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.

Best Solar Generator Review in 2017

There are many reasons to own a GOAL ZERO SHERPA 100 POWER PACK. From providing energy during emergencies, to having a clean and green power system for your camping or any other adventure. Solar generators are very much beloved in eco-friendly GOAL ZERO SHERPA 100 POWER PACK, but their complexity makes them a little difficult to understand. This top 10 solar generators review for 2017 is aimed at providing you with a buying guide, explaining the important aspects of such a generator, and a list of the top generators for this year.

Solar Generator Buying Guide

A solar generator is basically a high-tech GOAL ZERO SHERPA 100 POWER PACK made from a combination of technologies. In order to get the right generator that will fit your needs, you need to pay attention to the following features:

– Power Rating in Watts

There are 2 areas to pay attention to here. The first is the power rating of the solar panel or panels. The second is the power rating of the inverter. The solar cells convert light energy into electricity, so the size of your panels determine how much power you can generate from the sun. The inverter is an electronic device that converts Direct Current (DC) into Alternating Current (AC), which you can run your home appliances with. Its power rating determines how many appliances you can run at once.

– Battery Capacity

This refers to how much energy that can be stored in the generator’s battery. Battery capacity is usually measured in kWh, which refers to the amount of electric energy needed to run a 1-kilowatt appliance for 1 hour. The higher the kWh rating of a battery, the better it is. If the battery is a lead-acid battery, then a deep-cycle type is recommended for long life.

– Portability

There are many different types of solar power generators based on their portability. There are the compact types, which are perfect for traveling and camping. There are smaller devices, designed for charging appliances, and expandable systems that can grow with your needs.

– Components & Extras

Different solar generator firms offer different extras. These include USB ports, DC and AC ports, plug-and-play functionality, and a chaining system for hooking up multiple batteries together.

Cash is King (Not)! Small Business Owners – Accept Credit Cards or Wither

When it comes to transacting with customers cash is becoming less and less popular every day. It has come to a point when many people don’t even carry any cash in their wallet, if they carry a wallet at all! According to Gallup poll only 24% of US population is using cash for all or most of their purchases. This is down from 36% only five years ago. If this trend continues it will not be surprising if the federal government starts phasing out some of the cash all together! Few months ago India took a controversial step of banning large currency and instead encouraged the use of credit card and mobile payments for all transactions.



Small business owners who do not facilitate the use of credit card as a method of payment stand to lose customers. While it is true that it costs more for small businesses to accept credit card when accounting for the transaction fees they have to pay to credit card processing companies when you consider the negative impact of not accepting credit cards in the form of lost business it would be ill-advised not to pay this transaction fee. Just consider it as a cost of doing business. The alternative can be even worse!

4 Unusual but Proven Ways to Market Your Business

Every company knows that they have to dedicate a large chunk of their budget and time to ensuring they have a killer marketing plan that will create enough buzz about their company that they’ll finally be able to take off. However, while companies want the big pay offs, they’re sometimes less than willing to take a few risks in order to get it. Indeed, many companies end up just following the prescribed, tried and tested marketing tactics that will work, but which are unlikely to really make a bold statement or yield unexpected returns. That’s why it’s important to think outside of the box when it comes to marketing and doing something is unusual every now and again. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Giveaways

A branded giveaway can be a fantastic way to get noticed by the people you want to be noticed by. It doesn’t even, technically, have to be a giveaway: you can create a limited run of a cool, branded items that people will want and sell them for a nominal fee (the marketing aspect is what’s important). You can make whatever you want too, especially if you make the most of plastic injection molding services. Think of a product, have your brand on the side, and take them to your next trade show or event. People will love them.

Key Attributes Business Graduate Bring to Small Businesses

Over the past few decades, business graduates have been taking the world of small business by storm. There are more companies that are willing to hire professionals who have an online MBA degree and smaller businesses account for the largest increase of companies that are looking for professionals who have specialized business degrees.

When these professionals were in graduate school, they learned the importance of applying the concepts of business that they were taught in the real world. So, employers are gravitating towards applicants who have demonstrated that they have the knowledge and skills necessary to help a company flourish.

So, what are the other attributes that make online MBA graduates more attractive to prospective employers?

Knowledge

When graduate students are in business school, they are taught how a company operates. This means that once they have graduated from an MBA online program, they can work in various areas of the business. Some of the tasks they can complete are: