Re: OT: tape backup

[Joerg Bruehe <joerg sql de>]

Hi ! 

"T. Daniel Crawford" wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 25 Mar 2001, James Fowler wrote:
> 
> > Based on my recent experiences, I want a more robust backup solution.  I
> > am looking to aquire a tape drive.  As this is not being payed for by a
> > buisness I need a cost effective solution.  I prefer SCSI (I am using the
> > Qlogic isp1020 as reported by /proc/scsi).  Any suggestions or ideas?
> > What is the best drive for the money?  I will be backing up FAT32, EXT2,
> > Reiserfs, UFS, HPFS, (and maybe other) filesystems. 

On Linux, this is a question of the software, not the hardware. 
(old Win95 built-in backup can not use SCSI tapes - get "Seagate 
Backup Exec" or its successor in that case.) 

> > I would like to
> > manage it all on my alpha, although I can put it in a x86 box that I have
> > if necessary (cost/performance driven, etc.).  [...] 
> >
> 
> I use an HP DAT drive for all my backups and it works great.  Consider the
> HP DDS3 or DDS4 systems, which give up to 24 and 40 GB (compressed) storage.
> 
> http://www.products.storage.hp.com/eprise/main/storage/DisplayPages/ddsdat.htm
> 

I have to comment that my own personal experiences with old HP DAT
drives 
("DDS-2", model C 1533 A, built 1994/95) are very discouraging - 
in spite of several experiments with three drives and several tapes, 
long searches for info (including HP's support, which reacted reasonably 
fast) etc., I could not yet get them to work reliably on my x86 Linux PC 
with a Tekram 390 F. 
(Hints will gladly be taken!) 
As I also have problems exchanging tapes between two DAT drives in 
Digital/Compaq Alpha models (running Tru64), confidence decreases. 

These experiences, combined with widespread tellings of slow
deadjustment 
in (especially HP ?) DAT drive head drums, makes me tend for other 
solutions. 
If omly my old QIC-150 drives (Tandberg) had a higher capacity, I had 
a clear favourite - extremely reliably and easy to configure. 
Given current prices, DLT is still beyond most people's private range, 
but I would prefer Video-8 (Exabyte) over any DAT technique. 

Regards, 
Joerg Bruehe 

-- 
Joerg Bruehe, SQL Datenbanksysteme GmbH, Berlin, Germany
     (speaking only for himself)
mailto: joerg@sql.de