Drobo 5N2 User Guide
Contents 1 Drobo 5N2 User Guide .................................................................................................................. 6 1.1 Before You Begin ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.1.1 Product Features at a Glance ...................................................................................................................... 8 1.1.2 Checking Box Contents ...............................
1.3.6 Registering Your Drobo 5N2 .....................................................................................................................62 1.3.7 Getting Technical Support ..........................................................................................................................65 1.4 Using and Managing Your Drobo 5N2 ................................................................................... 67 1.4.1 Using Drobo Dashboard ..........................................
1.6.3 Assigning Users Access Rights to a Share ........................................................................................ 127 1.6.3.1 Assign Users Access Rights via Shares View ............................................................................... 128 1.6.3.2 Assign Users Access Rights via Users View .................................................................................. 129 1.6.4 Mounting Shares .......................................................................
1.9.1.4 Modifying When to Send On-Screen Alerts ................................................................................ 181 1.9.1.5 Disabling On-Screen Alerts ................................................................................................................ 183 1.9.1.6 Setting or Modifying Email Alerts for a Selected Drobo 5N2 Only ................................... 184 1.9.2 Using DroboDR to Replicate Data.......................................................................
1 Drobo 5N2 User Guide Congratulations on your new Drobo! This Getting Started section will help you set up your Drobo 5N2 and run it in just a few steps.
1.1 Before You Begin Before you begin setting up your Drobo 5N2, it’s a good idea to check the system and hardware requirements.
1.1.1 Product Features at a Glance For a quick overview of features of the Drobo 5N2, refer to the following images. Figure 1: Front of the Drobo 5N2 with the bezel (faceplate) removed.
Figure 2: Back of the Drobo 5N2 Related topic: Before You Begin Drobo5N2 User Guide 9
1.1.2 Checking Box Contents When you open the product’s box, you will find the components listed below. ● Drobo 5N2 ● Two 6ft (1.8m) Ethernet cable ● 6ft (1.
1.1.3 Checking System Requirements Check to ensure your operating system and cable interface are supported with the Drobo 5N2.
1.1.3.1 Operating Systems Supported For the most current list of supported operating systems, check the specifications for your products online at www.drobo.com/products/index.php.
1.1.3.2 Connectivity Interfaces Supported for the Drobo 5N2 Your Drobo 5N2 connects to a network via a router or switch using an Ethernet port. Ethernet is the standard local area network (LAN) access method. Gigabit Ethernet Port Drobo 5N2 supports dual gigabit Ethernet connections (1000 Mbit/s) for optimal performance. It will, however, auto-negotiate the highest connection speed available to your router or switch.
1.1.4 Checking the Hardware You Need To use your Drobo 5N2, you will need at least two hard drives. If you plan to use Dual Disk Redundancy, which protects your data against two hard drive failures, you will need at least three hard drives.
1.1.4.1 Selecting Drives The Drobo 5N2 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 5N2 has a Drobo Accelerator Bay, which accepts an industry-standard mSATA SSD.
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 is not part of the disk pack of your Drobo 5N2, allowing you to leave it installed even if you transfer drives from the drive bays to another Drobo device, for example.
Related topics: Determining Drive Space Requirements Checking the Hardware You Need Before You Begin Drobo5N2 User Guide 17
1.1.4.2 Determining Drive Space Requirements In order to protect your data from hard drive failure, your Drobo 5N2 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.
1.1.4.3 Using a Router or Switch with the Drobo 5N2 You will be plugging your Drobo 5N2 into a router or switch that must already be configured to work with your network. Your router or switch must have at least one Ethernet port open and available. Your router or switch must also support DHCP. If it does not, you will need to directly connect your Drobo 5N2 to one of your computer’s Ethernet ports for the initial setup. Tip: To check for DHCP support, refer to the documentation for your router or switch.
1.1.4.
1.2 Setting Up Your Drobo 5N2 Once you have unpacked your Drobo 5N2 from its box and ensured you meet all system and hardware requirements, it is time to set up your Drobo device for use. This can be done in just a few easy steps! 1. Overview of First Time Setup 2. Downloading and Installing Drobo Dashboard 3. Connecting Cables and Powering on Your Drobo 5N2 4. Inserting Drives 5. Setting Administrator Username and Password 6. Understanding the Indicator Lights 7.
1.2.1 Overview of First Time Setup This section explains how to set up your Drobo 5N2 for the first time. 1.2.1.1.1.1 Checking Box Contents When you open the product’s box, you will find the components listed below. ● Drobo 5N2 ● Two 6ft (1.8m) Ethernet cable ● 6ft (1.8m) power cord with power supply ● Quick Start Card ● Safety and Warranty Guide Steps for setting up your Drobo 5N2 are as follows: 1.
8. Your Drobo should begin updating to the latest firmware and automatically formatting the disk. Please allow Drobo up to 20 minutes for the total initialization process. Here's what you will see happen: When your Drobo appears in Drobo Dashboard, you may select it and go into the Status page which will show that the Drobo is initializing. While initialization is taking place, all of the drive slot LEDs will be yellow, and the capacity LEDs will blink blue.
1.2.2 Downloading and Installing Drobo Dashboard The Drobo Dashboard application will help you to set up and manage your Drobo 5N2. After installation of the Dashboard, you can configure the settings to automatically install version updates, which is highly recommended. Drobo software and firmware updates for Drobo 5N2 can be downloaded and installed from Start Drobo 5N2 page.
1.2.2.1 Installing Drobo Dashboard on Windows To install the Drobo Dashboard on a Windows machine: 1. Go to the Start 5N2 page and download the Drobo Dashboard installation file for Windows. 2. After downloading, double-click the Drobo Dashboard Installer to launch it. 3. A pop up will appear asking you to choose the language for installation. Select the language of your choice and click OK. 4. The Drobo Dashboard Installer (or Installation Wizard) will appear.
5. Click the Next button to proceed. 6. Follow the instructions of the Installation Wizard by clicking the Next button after each page. 7. Once you reach the installation page, click the Install button. 8.
you want to allow changes to your computer. Click the Allow or Yes button. This installs the Drobo Dashboard. 9. After the installation is complete, be sure that the Launch Drobo Dashboard checkbox is selected and then, click the Finish button. 10. The Drobo Dashboard application launches and you will be prompted to register your Drobo 5N2. You can either register the Drobo 5N2 or skip the step and register it later. Select an option based on you preference.
11. Click the Next button to view the All Drobos page. After a few seconds, Drobo "discovers" all Drobo devices currently connected and displays them on this page.
12. If you have no Drobo device connected to the computer or powered on, a "No Drobos Detected" message displays until you do. 13. Your Drobo 5N2 will not work until you update the firmware. For information on updating the firmware to the latest version, see Updating Your Drobo 5N2 to the Latest Firmware.
1.2.2.2 Installing Drobo Dashboard on Mac To install the Drobo Dashboard on a Mac machine: 1. Go to the Start 5N2 page and download the Drobo Dashboard installation file for Mac. 2. After downloading, double-click the Drobo Dashboard Installer to launch it. 3. A pop up will appear asking whether to open the Installer. Click Open. 4. The Install Drobo Dashboard page will appear. Click Continue to proceed to the next screen. 5. The Firewall Warning page appears. Click Continue.
6. Next, the Installation Wizard page appears. Click Continue to proceed. 7. The Software License Agreement page appears. From here, you can choose the language in which you want to proceed the installation process.
8. After choosing the desired language, Click the Continue button. 9. A dialog box will appear asking you to Agree or Disagree the terms of the license agreement. Click Agree to proceed. 10. You will reach the Installation Type section. Click the Install button to proceed.
