Return to BSD News archive
Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!newshost.telstra.net!news.ci.com.au!wabbit.cc.uow.edu.au!news.nsw.CSIRO.AU!mel.dit.csiro.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.ecn.uoknor.edu!news.ysu.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.sprintlink.net!helena.MT.net!nate From: nate@trout.sri.MT.net (Nate Williams) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Subject: Re: Server hardware considerations.. Date: 22 Feb 1996 03:19:13 GMT Organization: SRI Intl. - Montana Operations Lines: 46 Message-ID: <4ggnbh$q25@helena.MT.net> References: <Pine.LNX.3.91.960219204849.14523A-100000@gallup.cia-g.com> <Pine.LNX.3.91.960219211127.18343B-100000@okjunc.junction.net> <3129E15C.31DFF4F5@FreeBSD.org> Reply-To: "Nate Williams" <nate@sneezy.sri.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: trout.sri.mt.net In article <3129E15C.31DFF4F5@FreeBSD.org>, Jordan K. Hubbard <jkh@FreeBSD.org> wrote: >> > Tape backup: SCSI.. I have no idea what is best, I am using a cheap >> > and slow floppy-tape drives right now and haven't been very pleased. >> >> DAT drives. Be aware that there is a worldwide shortage of DDS-2 120 >> metre tapes right now but there are lots of DDS 90 meter tapes so if > >For backup? It's either that or for recording CD's, but I think he meant DAT. :) > That's a little masochistic, I think. I don't trust DAT >media for long-term storage (or even at all - it's so thin that it tends >to get swallowed in some tape transports, and having such a thing happen >to a backup would be a disaster). Hmm, while for most things (technical) I agree with Jordan, I must voice my disagreement here. I've used almost every kind of backup media (except for the really new DLT tapes, but maybe I'll get to play with one of those soon.) >I'm a big fan of 8mm (Exabyte) drives for backup purposes. Higher >density and far more robust, IMHO. I on the other hand have had the opposite experience. The 8mm drives and tapes have been much less robust than the 4mm DAT tapes and drives we used. And, we can't blame the manufacturer since all of the 8mm drives were built by Exabyte. (Is that still true?) I've used both DEC (HP rebadged) and stock HP drives with great luck, and I've had really good luck with my MaynStream 2000 DAT for doing backups, although I would probably by an HP next time. I wish my Archive 150 was as dependable for long-term backups. :( If you get data-grade tapes, I think 4mm drives are as good or better than the 8mm Exabytes. Nate -- nate@sneezy.sri.com | Research Engineer, SRI Intl. - Montana Operations nate@trout.sri.MT.net | Loving life in God's country, the great state of work #: (406) 449-7662 | Montana. home #: (406) 443-7063 | A fly pole and a 4x4 Chevy truck = Heaven on Earth