🚀 go-pugleaf

Depending on the server in question, my average speed is between 5.5 and 8
MB per second.

Regarding reliability, it's like this: I'll put a tape in, and Arcserve
can't see the tape. Another tape will work fine. Another problem I've
discovered is that my external M2 drive is poorly shielded. When I placed it
on top of another rackmount server, it would not function if it was above
the drive cage area of the server. We also run into tape drive media errors
on occasion. Maybe your explanation applies to that particular problem.

Regardless of whatever "excuses" you have to offer, and regardless of the
supposed superiority of the media, I get errors frequently. I backup my
Nonstop server with DLT 40. In the last three years, I've had ZERO errors.
None. DLT 40 had the same track record when I was using it to backup NT
servers before the M2 drive also. Maybe my technique is wrong, but for me,
M2 has not been reliable enough for me to consider running full backups on
the weekend, and partials during the week. I run full backups every day.

A lower speed drive isn't an option since I'm considering purchasing
Netbackup someday to be able to multiplex jobs to the tape at one time. If
doing so would actually increase the reliability of my tapes, I should
probably consider doing that now.




"Rob Turk" <r.turk@chello.nl> wrote in message
news:3e72ef48$0$145$e4fe514c@dreader9.news.xs4all.nl...
> "Captain Obvious" <someone@somewhere.net> wrote in message
> news:13xca.38008$JE5.6339@news2.central.cox.net...
> > I need to move up from an Exabyte Mammoth2  drive to a library system.
> I've
> > been displeased by the numerous tape errors from the M2.
> >
> > I'm looking at two options right now:
> >
> > 1. Quantum ATL Superloader with a SDLT 320 drive. I would get a $2500
> credit
> > on tradeup to the SDLT 600 drive in the fall. The total cash outlay
after
> > the drive upgrade would be similar to the cost of the Neo 2000, but I'd
> have
> > to buy new tapes in 6 months. Still, this is 50% more native storage
than
> > the LTO-2.
> >
> > 2. Overland Storage Neo 2000 with an LTO-2 drive. This is a larger
> library.
> > I don't really need 30 media bays, but it could come in handy when I go
on
> > vacation.
> >
>
> If you want to change technology, check out the Exabyte 110L or 221L LTO
> library. Solid equipment, at a good price. Also ask yourself why your M2
is
> giving you trouble. If your environment isn't up to the task of feeding
the
> tape drive at a reasonable rate, then any (S)DLT or LTO tape drive may
also
> exhibit reliability issues down the road. HP, Seagate and Exabyte all have
> excellent whitepapers on optimising backup environments, and what to look
> for in case of trouble. You wouldn't be the first to discover that a
> workgroupWin2K server with simple backup software can't backup any faster
> than 3-6 MB/s...
>
> If your investigations show that your system will not be able to drive the
> top-end tape drives properly, you may want to consider Exabyte VXA-2
> (80GB@6MB/s native) in an AutoPAK 1x7 desktop loader (costs less than a
> stand-alone M2 drive), AutoPAK 1x10 (19" 2U rackmount) or a 430V (max 4
> drives, 30 slots).
>
> Rob (who works for Exabyte)
>
>