11. You will be prompted to enter the administrator password. Enter the password and click Install Software. 12. Then, you will be prompted to restart your computer in order to complete the installation. Click Continue Installation to proceed.
13. When the installation completes, you will see the following screen to restart the computer to finish the installation. Click Restart. 14. Once the computer restarts, launch the Drobo Dashboard application.
15. The application will prompt you to register your Drobo 5N2. You can either register it or skip the step and register it later. Select an option based on you preference. Note: We highly recommend to register your product in order to obtain support. 16. Click the Next button to view the All Drobos page. After a few seconds, Drobo "discovers" all Drobo devices currently connected and displays them on this page.
1.2.3 Connecting Cables and Powering On Your Drobo 5N2 After inserting the mSATA SSD (optional) and hard drives into your Drobo 5N2, you are now ready to connect the cables and power on your Drobo device. Your Drobo 5N2 connects to a network using an Ethernet port. Notes: Your Drobo 5N2 has two Ethernet ports, which you can later configure to use in one of two modes. For the initial setup, however, you will use only one of the Ethernet ports.
2. Plug the other end into your router or switch. 3. Connect the power cord to the power connection at the back of your Drobo device. 4. Connect the other end of the power cord to a power source. To power on your Drobo 5N2: 1. Once you attach one end of the power cord to your Drobo 5N2 and the other end of the cord to a power source. turn on the Drobo using the power switch located on the back of the device. 2.
Note: We recommend plugging into an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or surge protector. For more information, see Using Power Protection. Drobo Dashboard automatically assigns “Drobo” as the default name for your Drobo device, which you can rename later. A drive bay indicator light displays green for each hard drive on your Drobo device. For details, see Understanding the Indicator Lights.
1.2.4 Inserting Drives After installing an mSATA SSD, if needed, you are now ready to insert drives into your Drobo 5N2. For more information on drive requirements, see Selecting Drives. Also, see this link on the Drobo website: http://www.drobo.com/storage-products/choose-drive/. 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.
4. Slide the drive into the data bay, release the drive lock and push the drive into place until you feel it connect. 5. The drive lock snaps behind the drive, securing it into place. Note: If you are inserting an SSD, ensure that it is compatible by visiting our web page on compatible drive options: http://www.drobo.com/storage-products/choose-drive/ 6. Insert additional drives in the same manner, following steps 2 through 4. 7.
1.2.5 Setting Administrator Username and Password For the Drobo 5N2, this is the last step in the setup of your Drobo device. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, double-click the appropriate Drobo device from the All Drobos page. The Status page opens. 2. Click the link that reads: Click here to password protect this Drobo. The Admin Settings page opens. 3. In the Username text box, enter a username for the administrator. “Admin” is the default. 4.
Next in the Setup for Your Drobo 5N2 Where to Go Next Return to Setting Up Your Drobo 5N2 Drobo5N2 User Guide 42
1.2.6 Understanding the Indicator Lights Your Drobo 5N2 is equipped with various indicator lights which provide valuable information. Refer to the image below. Drive Green: No action is required. All drives are healthy. Lights Solid Yellow: Add a drive or replace the current drive with a larger drive soon. Your Drobo device is running out of disk space. See Adding Capacity (or Drives). Blinking Yellow and Green: Do not remove these drives or power down. Your Drobo device is working to protect your data.
Red: Your Drobo device has overheated. Safely power down your Drobo 5N2, disconnect the data cable and then the power cable. Let it cool down and then restart. Activity Blinking Green: Data is actively being transferred between your computer and Light your Drobo device. Do not remove or add drives during this process. Capacity Blue: Displays the percentage of your Drobo device that is full, in 10% Gauge increments. There are 10 capacity gauge lights.
1.2.7 Migrating a Disk Pack from Another Drobo Device The Drobo 5N2 supports migrating entire disk packs from a Drobo5N (16TB or 64TB volume) and DroboFS (16TB volume), preserving all the data and shares you created. You can also migrate disk packs from one Drobo 5N2 to another. Notes: A disk pack functions as a unit. When you migrate a disk pack, you move ALL the drives from one Drobo device to another.
below: 1. Safely shut down the Drobo5N or DroboFS and Drobo 5N2. For steps, see Safely Shutting Down Your Drobo 5N2 2. Remove ALL drives from the Drobo5N (16TB volume), Drobo5N (64TB volume) or DroboFS (16TB volume) and insert ALL drives into the Drobo 5N2. 3. Turn the Drobo 5N2 back on by pressing its Power Toggle button. The Drobo 5N2 may take a few minutes to boot up. When finished, all the data and shares will be available on the Drobo 5N2 as it was on the other Drobo device.
1.2.8 Using Drobo 5N2 with Time Machine Drobo 5N2 is having the ability to create a dedicated backup in Mac OS system with the help of Time Machine. The backup is compatible with encrypted backup options. This section will explain how to create a backup for your Drobo device. Creating a backup The following steps will help you to create a fixed-size backup that will appear as a new disk, separate from your main Drobo volume.
5. Click on the Share Settings button The Share Settings page will appear as shown in the figure.
6. Click on the Add button. The Add Share dialog box appears. Enter the name of your backup in the Share Name text box.
Note: The name must be 1 to 27 characters in length and should not contain reserved characters or spaces. 7. Select the Enable Time Machine Support on this share checkbox and enter the backup size (GB) and click OK. 8. The backup you just created gets listed in share settings page under the Select a Share section.
9. In the Change user access area, click on a user to which you would like to assign (or modify) access rights to the selected backup. For more information see Assigning Users Access Rights to a Share 10. Click OK after assigning the rights. The Shares page will appear. Mount the Backup by selecting the checkbox.
11. To finish the process, open the settings of your backup software (Time Machine), and select the backup that you created as the destination and then click Use Disk .
Related topics: Renaming Backup Deleting Backup Drobo5N2 User Guide 53
1.3 Where to Go Next After you have set up your Drobo 5N2, you are ready to store and back up data onto it. Next steps include the following. Click on a topic below to learn more.
1.3.1 Using Best Practices for Protecting Data While Drobo 5N2 protects your data from a single drive failure and concurrent 2 drive failures (when used in Dual Disk Redundancy setting) our data can still be lost. Drive head crash, damage to the whole 5N2 device and disk pack, files corrupted before being saved to the Drobo 5N2, unsafe shutdowns, and other traumatic events can result in data loss. So to know more specific guidelines on how to best protect your data, please visit our Best Practices page.
1.3.2 Keeping Your Software Up to Date To ensure optimal performance, we highly recommend that you set your Drobo 5N2 to automatically check for software updates (you may have already done this during the initial setup). This feature keeps both Drobo Dashboard and your product’s firmware current. You can also install updates from Start Drobo 5N2 page. If you would like to install a firmware update from the Drobo website, see Manually Updating Firmware from the Website.
1.3.2.1 Checking for Software Updates The following steps ensure that Drobo Dashboard and your Drobo device’s firmware are up to date. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2 device on the All Drobos page. 2. Click the Tools option on the Navigation menu to open the Tools page. 3. In the Software Updates area of the Tools page, click the Check for Updates option. Note: If needed, ensure that you are logged in to this Drobo device. 4.
1.3.3 Using Online User Guide After you have set up your Drobo 5N2, you are ready to use it to store and back up data. To learn how to manage and use your Drobo 5N2 refer to the Online User Guide for your product available at the Drobo 5N2 page. You can also access the user guide from the Drobo Dashboard by clicking the Help & Support option on the Navigation menu. This will lead to the Help and Support. page. From here, click the View Drobo User Guide link to open the Online User Guide in a web browser.
