning almost the entire unit can be field serviced by just about anyone. The platform is well suited then for virtualized environments and has been certified for VMware vSphere, Citrix XenServer, Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis and Veeam Backup environments.

In this review we'll be taking a look at the B1200i both loaded with hard drives and three OCZ Talos tiering SSDs installed. The OCZ drives are designed specifically for this use and are sold directly through Drobo (OCZTALOS.DROSAS). Drobo's SSD tiering works with a variety of SSDs however; the complete compatibility list can be found here. Drobo offers the B1200i in a variety of configurations and price points depending on the storage and performance requirements. Previous B1200i owners may upgrade with the SSD tiering pack purchased on its own.

Coleman Canopy Gazebo Review

When picking out a gazebo for your backyard, you will notice that they come in an overwhelming amount of shapes and sizes. Rightfully so, every gazebo is built with specific benefits in mind, each tailored to a different lifestyle or different backyard layout.

From hard tops to canopies, big to small, budget-friendly to luxurious or quirky to straightforward, there is an abundance of options out there and a large number of candidates for that special spot in your backyard as well as your heart.

One particular type of gazebo, however, we’ve found does not get nearly enough attention. While not for everyone out there, it is definitely worth noting that sometimes you just need a gazebo that is extra durable, extra functional, and particularly portable.

Now, why is that? It’s because some people live for the joy of being able to pack up your gazebo and take it on a camping trip with you. The majority of gazebo manufacturers out there look at making them bigger, more stylish, sturdier and with as many accessories as possible, yet very few seem to consider the wisdom of simply being able to pack it up in moments and take it to your next destination along with all of the accessories and perks.

This is why we’ve chosen to take a closer look at the COLEMAN CANOPY.

Certainly living up to its name as an instant canopy, this model sets up in three minutes requiring three easy steps for assembly. The highly portable fabric build means you don’t need to struggle with intensive setup of poles and frames. It is closer to a tent than anything else on that front, however it provides the full luxury and spaciousness of a gazebo.

In terms of functionality, it has all the bases covered. The design has built in mosquito netting that is particularly encompassing to make sure that no bugs get into your relaxation zone. This is a contrast to most gazebos where the netting is detachable (possibly even a separate purchase) and may not cover every single inch without leaving an opening.

The comfort grip technology allows for easy adjustment during setup and lock it well into place once you are done. At the same time, it sports vaulted ceilings to maximize height clearance for those taller users as well as two separate entryways (a front one and a back one) for extra maneuverability.



Finally, when it comes to the price range you will find that the Coleman Instant Canopy will not let you down as it is usually less expensive than a lot of the fancy camping gear out there, while providing a fully luxurious gazebo experience that most people would only find at home in their backyard. If you are a mixed breed of camping and backyard enthusiast, or if you simply want a particularly indulgent experience while you’re out camping, the Coleman should be your pick! You can also check out more options on our review of the best canopy gazebos out there.