Author: Mike Moffit

Director of IT

  • Power User Data Storage

    I have a growing media library and a GoPro camera that I use to record my sailboat racing, so my storage needs keep growing, and will eventually exceed the capacity of the drives I have right now. I need a system that will aggregate multiple drives for lots of storage and some redundancy. If I were a business, I might buy one of our Promise Pegasus RAID units, but as a consumer, I don’t want to spend quite that much and I don’t want to have to buy all the drives at the same time (or replace them all with identical units if I want to expand). This narrows my choices down to systems that are not pure hardware RAID, but special variants that allow for drives of different sizes.

    One option is to go for fast local storage using the new Drobo 5D. It is a relatively new product from Drobo, and it supports up to five hard drives, as well as an SSD expansion slot to speed up data access. Using Drobo’s Beyond RAID technology, you can put in up to five drives, of up to 4TB of space, and choose one or two drive redundancy support. You can replace failing drives with new ones while it is running, and you can swap smaller drives for bigger drives to grow your storage. It has two Thunderbolt ports and one USB 3.0 port. The Drobo 5D retails for $849.99 and you can find it “*here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/82341/drobo-5d-das-array-thunderbolt-usb on our website.

    The other product I am considering is a network-attached storage device (NAS), the Synology 1512+. Synology has a variety of models, but this is their top notch 5-bay unit. Rather than accessing data locally, it would act as a network file server. Its Synology Hybrid RAID system also supports using drives of different sizes and from different manufacturers, and you can run it with one or two drive redundancy, and upgrade on the fly. It also offers further expansion via up to two 5-bay expansion units, so you could have up to 15 drives in one system! Check it out on our website “*here.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/81931/synology-diskstation-ds1512-network-storage-server

    The Synology uses a network connection instead of Thunderbolt, so it is not as fast as the Drobo with Thunderbolt, but it does have some extra features that are not on the Drobo. As a NAS system, it is really a server computer with a bunch of drive bays, so it can perform any server functions that they include in their DiskStation Manager software, as well as support other packages that you can install.

    DSM support file sharing, web sharing, photo sharing, media sharing for a digital video collection, music sharing, backup, and a whole bunch of other stuff you can see on “*Synology’s own website.*”:http://www.synology.com/dsm/index.php?lang=enu

    I’m not sure which one I might get in the future, but they are both very cool choices! For drives, I would use the new RAID and NAS-optimized Western Digital RED drives that support time-limited error recovery (TLER), something which might be the topic for another article… View our selection of “*Western Digital Red*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=Western+Digital+RED hard drives on our website.

    Now, as a consultant, I have to give the caveat that drive redundancy does not equal backup. Just because a system can survive the failure of one, or optionally two, drives, it does not mean that you are protected. You should always have any important data backed up on another system. If I plan on storing any unique data on either of these systems (and not just backups of my computer drives), I need to either buy two of them or budget for another storage system to keep a copy of all that data.

  • Hello all,

    Spitting snow and sleet have been the norm for the last couple of days. We are just getting the edges of the storms that are pounding the middle of the country, though, and while people here wish we would get more snow, I think it’s definitely a case of ‘be careful what you wish for.’ Being snowed in without power for a couple of days gets old and cold really quickly.

    I do love being outdoors in the winter and grew up skiing and sledding. Thankfully my kids love it, too, because I am TOTALLY FINE staying inside in the warmth for the most part. I poke my head out into the sun often enough to process some vitamin D and maybe see my shadow. It should therefore come as no surprise to you all that I am in search of a good calorie-counting app for my iPad!

    I cannot think of a single tech-related thing to say, so I am just going to let you get to this week’s offerings.

    Thanks for reading,

    Liam
    “*liam@smalldog.com*”:mailto:liam@smalldog.com

  • Buy the Scosche Noise Isolation Earbuds w/slideLINE Remote & Mic (White) for just $10.99, and get a FREE nip of Pure Vermont Maple…

  • Find My iStuff

    Built in to iOS 5+ and OS 10.7 and later is the ability to use iCloud. iCloud lets you back up and sync…

  • As the days start getting longer, I keep thinking of motorcycling but I think I have several weeks before getting back on two wheels. I’m taking my second week of my winter vacation next week, but Kali, Stephanie and Mike will keep you informed.