1.3.4 Using Context-Sensitive Help On the top right corner of the Drobo Dashboard, you will find the Help button (?). Click this button to view the context-sensitive help. The Help window opens in your Internet browser providing information particular to the page from which you clicked for help.
1.3.5 Using Knowledge Base Our searchable knowledge base provides answers to almost any question related to your Drobo device that you cannot find in the Online User Guide. To access our knowledge base follow the steps below. 1. In the Drobo Dashboard, click the Help and Support option on the Navigation menu. The Help and Support page opens. 2. In the Check Drobo online resources! area, click the Search Knowledge Base link to open the Drobo Knowledge Base web page.
Related topics: Using the Online User Guide Using Context-Sensitive Help Getting Support Drobo5N2 User Guide 61
1.3.6 Registering Your Drobo 5N2 If you did not register your Drobo device during setup, you can do so from within Drobo Dashboard. Note: You will need to be connected to the Internet to perform this action. To register your Drobo 5N2: 1. Open the Drobo Dashboard and from the All Drobos page, click the Drobo device you need to register. 2. Then, click the Help and Support option in the Navigation menu. This opens the Help and Support page for that Drobo device. 3.
4. Then, do one of the following: ● If you do not have a Drobo account, click the Create a new Drobo account link. A one-page form opens in your web browser. Fill this in and click Create Account. Fill this in and create your account, and then return to this step to log into your account. ● If you already have a Drobo account, select the Register new Drobo with my Drobo account option, and then enter your Drobo username and password. You can click the Forgot username or password link if needed.
Tip: You can click the Skip this step for now check box at any time. 7. Once done, click the Register Drobo button. 8. The next page shows with a check mark that your product has been registered. Note: You can choose to purchase a DroboCare license by clicking on that link. 9. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to register additional Drobo devices. 10. When finished, click the Done button. You will return to the Help and Support page.
1.3.7 Getting Technical Support To obtain technical support for your product, first, be sure to register your product at www.drobo.com/registration, if you have not already done so. You can then go to www.drobo.com/support for details on how to contact support. You can also find support from the Drobo Dashboard. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device for which you need to get support, and then click the Help and Support option on the Navigation menu.
Related topics: Using Online User Guide Using Context-Sensitive Help Using Knowledge Base Drobo5N2 User Guide 66
1.4 Using and Managing Your Drobo 5N2 Once you set up your Drobo device, the following topics will help you to use and manage the device.
1.4.1 Using Drobo Dashboard Drobo Dashboard is the software companion to your Drobo 5N2, enabling you to easily set up, manage and use your Drobo device.
1.4.1.1 Installing Drobo Dashboard Downloading and Installing Drobo Dashboard The Drobo Dashboard application will help you to set up and manage your Drobo 5N2. After installation of the Dashboard, you can configure the settings to automatically install version updates, which is highly recommended. Drobo software and firmware updates for Drobo 5N2 can be downloaded and installed from Start Drobo 5N2 page.
1.4.1.1.1 Installing Drobo Dashboard on Windows To install the Drobo Dashboard on a Windows machine: 1. Go to the Start 5N2 page and download the Drobo Dashboard installation file for Windows. 2. After downloading, double-click the Drobo Dashboard Installer to launch it. 3. A pop up will appear asking you to choose the language for installation. Select the language of your choice and click OK. 4. The Drobo Dashboard Installer (or Installation Wizard) will appear.
5. Click the Next button to proceed. 6. Follow the instructions of the Installation Wizard by clicking the Next button after each page. 7. Once you reach the installation page, click the Install button. 8.
you want to allow changes to your computer. Click the Allow or Yes button. This installs the Drobo Dashboard. 9. After the installation is complete, be sure that the Launch Drobo Dashboard checkbox is selected and then, click the Finish button. 10. The Drobo Dashboard application launches and you will be prompted to register your Drobo 5N2. You can either register the Drobo 5N2 or skip the step and register it later. Select an option based on you preference.
11. Click the Next button to view the All Drobos page. After a few seconds, Drobo "discovers" all Drobo devices currently connected and displays them on this page.
12. If you have no Drobo device connected to the computer or powered on, a "No Drobos Detected" message displays until you do. 13. Your Drobo 5N2 will not work until you update the firmware. For information on updating the firmware to the latest version, see Updating Your Drobo 5N2 to the Latest Firmware.
1.4.1.1.2 Installing Drobo Dashboard on Mac To install the Drobo Dashboard on a Mac machine: 1. Go to the Start 5N2 page and download the Drobo Dashboard installation file for Mac. 2. After downloading, double-click the Drobo Dashboard Installer to launch it. 3. A pop up will appear asking whether to open the Installer. Click Open. 4. The Install Drobo Dashboard page will appear. Click Continue to proceed to the next screen. 5. The Firewall Warning page appears. Click Continue.
6. Next, the Installation Wizard page appears. Click Continue to proceed. 7. The Software License Agreement page appears. From here, you can choose the language in which you want to proceed the installation process.
8. After choosing the desired language, Click the Continue button. 9. A dialog box will appear asking you to Agree or Disagree the terms of the license agreement. Click Agree to proceed. 10. You will reach the Installation Type section. Click the Install button to proceed.
11. You will be prompted to enter the administrator password. Enter the password and click Install Software. 12. Then, you will be prompted to restart your computer in order to complete the installation. Click Continue Installation to proceed.
13. When the installation completes, you will see the following screen to restart the computer to finish the installation. Click Restart. 14. Once the computer restarts, launch the Drobo Dashboard application.
15. The application will prompt you to register your Drobo 5N2. You can either register it or skip the step and register it later. Select an option based on you preference. Note: We highly recommend to register your product in order to obtain support. 16. Click the Next button to view the All Drobos page. After a few seconds, Drobo "discovers" all Drobo devices currently connected and displays them on this page.
1.4.1.2 Keeping Your Software Up to Date To ensure optimal performance, we highly recommend that you set your Drobo 5N2 to automatically check for software updates (you may have already done this during the initial setup). This feature keeps both Drobo Dashboard and your product’s firmware current. You can also install updates from Start Drobo 5N2 page. If you would like to install a firmware update from the Drobo website, see Manually Updating Firmware from the Website.
1.4.1.2.1 Checking for Software Updates The following steps ensure that Drobo Dashboard and your Drobo device’s firmware are up to date. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2 device on the All Drobos page. 2. Click the Tools option on the Navigation menu to open the Tools page. 3. In the Software Updates area of the Tools page, click the Check for Updates option. Note: If needed, ensure that you are logged in to this Drobo device. 4.
1.4.1.2.2 Manually Updating Firmware from Drobo Website To manually update the firmware from the website, follow steps. 1. Go to Start Drobo 5N2 page on our website and download the appropriate firmware file for your Drobo product (a zip file for the PC or a dmg file for the Mac), saving it to a folder that is not located on your Drobo device. If there is only one firmware file (a zip file), this file functions for both the Mac and Windows-based computers. 2.
1.4.1.3 Touring Drobo Dashboard In this topic, the two main areas of Drobo Dashboard are defined for the Drobo 5N2: the All Drobos page and the Navigation menu. All Drobos Page When you first open Drobo Dashboard, the All Drobos page opens, displaying all Drobo devices connected to your computer and/or network.
● View as List – This button provides a view of your Drobo devices in table format. Information in the list includes total protected capacity available for data, used capacity, free capacity, your device’s serial number and whether you are currently logged in or out. The currently selected Drobo device has a blue border. For more information on understanding capacity values, see Checking Storage Usage. You click on a button to change the view.
Menu options include the following: ● All Drobos (#), where # is the number of Drobo devices you have connected – Opens the All Drobos page. ● Status – Opens the Status page, where you can view a variety of status information for the selected Drobo device, such as drive information, device serial number and more. ● Capacity – Opens the Capacity page, where you can view how your Drobo device’s storage capacity is being used.
