Re: [TCLUG:15440] tape backup

["Carl Wilhelm Soderstrom" <carls@agritech.com>]

>Can anyone recommend a tape backup external SCSI drive that uses  8 MM
>tapes and where I can get one locally if possible. I have never used one
>before and need one at work and am dealing with CDW and they are quoting
>$4000 -$1500 sytems. I was recommended an Exabyte 8700, although it is
>about a year old, does anyone know what the newer model would be or
>something in the same ball park? Thanks.

        everything I've heard says that AIT is the best way to go. I don't
know what the tape size is, exactly (if there's some form-factor reason to
need 8mm); but it offers far better performance and reliability, at the same
cost as DLT.
        AIT-1 (25/50GB) drives are ~$2500, w/ ~$60 or ~$100 tapes (the $60
ones don't have the flash memory chip that holds rapid-access index data).
        AIT-2 (50/100GB) is now out; I think I saw one in CDW's catalog for
$3500. dunno what tapes cost.

mind you, I've never used one myself; but the guy who wrote the "UNIX
Backup" O'Reilly book couldn't say enough good things about them, and
several others have told me the same things.

the only reason I don't have one myself at work, is because I couldn't
justify the capacity. I have an 12/24GB HP 4mm DAT drive, which is perfectly
adequate for just about everything we need. (and cost less than half as much
as the AIT drive.)

Carl Soderstrom
System Administrator    307 Brighton Ave. 
Minnesota DHIA	        Buffalo, MN	
carls@agritech.com      (763) 682-1091