INFO-VAX Mon, 15 Sep 2008 Volume 2008 : Issue 506 Contents: Re: SDLT versus LTO tape backup ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:26:01 -0500 From: dittman@dittman.net Subject: Re: SDLT versus LTO tape backup Message-ID: Rob wrote: > On Sep 11, 8:02??pm, Alan Frisbie > wrote: > > I have been a happy user of DLT/SDLT tapes for many years. > > One of my sites is currently using SDLT 160/320, but the > > backups are now taking two tapes and they want to upgrade. > > > > The next logical step up is SDLT 300/600 (SDLT-II tapes), > > but I want to consider other options. ?? One option is the > > LTO-3 (400 GB / 800 GB) drive. > > > > I would to know your opinions on these two options, plus > > any others you might be using. ?? I hear some people saying > > that SDLT is dead and the future is LTO, but other disagree. > > > > What do *YOU* use for your most valuable data, and why? > > > > Thanks, > > Alan Frisbie > We went from DLT4 to SDLT to LTO3. LTO3 has certainly been the most > stable, with only one drive swap so far. You can also mix SDLT and LTO > in a MSL6000 library, although I believe LTO3 will also read-only > SDLT. Please check these facts on the HP support matrix. I was looking into mixing SDLT and LTO and the document I found said the following about mixing SDLT and LTO in the MSL6000 (and MSL5000 as well): MSL libraries will not support SDLT and Ultrium cartridges in the same library module because of differences in media magazine size. However, support for MSL libraries with SDLT and Ultrium drives in separate modules in a multi-unit stack is supported. I found the documentation here: http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/tapecompatibility.html The specific document was: ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/storageworks/techdoc/tapestorage/ SW_MSL_Tape_Auto_bc_FINAL.hires_040808.pdf (that URL is split) Which was linked from "Tape compatibility" -> "Business class libraries drive upgrade matrix". -- Eric Dittman dittman@dittman.net ------------------------------ End of INFO-VAX 2008.506 ************************