Tip: For the Status, Capacity, Shares and Tools pages, you can view the same information for other connected Drobo devices (if applicable) by clicking the up or down arrow key that displays to the left of the Drobo device name, which is in the upper-left corner of the page.
1.4.2 Logging On to a Drobo 5N2 To log in to you Drobo 5N2: 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, double-click on the Drobo device to which you would like to log on. 2. The Status page for that Drobo device opens. 3. Click the Login link near the top. The Login dialog page opens. 4. In the Username text box, enter the username for this Drobo device. 5. In the Password text box, enter the password for this Drobo device.
1.4.3 Logging Out of a Drobo 5N2 To log out of your Drobo 5N2: 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, double-click on the Drobo device of which you would like to log out. The Status page for that Drobo device opens. 2. Click the Logout link. 3. You are logged out of the Drobo device, and the Logout link changes to a Login link. Note: When you log out of a Drobo 5N2, any shares you have mounted will be un-mounted automatically.
1.4.4 Modifying the Administrator Username and Password If you did not set the administrator username and password for your Drobo 5N2 during the setup process and would like to do so now, see Setting the Administrator Username and Password instead. Otherwise, if you would like to modify the administrator username and password, or disable their use, follow these steps. Note: You may need to be logged in to perform this action. 1.
6. Click the OK button. A message box confirms that your settings have been saved successfully. 7. Click the Yes button to close the message box and return to the Status page for your Drobo device. 8. The new username is displayed in the status page. The next time you need to log in to this device, you will need to use the new username and password.
1.4.5 Renaming Your Drobo 5N2 In order to rename your Drobo 5N2, you need to modify network settings. To do so, follow these steps: Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to perform this action. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo device. 2. Click the Drobo Settings option on the Navigation menu, and click Network. The Network Settings page opens. 3. In the Name text box, modify the name for your Drobo device. 4.
1.4.6 Safely Shutting Down Your Drobo 5N2 If you plan to shut down your Drobo 5N2 for any reason, it is very important that you always do so safely. Improper Drobo device shutdowns may cause file corruption and/or data loss.
1.4.6.1 Safely Shutting Down Your Drobo 5N2 Using Drobo Dashboard This is the recommended method for safely shutting down your Drobo device. Note: You need to be logged in to perform this action. To safely shut down you Drobo 5N2: 1. Check that the activity light on your Drobo device is off, indicating that no data is actively being transferred to or from your Drobo device. Refer to the image below. Note: If data is actively being transferred, the activity light will be blinking green. 2.
4. In the Drobo Operations area, click the Shutdown option. 5. A message box opens, asking you to confirm the shutdown. Click the Yes button. 6. It can take up to two minutes for your Drobo device to power down. Afterwards, the power light turns off, indicating your Drobo device has shut down.
1.4.7 Restarting Your Drobo 5N2 To restart your Drobo 5N2 using the Drobo Dashboard: Note: You need to be logged in to perform this action. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device which you would like to restart, and then click the Tools option from the Navigation menu. The Tools page for that Drobo device opens. 2. In the Drobo Operations area, click the Restart option. 3. A message box displays, asking you to confirm the restart. Click the Yes button.
4. Your Drobo device powers down and then restarts. This may take a few minutes.
1.4.8 Resetting Your Drobo 5N2 You can reset your Drobo device back to its factory defaults. Warning: Resetting your Drobo device erases all the data on the drives. Note: You need to be logged in to perform this action. To reset your Drobo 5N2: 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device which you would like to reset, and then click the Tools option from the Navigation menu. The Tools page for that Drobo device opens. 2. In the Drobo Reset area, click the Drobo Reset option.
3. If you are sure you would like to proceed, in the text box, type ERASE and click the Confirm button. 4. Your Drobo device gets reset to its factory settings, which can take a few minutes. Once complete, this Drobo device no longer displays in Drobo Dashboard. 5. If the Drobo device remains powered on and connected to your host computer (directly or indirectly through a network), Drobo Dashboard will re-discover the Drobo device as if it were new.
1.4.9 Blinking Lights to Test Connectivity A simple test to verify that your Drobo 5N2 is connected, directly or indirectly, to your host computer, is to use Drobo Dashboard to blink the lights on your Drobo device. Note: For some Drobo devices, you may need to be logged in to perform this action. To blink lights to test connectivity: 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device whose lights you would like to blink, and then click the Tools option from the Navigation menu.
1.4.10 Enabling or Disabling the System Tray By default, the Drobo icon appears in your system tray. When you right-click the Drobo icon, a shortcut menu opens, enabling you to: ● Launch Drobo Dashboard ● Find out the version of Drobo Dashboard ● Hide or show alerts for your Drobo device You can choose to disable the Drobo shortcut in the system tray and later enable it at any time. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click the Dashboard Preferences option on the Navigation menu.
1.5 Modifying Device Settings for Your Drobo 5N2 You can modify various settings for your Drobo device using the Drobo Dashboard.
1.5.1 Managing Auto-Discovery of Drobo 5N2 Drobo Dashboard enables you to automatically detect the Drobo devices available to the host computer. By default the auto-discovery feature is enabled. You can also add network-connected Drobo devices to Drobo Dashboard by their IP addresses, and manage them.
1.5.1.1 Adding a Drobo 5N2 by Its IP Address In Drobo Dashboard, you can add a network-connected Drobo device to the All Drobos page by its IP address if it is not in the local subnet. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click Dashboard Preferences on the Navigation menu to open the Dashboard Preferences page. 2. In the Drobo Discovery area, click the Drobo Discovery Settings link. The Drobo Discovery page opens. 3.
4. Enter the IP address for the Drobo device. 5. Click the OK button. Drobo Dashboard adds the IP address. 6. Restart Drobo Dashboard to see the added Drobo device on the All Drobos page. Notes: If you add the same IP address twice, an error message displays. An error message also displays if you add a Drobo device that has already been added or that has been detected automatically but with a different IP address.
1.5.1.2 Enabling or Disabling a Drobo Device by Its IP Address After you have added Drobo 5N2 by its IP address to Drobo Dashboard, you can manage the device by enabling or disabling it. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click Dashboard Preferences on the Navigation menu to open the Dashboard Preferences page. 2. In the Drobo Discovery area, click the Drobo Discovery Settings link. The Drobo Discovery page opens. 3.
1.5.1.3 Enabling or Disabling Auto-Discovery of Drobo 5N2 By default, Drobo Dashboard automatically discovers all Drobos in the local subnet. However, you can disable this automatic discovery feature. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click Dashboard Preferences from the Navigation menu to open the Dashboard Preferences page. 2. In the Drobo Discovery area, click the Drobo Discovery Settings link. The Drobo Discovery page opens. 3.
1.5.1.4 Removing a Drobo 5N2 by Its IP Address from the Discovery List In Drobo Dashboard, you can remove a Drobo device by its IP address from the Discovery List. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click Dashboard Preferences on the Navigation menu to open the Dashboard Preferences page. 2. In the Drobo Discovery area, click the Drobo Discovery Settings link. The Drobo Discovery page opens. 3. In the Manual Drobo Discovery area, select the Drobo device you would like to remove by clicking on it.
1.5.2 Enabling or Disabling Dual Disk Redundancy Dual Disk Redundancy protects your Drobo 5N2 in the event of two simultaneous hard drive failures. Although it provides additional protection, it requires more hard disk space. To learn more about how much more hard disk space is required, see Determining Drive Space Requirements. Notes: You need to be logged in as the administrator to perform this action. To use Dual Disk Redundancy, you need a minimum of three drives.
