Drobo freezes 10.7 Lion Server

Couldn't agree with you more. I am having the same problems. Tech support says call Apple-Duh! I asked them when, or if, a new firmware will be coming out. Of course, they can't give me an answer. The product with Lion is completely unusable. I have now a big black brick named Drobo FS I hate this Drobo FS and anyone who buys one is for the Mac is making a HUGE mistake. Do not buy Drobo for the Mac with Lion.

Interesting: I just checked the Drobo FTP server and found a new build of Drobo Dahsboard, version 2.0.3a, released July 28th. There is not info about it on their website though (they still talk about 2.0.3 without the "a") and I haven't tried it, but maybe someone wants to try?

It's here:

ftp://updates.drobo.com/dashboard/mac/

Drobo support are trying to help me with this problem but I get the feeling they're waiting for the firmware too. If you've got performance issues check to see if the Drobo has slipped back onto the low speed USB bus in the system information screen. Mine's been coming off the high speed for some reason and once you do that you're back to a couple of megs per second :-(

Unfortunately I don't have any alternatives for my stuff at the moment and the dropouts are really really annoying on a media centre!

I have serious doubts of this being either Apple, or AFP related. Old firmware as I said worked fine with Lion. (Time Machine was broken) So passing the buck is entirely disingenous.

I experience the freezes with my Drobo FW800 and a machine running Lion, but I do not use AFP or Time Machine. Therefore if there are problems with those, then there are also problems elsewhere. I also have another machine that I use with FW800, but that machine does not have problems, either, so the bug must not be with FW, either. Therefore, by process of elimination, it is difficult to determine where, if the bug is exclusively on Apple's side, that the bug would be. I would be believe that there is an incompatibility, but it is clearly not an incompatibity between Lion, AFP, Time Machine, and Firewire. It is between Lion and some element of the Drobo software or Firmware. One can argue about whose problem that is, although given that all of my other hardware and software work fine with Lion, I am more inclined to believe that the Drobo folks are the ones that have dropped the ball.

I only have the dashboard installed on my laptop, so no drobo software on Lion Server here. Clearly it's the firmware IMO.

It took 6 weeks to get my firewire Drobo going again after installing Lion. It never stopped working but slowed to a turtle transfer rate whether with USB or firewire. Impossible to use Lightroom or Photoshop effectively. Ran speed tests, diagnostics, checked cables etc. to no avail.

I had to purchase a 2T drive, and then over 2 days of continuous copying tranferred all my files, raw photo files, over to the new drive. I then, with guidance from a Drobo tech wiped the 4 drives and then copied everything back. That was about 4 days ago and everything is working as it should so far.

It is still a mystery how installing Lion corrupted the underlying Drobo software. I hope it doesn't suddenly come back. If so, I will abandon my Drobo for something else.

*** GOOD NEWS ***

Hi,

I just received the beta version of Drobo Dashboard 2.0.4 from Drobo. That version contains the new iSCSI initiator (licensed from another company) I was talking about.

It looks *very* good so far. My volumes mount, Dashboard sees the unit, I can transfer files from and to the Drobo at very high speeds (read speed up to 111 MB/sec, write speed up to 90 MB/sec).

I've only been plaing with it for about an hour or so but from what I can tell so far, the issues seem to have been fixed.

This version is still in beta and I don't know anything about a public release date, so don't bother asking. But I figure it will be soon.

Huzzah!

I was worried this would not happen. Looking forward to the release.

Get ready for a long wait. I have had a ticket open with Drobo on this matter for almost 2 months now. When I read that a Beta was out I called them the minute I finished reading the post. They are categorically denying that such a Beta exists with the new initiator.

Loving life as usual, I'm loving my 14TB paper weight.

Aaaarrggghhhhhh!

The funny thing from the conversation was him saying we understand there is a problem and we are working as fast as possible to come up with a safe solution. Fast, who the **** are they kidding. My ticket has been open for two months and I know that they knew of this problem when Lion was still in Developer/Beta. I'd hate to see what slow looks like.

I can assure you that beta does exist. Not sure why they gave it to me and not to others but given the history I had with them on this issue might explain it. See this thread.

I think they are very desperate about the whole situation.

Anyways. The beta still looks good at this point and I think it's safe to assume that the issue is fixed.

Not trusting my data to beta software. Not with their (Data Robotics) track record of "stable" production software. I'm moving to Solaris, and ZFS. I loved it when it worked, but you just don't do that with people's backups. I can hardly wait until Z410 (ZFS for Mac OS X) is done. I'll be the first to throw my money at them.

Drobo Pro and iSCSI problems with Dashboard v.2.0.3a. Drobo Pro on Mac Mini Server Snow Leopard working perfectly over iSCI with Dashboar v. 1.8.4. - upgraded to Dashboard v 2.0.3a and all my Drobo volumes became corrupted and not repairable by Disk Utility. Drobo tech support was slow in responding and only on the third/fourth response request was I told that they know about and iSCSI issue with this latest Dashboard version. Solution: downgrade to the old Dashboard 1.8.4 and all is back to normal. Fortunately did not loose any data but HUGE AMOUNTS OF TIIIIIIIIIIIME!!!! checking all possible options/reasons for Drobo's dysfuncitonal behaviour like many here on this site. THERE IS NO WARNING OU INDICATION ON DROBO'S SITE WHAT SO EVER!!!! HOW CAN WE TRUST OUR DATA DO A COMPANY THAT DOES HANDLES IT'S SOFWARE AND CUSTOMERS LIKE THIS? Their product and product philosophy is great and well thought out but their implementation of customer relations and support is extremely detrimental to their future success opportunities!

How can they do this to their customers - and themselves finally - is beyond me.

Very good description from macguyincali of a problem I had for weeks but this time with Snow Leopard Server 10.6.8. when I upgraded to Dashboard version 2.0.3a! Lost huge amounts of time trying to find out why how to make my Drobo Pro usefull again. Only fourh support request via call in to their phone support yielded a support person that KNEW about this ongoing iSCSI problem and suggested that the only way out of my predicament was to downgrade to Dashboard v. 1.8.4 which did the trick.

No mention anywhere on their site about these incompatibilities. WEAK support on an clearly identifiable issue they could have told me right away on my 1st support request!. Untennable and unacceptable. To add insult to injury my Dashboard currently advsises me do upgrade to that same Dashboard version that created a time black hole in my life! This short episode and their lack of care in the details show more about their management and company culture than their very best products. What a shame and lost opportunity!

They are wasting all their good will fast. I wish them good luck and a better management.

Can't wait for the ZFS implementation for Mac OS X Lion as seen here:

http://tenscomplement.com/z-410-storage-main-features

Any word when Z410 will be ready?

Tonight I finished ZFS on Linux, with netatalk (linux afp), and avahi (same bonjour) Everything works great.