    Thanks for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali, Stephanie & Mike_

  • KB SPECIAL | Can The Real iPad Please Stand Up

    It doesn’t get any better then Apple Refurbished. You get a like-new product at a huge savings!

    This week, save $50 when you purchase an Apple refurbished 64GB iPad (1st gen.) with an Apple iPad Dock, Griffin 3 meter dock cable and a Hammerhead Dual Port USB Charger.

  • KB SPECIAL | Warm Hands Are Happy Hands

    “*KB | Save $7 On All SwypeGear*”:http://www.smalldog.com/mfg/?MfrName=SwypeGear

    Never again will you have to decide whether to use your iPhone and freeze your fingers, or ignore that text and stay warm.

    SwypeGear makes a glove that not only keeps your hands warm but let you use your iOS device with them on! No clumsy tabs to impede you from using your touch screen, SwypeGear has woven in the necessary stuff directly into the fingertips of each finger.

    For this week only, you can save $7 on any color or size pair of SwypeGear gloves when you use coupon code *7OFFSWYPE*. Just add the pair your want to your cart and enter the coupon code on the shopping cart page.

    h4{color:#208724}. $12.99

    “!(image)http://blog.smalldog.com/images/691.gif(View)!”:http://www.smalldog.com/mfg/?MfrName=SwypeGear

  • KB SPECIAL | Hands Free Talking In Your Vehicle

    Talking while driving or driving while talking? Hopefully you are doing it the safe way –i.e. the hands-free way. If not, we recommend looking at the Scosche motorMOUTH.

    For a limited time only, save 50% on the Scosche motorMOUTH and forever be a safer driver.

  • How To Migrate Your iPhoto Library To An External

    Recently, I purchased a massive 2TB external hard drive so that I could create a media server with my Mac mini and free up space on that machine and my MacBook Pro. Some of you may not have even considered this an option but it is a great way to save space on your computer’s primary drive. At the same time it can make your photos a little safer and a little less safe as well.

    Storing your photos on an external hard drive helps safety because typically you are not accessing your external as often as your primary drive which will increase the time before the drive fails, and before you ask, yes, every hard drive will fail at some point. It also makes them slightly less safe because Macs come standard with impact detection.

    My layman’s understanding of how this works is that the Mac will quickly lock the drive’s components in place whenever an impact is imminent. Since your average external doesn’t have this feature, you run the risk of dropping the external while it is operating and damaging its internals. However, in the long run, I think this is a much better way to store all media including photos, music, docs, and movies.

    Now onto the part you’ve been waiting for — how to do it!

    *Step 1*
    * Plug in and power up your external drive so that it mounts on your Mac. Also make sure that iPhoto is not running. If it is simply click on the icon to open it up and hit *command+Q* to quit the app.

    *Step 2*
    * Locate your iPhoto Library. This should be stored in your Pictures folder but if you can’t find that, open up a new Finder window and follow this path: *@Macintosh HD > Users > “your username” > Pictures@*

    *Step 3*
    * Move the *iPhoto Library* package to your external by using either cut and paste or by dragging the package to the external. If you are using the dragging method, I always find it much easier to have two finder windows open.

    * You might have to wait some time for this action to finish. The time it will take can greatly vary depending on the amount of data being moved, the type/speed of both drives and the interface in which they are connected (USB 2.0, FireWire, Thunderbolt, etc.)

    *Step 4*
    * Once your iPhoto Library package has been moved, you need to tell the iPhoto app where to find the pictures. To do this hold down the *alt/option* key and launch iPhoto. This will open a new dialog window asking you to select the iPhoto Library you want to use. Select the option for the library we just moved. If you see multiple options and are unsure you can see the directory path for the currently selected library. Just make sure its path is going to your external hard drive and hit *Choose* to confirm the selection.

    * If by chance you don’t see your existing library in the list simply click the *Other Library…* button and navigate to the iPhoto Library you moved to your external hard drive.

    Whenever you open iPhoto, the app will automatically pull its data from the library on your external. Keep in mind that if you don’t have the external connected, you won’t be able to access the photos within iPhoto. That seems like a simple idea but I have been caught once or twice not powering up my external and wondering where the heck all my media is when I turn on iTunes.