4. A message box automatically opens, asking you to confirm the change and letting you know that the protected capacity on your Drobo device will decrease (if enabling Dual Disk Redundancy) or increase (if disabling). 5. Click the Yes button in the dialog box to continue. 6. In the General Settings page, click the OK button. 7. If you are enabling Dual Disk Redundancy, an "In Progress" status bar may appear on the Status page, letting you know that data protection is in progress.
1.5.3 Modifying the Disk Drive Spin Down Time When the disk drives spin down, it helps to save electricity and can prolong the life of the drives. However, it will take your Drobo device a few moments to spin the drives back up again when accessed. The default setting for this feature is 15 minutes on the Drobo 5N2. Notes: You need to be logged in as the administrator to change these settings. When drives spin down, the lights on the Drobo device dim.
Related topics: Enabling or Disabling Dual Disk Redundancy Dimming the Lights on Your Drobo Device Drobo5N2 User Guide 112
1.5.4 Dimming the Lights on Your Drobo 5N2 On the Drobo 5N2, you have the option to dim the lights on your device. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to change these settings. To dim the lights on you Drobo 5N2: 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo device. 2. Click the Drobo Settings option on the Navigation menu, and click General. The General Settings page opens. 3.
1.5.5 Setting Your Drobo 5N2 to Independent Network Mode or Network Interface Bonding Mode Your Drobo 5N2 device connects to a network using one or both of the two Ethernet ports. After initial setup, you can configure your Drobo 5N2 in either Independent Network mode or Network Interface Bonding (Port Bonding) mode. Independent Network mode – Each network interface (Ethernet) can be configured independently and may belong to two separate network segments.
1.5.6 Configuring Network Settings (and IP Addresses) for Your Drobo 5N2 Although your Drobo 5N2 uses DHCP to automatically assign IP addresses to your Drobo device on a network (this is the default), you can choose to manually assign IP addresses to your device’s port(s) by configuring network settings. You can also modify MTU settings to support jumbo frames. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to change these settings.
● Modify the IP address and other network information, as needed. Note: Be sure to use an IP address that is outside the range of IP addresses your router might assign with DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Check the documentation for your router for more information. 4. If you would like to modify MTU settings to support jumbo frames, select the Frame size (MTU) check box and enter the frame size in the text box.
1.5.7 Modifying the MTU Settings for Jumbo Frames For your Drobo 5N2, you can modify the Maximum Transfer Unit (MTU) to support jumbo frames. Note that not all network devices support jumbo frames. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to change these settings. To modify the MTU settings for jumbo frames: 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device for which you would like to modify MTU settings. 2.
4. Click the OK button. A dialog box opens, asking you to restart your Drobo to apply the changes. 5. Click the Yes button. Your Drobo device restarts with your new settings. This may take a few minutes.
1.6 Creating and Using Shares On a Drobo 5N2, you can create shares. A share is a designated area of storage space on your Drobo 5N2 that can be accessed by selected users on the network. You can, for example, create a “Videos” share on which you store company videos, and then assign access to this share only to those users on the network who manage the videos. Notes: You need to be logged in as the administrator to create shares. There can only be one administrative user per Drobo device.
password assigned by the administrator when he/she set up the user.
1.6.1 Creating Shares You can create shares on a Drobo 5N2, which can then be accessed by selected users on the network. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to create shares. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. To create a share: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo 5N2 on which you would like to create shares. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Shares page opens. 3.
5. At the bottom of the 1. Select a share area, click the Add button. The Add Share dialog page opens. Note: The Public share exists by default. You can delete this share, if desired. 6. In the Share Name text box, enter a name for the share you would like to create on your Drobo 5N2. 7. If you would like to dedicate this share to Time Machine backups, then select the Enable Time Machine support on this share check box and enter a value, in gigabytes, for the maximum size of the backup.
9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 to create additional shares. 10. Do one of the following: ● You can now create users to assign to your share(s), or assign users that have already been created with access rights to your share(s). ● Otherwise, if finished, click the OK button on the Share Settings page to save your changes. 11. Your settings are saved and the new shares display on the Shares page. You can now mount the shares.
1.6.2 Creating Users You can create users whom you would like to grant access to one or more shares on your Drobo 5N2. For additional information, see Creating and Using Shares. 1.6.2.1.1.1 Types of users There are four types of users reserved for special use: ● Admin – the administrator, who has access to all users and administrative controls. This user cannot be deleted and is given Read-Write access to every share automatically.
6. In the Username text box, enter the name for a user you would like to create. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to create users. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. 7. In the Password text box, enter a password for this user. 8. In the Confirm Password text box, re-type the password for the user. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to create users. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. 9. Click the OK button.
Related topics: Assigning Users Access Rights to a Share Deleting Users Creating and Using Shares Drobo5N2 User Guide 126
1.6.3 Assigning Users Access Rights to a Share Once you have created shares on your Drobo 5N2 and created users, you can give (or modify) users access rights to one or more shares. Access rights include: no access, Read-Only, and Read-Write. You can assign (or modify) access rights in one of two ways: ● For a selected share, assign access rights to one or more users (this is done in the Shares view of the Share Settings page). ● For a selected user, assign access rights to one or more shares.
1.6.3.1 Assign Users Access Rights via Shares View To assign users access rights via Share View, follow these steps: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Share page opens. 3. Click the Share Settings button. The Share Settings page opens. 4. Be sure the Shares view displays by clicking the Shares View button in the upper-right portion of the page. 5. Select a share from the Select a share area. 6.
1.6.3.2 Assign Users Access Rights via Users View To assign users access rights via Users View, follow these steps: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Share page opens. 3. Click the Share Settings button. The Share Settings page opens. 4. Be sure the Users view displays by clicking the Users View button in the upper-right portion of the page. 5. Select a user from the Select a user area.
1.6.4 Mounting Shares Mounting a share assigns a drive letter to that share. By doing this, you make the share accessible from your operating system. 1. To mount shares: 2. In Drobo Dashboard, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2 on the All Drobos page. 3. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Shares page appears, displaying all the shares created on the selected Drobo 5N2. Note: Some shares are only visible to the administrator of that Drobo device. 4.
6. For the Mac, the share is mounted to the desktop. 7. Repeat step 3 for all shares you would like to mount. Notes: For Windows, if you run out of drive letters, you cannot mount anymore shares. To unmount a share, de-select the check box in the Mount column next to the appropriate share.
1.6.5 Accessing Shares as the User For a particular user to access one or more shares created by the administrator, he/she needs to: 1. Install and run Drobo Dashboard on his/her computer. 2. Have access to the Drobo 5N2 device over the network. Note: The user has immediate access to shares that have been given access to the “Everyone" user. No password is required. 3.
1.6.6 Renaming or Modifying Users You can modify the user’s username and/or password. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to rename or modify users. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. To rename or modify a user: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Share page opens. 3. Click the Share Settings bottom. The Share Settings page opens. 4.
6. In the Username text box, modify the user’s name as desired.
Note: The user uses this username when logging into the Drobo 5N2. 7. In the Password text box, modify the user’s password, if desired. Note: The user uses this password when logging into the Drobo 5N2. 8. In the Confirm Password text box, re-type the password you modified, if needed. 9. Click the OK button. You are returned to the Share Settings page. 10. Click the OK button on the Share Settings page. Your settings are saved, and the Shares page opens.
1.6.7 Deleting Users You can delete a user, which removes the user’s password profile and access from all shares. Notes: You cannot delete special users, which include Admin, Everyone, All Users and Guests. You need to be logged in as the administrator to delete users. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. To delete a user: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Share page opens. 3.
