Drobo announces 2 storage devices ideal for small business and prosumer customers-- the Drobo 5D array and the first portable array from the company, the Drobo Mini.

Both offerings support Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 interconnect specifications.

The Drobo 5D aims for professional Adobe and Apple application users and carries up to five 3.5-inch hot-swappable SATA- or SAS-based 2TB HDDs/SSDs. It also has an internal mSATA SSD (for data-caching purposes) and a variable-speed fan.

Meanwhile the Drobo Mini is the first array from the company ideal for road warriors. It measures 18 x 18 x 6cm and has a patented "carrierless" design allowing users to insert up to four 2.5-inch SATA/SAS drives without the need for additional drive carriers or screws.

Like the 5D, it also carries an mSATA SSD for caching purposes.

It features not only a rugged design but also a custom power supply and an optional carry case.

Both Drobo 5D and mini should launch in July 2012.

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