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Real World Software Workloads
Server Workloads
With restricted small block and random read performance, the Drobo 5N has a difficult time keeping pace with the other systems during the test. Most photography professionals do not run applications on a Drobo system, so we are not too put off by these results.
Consumer Workloads
It's almost frightening how well the synthetic tests predict file transfer performance using application traces. Intel's NASPT software allows you to put a name to the face, so to say. In this case, you can match your application to a level of performance. For instance, if your images are on the NAS, but the software you use to browse is on your PC or Mac, the Photo Album test reveals the level of performance you should expect with all of the systems.
The Drobo 5N exhibits lower performance than many of the other systems in the charts during most of the consumer workloads. The system performs well taking in large files and playing back video streams. Low performance doesn't mean unusable, but your money could go further with other systems.