1.6.8 Renaming Shares You can easily rename a share you’ve created. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to rename a share. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. To rename share: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu. The Share page opens. 3. Click the Share Settings button The Share Settings page opens. 4.
6. In the Share Name text box, edit the text for the share name, as desired, and click the OK button. You are returned to the Share Settings page with the share renamed.
7. Click the OK button on the Share Settings page to save your changes. Your settings are saved, and the Shares page opens.
1.6.9 Deleting Shares You can delete a share from the Drobo Dashboard. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to delete shares. There is only one administrative user per Drobo device. Warning: When you delete a share, all data on the share is also deleted. Be sure to move the data to another location before deleting the share. To delete a share: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Shares option on the Navigation menu.
1.7 Managing Capacity (Drive Space) In order to protect your data from drive failure, your Drobo device requires more drive space, or capacity, than what you will use for your data, sometimes as much as double or more the amount of space. You may need to calculate how much capacity you need for your Drobo device in order to ensure your data is protected. You may also be ready to add or remove capacity, or install or remove an mSATA SSD.
1.7.1 Calculating Capacity to Use 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 the drives you use in your Drobo device, 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.
1.7.2 Adding Capacity (or Drives) When you find your Drobo 5N2 is running low on space, you can easily add capacity by either replacing a smaller capacity drive with a larger one, or by inserting a new drive in an empty drive bay of your Drobo device. Note that once you add the new drive, it becomes part of the overall storage pool, with all drives functioning as a unit or “pack.” You can use drives from any manufacturer and with any capacity. For more information, see Selecting Hard Drives.
Note: The drive light turns a solid red, meaning you need to add a drive or replace the current drive with a larger drive. It may stay red for up to 15 minutes after you replace the drive. 5. With one hand, hold the drive you plan to add so that its connectors are positioned at the device and toward the left. Refer to the image below. 6. With your other hand, use your thumb to depress and hold open the drive lock to an empty drive bay. 7.
1.7.3 Removing Capacity (or Drives) You may wish to remove one or more drives from your Drobo 5N2, thereby reducing overall capacity. Before doing so, keep the following in mind: ● Your Drobo device requires a minimum of two drives, or three drives if you are using Dual Disk Redundancy, to ensure your data is protected. See Managing Capacity for more information.
The drive ejects from the drive bay. Carefully remove it. 5. Repeat step 4 to remove additional drives. 6. Replace the bezel when finished.
1.8 Checking Storage Usage and Device Status Information You can check how your storage is being used, the status of your Drobo 5N2 when in particular states, and other important information. Your Drobo device’s indicator lights also provide important key information.
1.8.1 Checking Storage Usage There are different ways to view how your Drobo 5N2’s storage capacity is being used. Viewing the Capacity Chart The capacity chart gives you a quick glance of how much total space is being used, how much space is allocated for data storage, and finally, how much free space is available for additional data. Viewing Storage Usage This page displays a capacity breakdown bar, which provides more detailed information about how your drive space is being used.
1.8.1.1 Viewing the Capacity Chart The capacity chart gives you a quick glance, and visual, of how your drive space is being used on your Drobo 5N. To view the capacity chart, do the following. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device whose capacity chart you would like to view, and click the Capacity option on the Navigation menu. The Capacity page for that Drobo device opens. 2. If the capacity chart is not currently displayed, click the Capacity button.
Tip: To view this information for other connected Drobo devices (if applicable), you can click the up or down arrow key that displays to the left of the Drobo device name, which is in the upper-left corner of the page. See the arrows in the image below.
1.8.1.2 Viewing Storage Usage The Storage Usage page displays a capacity breakdown bar, which provides more detailed information about how your drive space is being used on your Drobo 5N2. To view storage usage, do the following. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device whose storage usage you would like to view, and click the Capacity option on the Navigation menu. The Capacity page for that Drobo device opens. 2. Click the Usage button.
smaller drive with a larger one. ● Used for protection – Capacity used by your Drobo device to protect your data in the event of hard drive failure. ● Overhead – Capacity used your Drobo device to manage the hard drives and how your data is stored. Tip To view this information for other connected Drobo devices (if applicable), you can click the up or down arrow key that displays to the left of the Drobo device name, which is in the upper-left corner of the page. See the arrows in the image below.
1.8.2 Checking the Status of Your Drobo 5N2 The Status page in Drobo Dashboard provides in-depth information on the status of your Drobo 5N2. To view the Status page, do the following. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo device. 2. Click the Status option on the Navigation menu. The Status page opens.
Warning (in orange) when you need to add capacity. ● Firmware - The firmware version running on the selected Drobo 5N2. ● Hot Data Cache - If the value for this is "on," it indicates that you have all HDDs in the standard drive bays with an mSATA SSD present. The mSATA SSD is used as a cache for "hot" data that is frequently read. ● Active Interface - The connectivity interface currently being used.
1.8.3 Checking Your Drobo 5N2's Serial Number You can check for your Drobo 5N2's serial number on the Status page in Drobo Dashboard. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo device. 2. Click the Status option on the Navigation menu. The Status page opens. 3. Select System Information from the drop-down list to view the serial number for the selected Drobo device.
1.8.4 Checking Your Drobo 5N2's Firmware Version You can check for your Drobo device’s firmware version on the Status page in Drobo Dashboard. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo device. 2. Click the Status option on the Navigation menu. The Status page opens. 3. Select System Information from the drop-down list to view the firmware version for the selected Drobo device.
1.8.
1.8.5.1 Checking Current Version on Windows If you are using a Windows machine, follow these steps: 1. Locate the Drobo icon in your system tray. Note: To locate the Drobo icon, you may need to enable your system tray. 2. Right-click on the icon and a shortcut menu will appear. 3. Select About Drobo Dashboard from the shortcut menu. 4. A message box opens, displaying the Drobo Dashboard version number 5. Click the OK button.
1.8.5.2 Checking Current Version on Mac If you are using a Mac, follow these steps: 1. Locate the Drobo icon in your system tray. Note: To locate the Drobo icon, you may need to enable your system tray. 2. Click on the icon and a shortcut menu will appear. 3. Select About Drobo Dashboard from the shortcut menu. 4. A message box opens, displaying the Drobo Dashboard version number. 5. Click the OK button.
1.8.6 Checking System Information The System Information view of the Status page in Drobo Dashboard provides information such as the serial number, firmware version and health of the Drobo 5N2. If you use SSDs, their positions are identified in the image of the Drobo 5N2. 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo device. 2. Click the Status option on the Navigation menu, and be sure that System Information is selected from the drop-down list. The Status page opens.
● Firmware - The firmware version running on the selected Drobo 5N2. ● Hot Data Cache - If the value for this is "on," it indicates that you have all HDDs in the standard drive bays with an mSATA SSD present. The mSATA SSD is used as a cache for "hot" data that is frequently read. ● Active Interface - The connectivity interface currently being used.
1.8.7 Checking Drive Information 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Status option on the Navigation menu. The Status page opens. 3. Select the Drive Information option from the Status Information drop-down list. 4. Select the disk drive whose information you need by clicking the associated drive bay in the image of the Drobo device.
● Health - The health status of the drive, based on the errors identified by Drobo while using the drive. Values include: ● Failed (blinking red) - Indicates that the drive has failed and needs immediate replacement. ● Warning (orange) - Indicates that the drive is almost full and you need to add capacity soon. ● Critical (red) - Indicates that the drive is full and you need to add capacity now. ● Good (green) - Indicates that the drive is healthy and no action is needed.
1.8.8 Checking Network Information 1. In Drobo Dashboard on the All Drobos page, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2. 2. Click the Status option on the Navigation menu. The Status page opens. 3. Select the Network Information option from the Status Information drop-down list. The Network Information page appears. You can view the following information on this page: ● IP Address - The IP address for your Drobo 5N2 on the network. ● MAC Address - The MAC address for your Drobo 5N2 on the network.
