For the longest time I used DEVONthink for gathering project-related information into one place: Word and PDF docs, scanned images, web pages, etc. The downside to this approach is requiring your computer nearby.

This prompted me to try Evernote which has its feet on the desktop, iPhone, Blackberry, and the web. Although lacking the depth of DEVONthink, Evernote is excellent at clipping web pages, storing images and documents, and keeping everything within reach from anywhere.

If you’re using Google Reader to manage your news intake, Evernote’s web clipping just got easier when you’re away from the desktop application. Learn how to configure Reader to send entire blog posts to Evernote without browser extensions.

My Guardian Maximus (G-Max as Newer Tech refers to it) has been running strong since I bought it. A couple of Western Digital drives have failed but otherwise the RAID-1 has been solid.

A recent drive failure led me to call Newer Tech and ask questions about how the G-Max handles rebuilding after a failure.

• HDD1 is always the primary drive. HDD2 is constantly being mirrored via the G-Max controller.
• You can remove either drive and use it like a normal disk; install it in a desktop, another case, etc. The drive can be reinserted in the G-Max without any data loss.
• If removing a drive, be sure to label it “HDD1″ or “HDD2″ and re-install to the corresponding channel (#1 or #2). Because HDD1 is always the primary drive, if you move it to channel 2 you risk losing data.
• If HDD2 fails the system knows as such. Be sure to leave this “good” drive at HDD2 and replace the failed HDD1. UPDATE: If HDD1 fails the system knows as such. Be sure to leave the functioning drive at HDD2 and replace the failed HDD1.

Would I buy a G-Max today? From a price and performance standpoint, yes. However, I would put serious consideration on “screwless” models for those times when you need to get inside the device; replacing HDD2 in the G-Max requires removal of all 12 screws. IcyDock makes a screwless RAID-1 unit although the long-term reliability is uncertain.

UPDATE

For the sake of accuracy I will describe the incidents after the drive failed. The drive didn’t fail but the A/C power supply of the G-Max did. This caused drive 1, and later, drive 2 to not spin up properly. An unfortunate turn of events had me returning the RMA drive and engaging in a number of phone calls to resolve.

Newer Tech replaced my power brick for free although I had to beg because the G-Max was just out-of-warranty (standard warranty for a 0 GB kit is one-year and three-years for a populated kit). Cross ship is available but not offered to me at the time, a subsequent phone call revealed.

Although the mis-diagnosis caused me a fair bit of bother the new power brick solved the problem. The drives went back in without data loss and the unit is running normally. I still recommend the G-Max.

For longer than I care to admit, my entire collection of music and photos have lived on a single external hard disk attached to my MacBook Pro. In an effort to make a backup I used Mozy but recently it stopped working and Mozy’s tech support gave up on me.

I looked long and hard at Network Attached Storage from Synology (and Apple’s Time Capsule) but there were limitations with iPod syncing and streaming to my Xbox 360. The solution was another external drive but in what configuration?

Having good experience with Newer Technology’s miniStack V2, I opted for their Guardian Maximus. A hardware-based RAID-1 solution using the Oxford chipset, it’s a sleek aluminum housing with a single fan and myriad connections of USB 2.0, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800.

I chose the “add your own drives” version and saved myself about $100. Unscrew the case, screw down your drives, reassemble, plug-in to your Mac. I used two Western Digital SATA drives of 750 GB formatted to two volumes: 400 GB to hold my media and another 300 GB for Time Machine (or any other backup method).

What’s to say so far? The Maximus works.

The Enclosure

The case is well-built, aluminum, and jet black. I wasn’t sure how this would look contrasted with my aluminum MacBook Pro but it’s perfectly discreet.

Small and not over-bright LEDs provide a status display for Power, HDD activity (each drive), and a Rebuild indicator. Colors for HDD and Rebuild cycle green/orange/red based on status.

The Maximus isn’t silent like the IcyDock due to the fan at the back of the case. It produces a modest whir but nothing distracting and would be fine in your office or living room. Using FireWire, each drive goes to sleep if your settings are configured as such. I didn’t test this under USB 2.0.

There is no heat coming off the case or fan.

