Key data / application
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* There is a hardware RAID. This is seen as positive, because so does not have the Mac or PC on which the drive is connected do the work to maintain the system.
* Since this is a hardware RAID, it can be managed and formatted only via the included software, the "WD Drive Manager". The standard tools of the operating systems to format or the structure of a (software) RAID such as the Disk Utility on the Mac are not suitable for this!
* There are RAID 0 and 1 are available. Restriction: It is a pure RAID system, the panels can not respectively operated individually. are managed by the operating system.
* Respectively for the PC. Mac is not clear that this is a RAID. The RAID system "looks like an external disk".
Note RAID (sa [...]
RAID 1: halve the capacity, but ensures considerably more safety (s RAID 1 test below.).
RAID 0: full capacity is available, but significantly reduces the operational reliability. If only one disk is defective, then does that affect the entire system!
Roughly speaking: A RAID 0 is usually only one to improve the performance (otherwise it has only disadvantages). A RAID 1 you need if you want to increase operational reliability. When connected via USB or Firewire performance but through the USB resp. Firewire limited (s. RAID 0 test below). RAID 0 is in this constellation so only disadvantages.
According to a Macworld article from the year 2008 must be operated separately with the WD My Book Studio 2 also possible the plates. This statement is false (there is also untested)!
CONCLUSION Application: When operating via USB resp. Firewire only makes sense RAID 1.
Included Software (Mac)
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* WD Anywhere Backup (Mac / Win):-supplied backup software. My experience with it comes from the past, I found this software as cumbersome and prefer to use Time Machine, as this better in the Mac applications (Finder / E) integrated.
* WD + Turbo (Mac): I do not know why this software is required for WD external drives, but from experiences with other WD drives I can recommend that you install Mac users.
* WD Drive Manager (Mac / Win): The plate can indeed be operated without this software for fault detection and to set up but it is absolutely necessary (so hardware RAID). Installing and uninstalling via the same installer.
Shortcoming of the WD Drive Manager: he can attach no unhinged plate again, must they then again start the Disk Utility.
KO criteria:
Since one can not operate without the WD Drive Manager WD My Book Studio 2 it is even more frightening is that this software is no longer maintained since December 2009. Since Snow Leopard It produces error messages, here are a few examples of these messages:
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20:01:11 19:04:02 WDDriveManagerStatusMenu [1605] *** attempt to pop an unknown autorelease pool (0x1016800)
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to 21 17:43:19 sol WDDriveManagerStatusMenu [2230]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool (): Object of class 0x1312aed0 NSImage autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
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21:01:11 10:19:50 WD RAID Manager [4282] *** WARNING: Method selectRow: byExtendingSelection: in class NSTableView is deprecated. It will be removed in a future release and Should No Longer Be Used.
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One of these error messages occurs at least once every 10 seconds, which can get out of hand the system log. General weaken the messages confidence in the reliability (RAID 1). There is also plenty to discussions in the Forum WD, one of these discussion was ended very rabidly. Quote:
The issue with The WD Drive Manager and Snow Leopard is really moot, at this point, since we do not support the My Book Studio II Drive Manager on Mac OS 10.6. And Because The My Book Studio II is Essentially at its end of life, we will not be releasing and Further updates for it.
This is provided in a mess, because the product launch Snow Leopard is explicitly mentioned as a supported system.
CONCLUSION Software / Firmware: At this point, you have to then refuse to buy recommendation !!!
Hardware / Performance
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Also in the studio, I had to watch what I have observed more frequently lately: the hardware is usually not as bad as your support respectively by your firmware. supplied software and so the "hard" facts have me can milder vote repeatedly.
The tests with RAID 1 and RAID 0 went all very positive. As mentioned above, it makes no significant difference in performance whether RAID 0 or RAID 1 operates, the bottleneck is the Firewire. Excerpts from two XBench tests
Sequential:
Write uncached 59.53 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 1)
Write uncached 59.74 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 0)
Read uncached 69.63 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 1)
Read uncached 75.43 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 0)
Random:
Write uncached 179.61 57.50 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 1)
Write uncached 169.44 54.24 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 0)
Read uncached 24.70 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 1)
Read uncached 24.42 MB / sec [256K blocks] (RAID 0)
In practice, these values are then down tremendously, which usually has less to do with the disc, as with the entire architecture betw. Data source and data sink is.
CONCLUSION Performance: expectations were Unless tested met.
RAID 1 test
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In a second test, a plate was in a RAID 1 constellation removed, corresponding to no real fault but I did not especially damaging a plate ;-)
* An error message is displayed to start the WD Drive Manager, which then starts after a short time and of its own accord and correctly reports the absence of drive. As can be expected for a RAID 1 system, the remaining drive will continue to operate (so you can calm his system before the change go down).
* On the "a" disk then files are deleted and created new ones.
* There was installed the second disc
* The WD manager reports no action, only when you can see that something is happening, an Info button to get to a display that tells you that the RAID system is in rebuilding clicking it.
* During the construction, the plate could be used, ie it can be deleted files gändert or created.
* Reconstruction of 1TB of data took about 6 hours, and that's my view, a great value for a desktop solution in its price range.
* Since this is a hardware RAID, the system remains on the board of which is operated unloaded. Also I feel for a desktop solution as a notable feature.
CONCLUSIONS RAID 1: completely convinced, "super implemented".
Power consumption / rest periods
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Unfortunately I can not contribute to your own measurements to consumption itself, as my meter is broken degree, but what stands out is negative: at negotiated Attached Studio II, the plates continue to run. This seems absurd in so far as they are parked / stopped in the suspended state. A complete shutdown is possible via the switch mounted on back. On a positive note that the plates thereby can not be simply switched off, but are previously posted properly.
CONCLUSION Power consumption: Standby behavior could be improved.
Processing
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Opening the top cover lid requires a courageous pressure, so that one is afraid of the plastic lid may shatter instantly. The plates were so tightly entangled with me that I could not pull out without any major violence. The force required to check immediately tear the tabs. New plates could / I did not want to insert only.
In itself, it is necessary to replace the device at this point to ensure, but on the warranty Marathon I did not want to take a chance, so I disassembled the complete unit (Attention warranty loss). After I was able to bend the HDD cages something it is now possible to change without problems the plates.
The lack of the processing is an individual case is to be hoped, on the Internet I could not find a comparable experience spontaneously.
CONCLUSION: processing function prevents (plate change)
Overall impression
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Stark Enclosed application field ....
Search For Mac Users a RAID 1 system is the WD My Book Studio is certainly a good solution, only the lack of driver support by Western Digital may hold a potential customers from buying.
Scenarios "operate as two separate plates" or as JBOD are (probably also due to lack of firmware / software) not feasible and a RAID 0 makes to Firewire (eSata there on your desktop Mac does not) make sense.
The highly circumscribed field of application and the miserable support of firmware / software through WD would like to give just two star myself actually. The really great unconverted RAID 1 has me but then convinced, and I give 3 points (the fourth I refuse, as WD denied a required update). The fifth star, I have to deduct because of poor processing of the HDD cages and thus required the use of force.