● DNS Server 1 - The address for the DNS Server 1 ● DNS Server 2 - The address for the DNS Server 2 Related topic: Checking Storage Usage and Device Status Information Drobo5N2 User Guide 165
1.8.9 Getting Diagnostics on Your Drobo 5N2 You can view and print an encrypted diagnostic file about your Drobo device. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click the Help and Support option on the Navigation menu. The Help and Support page opens. 2. Near the bottom of the screen, select the appropriate Drobo device from the drop-down list, and then click the Get Diags button. 3.
The Upload Diags Successful dialog box opens, indicating that the diagnostics file has successfully uploaded to your desktop.
1.8.10 Understanding the Indicator Lights Your Drobo 5N2 is equipped with various indicator lights which provide valuable information. Refer to the image below. Drive Green: No action is required. All drives are healthy. Lights Solid Yellow: Add a drive or replace the current drive with a larger drive soon. Your Drobo device is running out of disk space. See Adding Capacity (or Drives). Blinking Yellow and Green: Do not remove these drives or power down.
Red: Your Drobo device has overheated. Safely power down your Drobo 5N2, disconnect the data cable and then the power cable. Let it cool down and then restart. Activity Blinking Green: Data is actively being transferred between your computer and Light your Drobo device. Do not remove or add drives during this process. Capacity Blue: Displays the percentage of your Drobo device that is full, in 10% Gauge increments. There are 10 capacity gauge lights.
1.9 Using Additional Software and Functionality Drobo Dashboard provides additional functionality, for added value.
1.9.1 Using On-Screen and E-mail Alerts In Drobo Dashboard, you can have email alerts sent to one or more email addresses with relevant information about all your connected Drobo devices. This helps you anticipate potential issues or critical situations that could arise with one or more of your Drobo devices, such as the need to increase capacity. You can also set on-screen alerts. You can set email or on-screen alerts to one of three levels, from informational to critical.
1.9.1.1 Setting Up or Modifying Email Alerts Enabling e-mail alerts in Drobo Dashboard keeps you informed of the status of all your Drobo devices, as well as critical issues such as drive failures, low capacity etc. Once you have set up email alerts, you can also modify these settings. Drobo provides users with two options: ● Drobo Email Relay ● Custom Email Server To configure the e-mail alerts follow the steps given below 1.
Only one of the Mail Servers can be configured at a time. Drobo Email Relay To configure Drobo Email relay Sever, follow the steps given below: 1. Select the Use Drobo Email Relay radio button and click Configure. 2. Enter the e-mail address in the space provided at which you wish to receive the notifications and click the Send Verification Email button. Note: If you already have a key, click the Skip button. Then enter the code in the text area and click Validate. 3.
5. If successfully configured, the the Drobo Email settings page will show Drobo Email Relay configured. Note: Once a key is generated, you can reuse it the next time. It is not possible to configure the Drobo Email Relay Server using the same email-id if the validation code has already been sent to the email-id recently. Custom Email Server To configure Custom Email Server, follow the steps given below: 1. Click the radio button for Use Custom Email Server and click Configure.
2. In the To E-mail Address text box, enter e-mail addresses, separated by commas, to which you want the alerts sent. 3. In the From E-mail Address text box, enter an e-mail address from which the alerts are sent. 4. In the Mail Server text box, enter the server from which to send the alerts. This can be specified as a server name (e.g., smtp.company.com) or a server’s IP address (e.g., 127.0.0.1). If you are unsure, contact your network administrator or your e-mail service provider.
Note: If you are unsure, please contact your network administrator or e-mail service provider. Tip: You can send a test message by clicking the Send Test E-mail button. 5. In the Port text box, modify the TCP/IP port through which your server expects SMTP submissions, if needed. The default is 25. 6.
Note: Once a mail server is configured, it is possible to switch between either of the Mail Server configurations, but it is not possible to de-configure it. However, you can uncheck the Send email alerts checkbox in the Dashboard Preferences page to stop receiving any e-mail alerts.
1.9.1.2 Modifying When to Send Email Alerts You can modify when to send email alerts on all your connected Drobo devices, such as only when the situation is critical. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click the Dashboard Preferences option on the Navigation menu. The Dashboard Preferences page opens. 2.
● On critical situations only – Alerts will be emailed only to warn of a critical status with one or more of your Drobo devices that could lead to potential data loss. These are Critical Drobo Alerts, which can include when your Drobo device cannot currently protect your data against drive failure, when your Drobo device doesn’t recognize one or more of the drives installed, when your Drobo device does not detect any drives or when too many drives have been removed.
1.9.1.3 Disabling Email Alerts You can disable email alerts at any time without changing your email alert settings.To disable email alerts, follow these steps: 1. From the Drobo Dashboard, click the Dashboard Preferences option on the Navigation menu. The Dashboard Preferences page opens. 2. In the Drobo Dashboard Email Alerts area, ensure the Send email alerts check box is cleared.
1.9.1.4 Modifying When to Send On-Screen Alerts You can modify when to send on-screen alerts on all your connected Drobo devices, such as only when the situation is critical. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, click the Dashboard Preferences option on the Navigation menu. The Dashboard Preferences page opens. 2.
● On critical situations only – Alerts will display on your screen only to warn of a critical status with one or more of your Drobo devices that could lead to potential data loss. These are Critical Drobo Alerts, which can include when your Drobo device cannot currently protect your data against drive failure, when your Drobo device doesn’t recognize one or more of the drives installed, when your Drobo device does not detect any drives or when too many drives have been removed.
1.9.1.5 Disabling On-Screen Alerts You can disable on-screen alerts at any time. To do so, follow these steps: 1. From the Drobo Dashboard, click the Dashboard Preferences option on the Navigation menu. The Dashboard Preferences page opens. 2. In the Drobo Dashboard Onscreen Alerts area, ensure the Show visual alerts check box is cleared.
1.9.1.6 Setting or Modifying Email Alerts for a Selected Drobo 5N2 Only You can have email alerts sent to one or more email addresses with relevant information about a selected Drobo 5N2. This helps you anticipate potential issues or critical situations that may arise with your Drobo device, such as the need to increase capacity. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, select the appropriate Drobo 5N2 from the All Drobos page. 2. Click the Device Settings option on the Navigation menu, and click Alerts.
as a server name (e.g., smtp.company.com) or a server’s IP address (e.g., 127.0.0.1). If you are unsure, contact your network administrator or your email service provider. Tip: You can send a test message by clicking the Send Test Email button. 7. In the Port text box, modify the TCP/IP port through which your server expects SMTP submissions, if needed. The default is 25. 8. Select the appropriate language for the alerts from the Language drop-down list. 9.
1.9.2 Using DroboDR to Replicate Data DroboDR is the built-in data replication feature that allows you to easily copy your data from one Drobo NAS device to another Drobo NAS device on the network. This is a data replication tool that creates a complete image of your source files on the destination. After the initial data copy, DroboDR simply updates the destination with only the changes from the source for fast, efficient data replication.
1.9.2.1 Checking System Requirements for DroboDR To use the DroboDR feature, you need: ● Two Drobo devices Note: The one to be used as the destination, or target, for data replication must have at least as much drive space available as the one to be used as the source. ● The latest Drobo Dashboard application and firmware for the Drobo Device. You can download the latest application and firmware from www.drobo.