RAID-1 in a Box

According to Newer Tech’s documentation, any failed drives will automatically rebuild once replaced in the case. I didn’t have (or take) the opportunity to test this but you can use the device while the array rebuilds. Newer Tech does state the drives should match in make and model which could present an issue down the road with replacements but I’ll take the chance.

Unfortunately you can’t expand your mirrored pair by replacing one drive at a time (the Synology NAS can do this). Using an external drive as an intermediary should work then populate both (new) drives into the Maximus case. Just a theory.

Missing RAID-0

If you want to operate the Maximus in RAID-0 or independently you’ll need to look at OWC’s Mercury Elite instead. Considering each enclosure looks identical (except color), there must be an agreement in place to offer products with opposing features. A shame, really, because I’d love a matching set of Maximus’ in whichever configuration I choose.

Both cases have jumpers which are used to change operating modes but Newer Tech tells you to leave them alone or void your warranty. I’m guessing RAID-0 is but a jumper away for the Maximus if you wish to dabble.

Real World Usage

I’ve been using the Maximus for about 24 hours with excellent results. Hammered it with file copies. Chained it to a G-RAID2 via FireWire 800 and captured DV footage into Final Cut Pro. No issues.

The Maximus would make an excellent device for editors wishing to have disk redundancy at a smaller cost than RAID-5. However, a second external drive synced with ChronoSync would work similarly.

What’s Enough Backup?

What else of my backup strategy? The Maximus gives me disk redundancy for my media and a Time Machine backup for my MacBook Pro’s hard disk. I will make periodic dupes to my wife’s external drive. Lastly, I’ll balance this off with another shot at Mozy or uploading my photos to Flickr.

My front disc brake pads were wearing out – so the dashboard LED display told me. Deciding to be a smart shopper, I bought new pads from AutoZone and had a local shop put them on. Even after “turning” the rotors (fancy word for making them smooth all around) the brakes let out a very, very, loud squeal any time I was coming to a stop. Think of Freddy Krueger running his fingers on a chalk board.

The brakes worked fine aside from that ear-splitting squeal. It didn’t go away after a couple of weeks and when my two-year-old started asking about the noise I knew it was time to do something.

I sucked it up and went to the dealer. Laying down $600+ for new discs and pads, the squeal got quieter. Only quieter, not gone, but still too loud for comfort.

A phone call to the dealer revealed this incredible suggestion: cruise on the highway or a local road doing about 50 and slam on the brakes about four or five times. He went on about “pads being engineered for the autobahn” and glazing.

I didn’t believe him but it was worth a shot. Unfortunately LA isn’t the best place to find wide open road where you can engage the ABS without freaking out everyone behind you. This afternoon a nice stretch of the 110 near Long Beach served as the test track. With a few inadvertent slams (damned lane cutters) and some of my own quick braking I was hoping for a cure-all.

I slipped off the freeway and come to a slow stop at a traffic light with…no squeal. There is a bit of one but for all intents and purposes it’s gone. I’m wondering if a few more good slams on the brake pedal will render it completely silent (and warping my rotors no doubt) or if the noise will return some hot summer day.

For anyone confused, I’m not talking about “brake quiet” grease, rather the contact between pad and disc. You can read about what causes the squeal when pad meets rotor and how Georgia Tech is going to fix it someday.

EDIT: although the squeal did improve for a short time it came back. The final resolution was a new set of pads from Pagid which contain a softer material than the OEM pads. No more squealing.

As far back as I can remember my e-mail software checks for new messages every 10-15 minutes. Even in the midst of implementing David Allen’s GTD and focussing my energies on the task at-hand new email was trickling in and taunting me to read the subject line.

For a very short time I played with the idea of checking e-mail twice a day. It didn’t work because I often needed to be in Mail to peform a task and once it was opened, new mail poured in.

Then it hit me: turn off automatic e-mail checking. My inbox can stay open all day and I don’t need to lose focus on new messages.

Am I tempted to click the “Get Mail” button? Not really because I know that doing so might sideline me and make a mess of my inbox. With this new method of managing influx the “check it twice daily” strategy is worh revisting.