    If in the future you decide you want your iPhoto Library back on your Mac’s hard drive, all you have to do is follow these steps again with one exception. Make sure you drag the iPhoto Library from your external to the Pictures folder on Mac and make sure to select the library with the directory going to your Mac and not your external.

    Voila! You just freed up some space on your Mac’s hard drive.

  • Ahhhhh, Vacation!

    Next week is a big travel week for most Vermonters since it’s February break for the school kiddies. If you are one of those people headed someplace warm, sunny and tropical, I am very jealous. If you are able to, escaping the Vermont winters here is essential to your well-being. (Ok, maybe not for all, but for me — someone who loves the sun and warm weather — it’s crucial to get out of here and soak up some serious Vitamin D.) Because I got stuck in Florida during Hurricane Sandy seven days longer than scheduled, I was unable to take my beloved escape to warmer climates this winter. Oh well — I plan to crank the heat in my house and look through photos from trips past.

    I have a treat for the rest of you jet-setters. There are some really great travel apps out there. Here are a few that might be worth downloading from the app store before leaving.

    Check it out:

    *Getting there — jetBlue* This will obviously only be beneficial to those of you actually flying jetBlue. I downloaded this app last year for my trip to Puerto Rico and being someone who judges things first by how they look, was instantly blown away. In this case however, it looks pretty (I’ve always thought jetBlue has done a great job with their identity) and works great! After downloading the app, sign in if you are already a TrueBlue member and it will automatically pull your upcoming flights and information. You can check into your flight, check flight status and view the in-flight guide. You’re able to use the app to book flights, make postcards to send to friends and download some cool jetBlue-themed wallpaper.

    *During — Everplaces* This app might be better suited for the world traveler versus the quick vacationer, but I would still recommend it. If you are one of those people who cares about an authentic and urban experience when you travel, this is the app has your name all over it. Create beautiful collections of photos and tips from your favorite places and get recommendations from other locals or friends who already been to your destination. This app has been described as “the Pinterest of the real world.” The best part about it is that it works offline, so you won’t have any roaming fees!

    *After — Trevi* Once you’ve returned from your super fun trip, get all those photos organized — all you’ll need is a few minutes — seriously. Ahhhh, technology! The days are over when you could spend all weekend organizing the prints from your last trip into photo boxes. Trevi will take your entire photo library from your phone and organize them into city albums, keep track of your travel timeline and gives you a world map marking where you’ve been. You can also send cool postcards to all your friends to make them jealous.

    For all you folks who are lucky enough to escape the cold and travel someplace warm — or even if you are going from cold to cold — getting outta town for a bit really helps break up the time. Safe travels!

  • Mac TREAT #199: Open Files In A Different App

    Have you ever wanted to open a file in a different application than usual? As a web designer, I often find myself opening HTML files in Safari (which is usually what I want), but every once in a while I want to open that same file in my text editor.

    It is a relatively easy process to open a file in a different app. Simply use the secondary click command that you have set up — I right click my Magic Mouse (if you don’t know how to use secondary click I will explain that later). Doing so will open a menu of which the second option from the top is *Open With*. When you hover your mouse pointer over that menu option, another menu will pop out with a list of apps that can launch that file. Select the app you want to open the file with, and presto-change-o — you’re all set for this one time. If you don’t see the app you want, you can always click on *Other…* to browse your entire *Applications* folder for the desired app. You can also go straight to the *App Store* if you know you don’t have the program you want installed.

    So what happens if you want that type of file to always open in that app? Well, you can set a specific file type to always open in a certain application. There are two ways that I know of to do this. The first is to select the file by clicking it once and getting its info with the shortcut *command+I*. A new window will open up and in the 4th drop down from the top labeled *Open with:* you can set the app this specific file uses to open. Once you have selected the app you want, hit the *Change All…* button and every file that has the same extension on your machine currently and in the future will open with that app.

    Now, back to secondary clicking. If you don’t know what your secondary click is, go to *System Preferences > Mouse > Point & Click* and make sure the *Secondary Click* box is checked and underneath is set to the way you want to click. It is the same process if you use a trackpad, except that you go to the trackpad section instead of the mouse section in System Preferences.

    I hope this week’s Mac Treat was of benefit to you. It certainly is something that I have to do multiple times a day. As always, if you have any questions about this Mac Treat, email me at “*michaelb@smalldog.com.*”:mailto:michaelb@smalldog.com