1.9.2.2 Setting Up Your Drobo Device to Use DroboDR To use DroboDR to replicate data from a source device to a destination device on the network, you need to: 1. Ensure you have two Drobo devices on the network and that the two can “see” each other, either by IP address or host name. (Host name refers to the name that’s been assigned to the Drobo device itself.) This means that the source and target must be on the same subnet and the subnet mask for each must match.
1.9.2.3 Setting or Modifying a DroboDR Schedule The following steps assume you have already set up two Drobo devices on your network for data replication. See Setting Up Your Drobo Device to Use DroboDR for details. All synchronizations are set and managed from the source Drobo device only. After the initial synchronization, which may take the longest, DroboDR simply updates the destination with only the changes from the source for rapid, efficient data replication.
Related topics: Stopping a DroboDR in Progress Starting a DroboDR Manually Using DroboDR to Replicate Data Drobo5N2 User Guide 190
1.9.2.4 Starting a DroboDR Manually The following steps assume you have already set up two Drobo devices on your network for data replication. See Setting Up Your Drobo Device to Use DroboDR for details. All synchronizations are set and managed from the source Drobo device only. After the initial synchronization, which may take the longest, DroboDR simply updates the destination with only the changes from the source for rapid, efficient data replication.
If the power to the source is interrupted during a manual synchronization, data replication will stop and you will need to repeat these steps to synchronize again.
1.9.2.5 Stopping a DroboDR in Progress The procedure for stopping a DroboDR is as follows: 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device that is designated as the source. 2. Click the DroboDR option on the Navigation menu. The DroboDR page opens. 3. Click the Stop DroboDR Now button. The synchronization stops and the button now reads: Start DroboDR Now. To view what happened during the synchronization, see Viewing the Summary Log or Saving and Viewing the Detailed Log.
1.9.2.6 Viewing the Summary Log of Synchronizations The Summary Log records the main actions of a synchronization between a source and destination (or target) Drobo deive using DroboDR. It shows when a synchronization starts, finishes or fails. It will also show the next scheduled synchronization, if you have set up a schedule. You can only view the Summary Log from a source Drobo device. Note: If the synchronization failed, you will need to view the Detailed Log to see why.
Related topics: Saving a Detailed Log of Synchronizations to View Using DroboDR to Replicate Data Drobo5N2 User Guide 195
1.9.2.7 Saving a Detailed Log of Synchronizations to View The Detailed Log records all action details of a synchronization between a source and destination (or target) using DroboDR. To view the Detailed Log, you need to first save it as a text file to your computer, and then open it from there to view. You can save the Detailed Log from either the source or the destination Drobo device. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator on the appropriate Drobo device to perform this action. 1.
1.9.2.8 Disabling DroboDR at the Source To disable DroboDR, you disable the source and the target (or destination). Disabling the source disables the DroboDR function on that Drobo device Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator on the appropriate Drobo device to perform this action. 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device that is designated as the source. 2. Click the DroboDR option on the Navigation menu. The DroboDR page opens. 3.
Related topics: Disabling DroboDR at the Target Using DroboDR to Replicate Data Drobo5N2 User Guide 198
1.9.2.9 Disabling DroboDR at the Target To disable DroboDR, you disable the source and the target (or destination). Disabling the target enables you to use that Drobo device as you would any other Drobo device. The administrator account, user accounts, share permissions and data that were synchronized from the source Drobo device before disabling will now be active and available to you. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator on the appropriate Drobo device to perform this action. 1.
configured on the source after DroboDR is disabled. 5. To continue, click the Yes button. All the controls in the dialog box become disabled (grayed out). Files on this Drobo device are no longer read-only; they are accessible after you have logged in using an administrator username and password. 6. Click the OK button. You are returned to the DroboDR page.
1.9.2.10 Configuring the Destination Drobo Device Configuring a Drobo device as the destination, or target, for data replication enables it to receive data from a source Drobo device. There should be no data on the target device, as it will only be used to receive data from the source. Any pre-existing data on the target device will be deleted. These steps assume you have already set up two Drobo devices on your network for data replication. See Setting Up Your Drobo Device to Use DroboDR for details.
6. Enter a password and confirm the password by re-typing it in the appropriate text boxes. Note: The password you enter must match the one you enter for the source. 7. Click the OK button. This Drobo device is now configured as the destination, or target, for data replication, and you are returned to the DroboDR page. Note that the DroboDR mode now reads, “Sync as Target” at the top of the screen, and the Start DroboDR Now button is disabled.
1.9.2.11 Configuring the Source Drobo Device Configuring a Drobo device as the source for data replication enables it to control the synchronization process to a destination, or target, Drobo device. These steps assume you have already set up two Drobo devices on your network for data replication. See Setting Up Your Drobo device to Use DroboDR for details. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator on the appropriate Drobo device to perform this action. 1.
5. Enter a password and confirm the password by re-typing it in the appropriate text boxes. Note: The password you enter must match the one you enter for the destination, or target. 6. In the IP Address text box, enter the IP address of the target Drobo device.
1.9.3 Using DroboApps Drobo Apps are third-party, community-created, community-supported applications for Drobo NAS (Drobo 5N, 5N2, and B810n) devices. They enable you to use your Drobo device for such applications as media streaming, remote access, online backup and Active Directory (AD) management. Applications developed by Drobo and their partners are supported, and those developed by the user community are enabled in Drobo Dashboard, but unsupported.
1.9.3.1 Enabling or Disabling Drobo Apps Drobo Apps are enabled by default on your Drobo device, giving you direct access to all available Drobo Apps on the Drobo Apps page in Drobo Dashboard. However, you may wish to disable Drobo Apps, so that you no longer have access to them, or re-enable them at a later time. Note: You need to be logged in as the administrator to perform this action 1. In Drobo Dashboard, on the All Drobos page, select the Drobo device. 2.
1.9.3.2 Managing Drobo Apps You can manage Drobo Apps directly from Drobo Dashboard on the Drobo Apps page. Specifically, you can: ● Install or uninstall an application ● Start or stop an application ● Update the application ● Open the application's interface in order to modify its settings. Notes: You need to be logged in as the administrator to perform this action. Drobo Apps are enabled by default on your Drobo device.
3. Select an application and do one of the following: ● To install or uninstall the application, click the Install or Uninstall button, and follow the directions. ● the ● To start an application that is not running, or to stop an application that is running, click Start button or the If an update is available for an application, an update, click the ● Stop button. update warning icon displays. To perform an Update button. Follow the directions to update the application.
Note: Options display only if they are available at the time. For example, if an application has not yet been installed, it will not display an for unsupported Drobo Apps. Uninstall button.
1.10 Inserting an mSATA SSD You can insert an mSATA SSD into your Drobo 5N2. Doing so provides accelerated performance when reading data from your Drobo 5N2. For more information on drive requirements, see Selecting Drives. It is best to insert the mSATA SSD before inserting drives into the Drobo 5N2'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.
4. When finished, close the Drobo Accelerator Bay door and return the Drobo 5N2 to its normal position.
1.11 Removing an mSATA SSD Since the mSATA SSD is not part of your device's disk pack, you can remove it from your Drobo 5N2 at any time. Important Notes: Your Drobo device must be powered off and unplugged before removing the mSATA card. It is important to ground yourself before doing this in order to discharge static electricity. To do so, touch a grounded metal object just before installation. Warning: Any pre-existing data on the mSATA card will be erased.
1.12 Troubleshooting Your Drobo 5N2 If Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), which assigns IP addresses to devices on a network, is not supported on your network… Then You will need to connect your Drobo 5N2 directly to your computer for the initial setup in order to assign a static IP address to your Drobo device. Make sure your computer’s Ethernet port is set up to use DHCP. Steps 1. Make sure you have installed Drobo Dashboard and inserted the hard drives into your Drobo 5N2. 2.
