The face of a large number of tape drives and tape specifications, many network administrators confused, and in the end the technical specifications which is best? What kind of system most suited to your own business where used? In fact, these considerations do not know the reader is also very comprehensive, and in selecting the tape device issues to be considered much more than this. We should not only consider the tape technology, storage capacity, storage speed, we should consider the installation of its ease of use and safety of recovery functions. First, to understand the major equipment vendors and products, tape, and then introduced the purchase of these devices required attention.

1, tape equipment manufacturers and products

In order to facilitate readers choose to buy tape drives, tape libraries and tape, this section would like to brief some of the major storage vendor’s major tape drives, tape libraries and tape products.

1. The major tape drive vendors and products

At present, the tape drive technology is the move towards higher data transfer speeds and high-capacity tape direction, a variety of new technologies and new formats endless. With the mainstream of the tape drive technology vendors, including HP, Quantum (Quantum), Exabyte (Exabyte) and Sony (Sony) and so on.

We know that its main HP tape drive device is a DAT format tape drive, since these tape drives have a high cost, so in the market, especially in the SMB market holds a high market share. In addition to its SDLT tape drive device also has a very good effect on the market, because of its high technical strength, so many users of its products have been highly recognized.

Quantum tape drive in the mid-range products occupied the lion’s share of the market, but left a large part of OEM sales channels. Its SuperLoader autoloader multiple backups can be focused to a shared automated systems, to reduce processing cost.

Exabyte tape drive technology, including 8mm Mammoth and VXA technology. VXA is the location of new low-end tape technology to read and write data packet format, the data can be recorded on the tape gap area without scanning. It has high-quality, high reliability and low cost characteristics. One VXA-1 version of the format of the tape machine is designed specifically for Mac storage programs; VXA-2 also has a high cost, and with the speed and storage capacity storage up to 12MB / s and 160GB, backward compatible with VXA-1 .

Sony is mainly based on AIT tape drive technology products: AIT-1, AIT-2, AIT-3 and the latest AIT-4, including AIT-4 is a high performance and large-capacity storage solutions, capacity (uncompressed) for 200GB, rate of 24MB / s, but also with AIT-1, AIT-2, AIT-3 fully read and write backward compatible, and has layered head, innovative tape storage within the (MIC) drive interface system and many other patented technology to improve the speed of track density and storage.

2. Major tape library vendors and products

Tape libraries and tape drive manufacturers relatively speaking more, so the user’s choice is also larger. The current mainstream tape library vendors are mainly STK, Quantum, Exabyte and IBM.

In the tape library product vendors, the market share is most critical to the United States Storage Technology Corporation (StorageTek, STK). STK is currently the main product line is the L series, including the L20, L40, L80, L180, L700, L5500, from the smallest to the largest 20 media slots 5500 tape slots full coverage. In its entry-level products, support for LTO, DLT and SuperDLT tape format for a variety of open technology, only in the high-end products only support both its own possession 9840,9940 drive technology.

Quantum has a DLT, SuperDLT technology, its user base and development prospects are good. It’s tape library product line very well equipped to meet various user requirements. P series of main products are P4000 and P7000, respectively, can support hundreds of slots and dozens of drives. M series of modular tape library system, the growth in demand according to the user the flexibility to expand capacity and performance tape library, such as the M1500 can be extended from 20 slots to 200 slots; M2500 can be extended from 100 slots to 300 slots, very suitable for those fast-growing small and medium enterprises.

Exabyte’s 8mm tape format is an independent technology, with speed, large capacity, high reliability, low cost, small size and other characteristics, mainly for the library. 8mm tape library its intelligent robotics systems can be any access to the tape, using modular design. It is also more complete product line, from the drive VXA automation products AutoPak230/115/110, VXA-1 / 1 to Mammoth Tape Automation Drive products X200/80/430M/215M/EZ17, M2/Mammoth/Eliant 820 should be a evil. Capacity from 33GB to 12TB have the entire library, covering from low to high users of the market. Enables unattended automated data storage management for server backup, network backup, automatic archiving, hierarchical storage management and graphic images and other fields.

IBM tape library and tape drive products can be divided into two series: for the IBM environment, and for an open environment. IBM, 3494,3575, such as tape libraries, etc., only in support of its dedicated drive, open less. Currently IBM storage system solutions for its opening introduced a new tape library series – 3583 and 3584.

2, tape equipment, purchase of the Notes

Understanding of the major tape device manufacturers and products, we have to introduce the following before purchasing any of these tape devices required precautions.

(1) corresponds to a different tape drives of different tape formats

Is usually a tape drive corresponds to a specific format of the tape, so when you must be careful matching of purchase. Of course, the first consideration is the tape drive or tape library products are to meet their backup needs of enterprises, and tape drive or tape library identified, the tape format used by naturally set, and only take into account when the time specifications and brands. The specific tape format, that is, see the section on tape technology.

(2) Different formats have different tape capacity, storage and speed specifications

Although it is a tape drive or tape library corresponds to a specific tape format, but this does not mean that a tape drive or tape library can only use a standard tape, but in the same kinds of formats, there are many different storage capacity and speed choice. If the SME is widely used formats of DAT tape, a few years ago with 4GB, 8GB, 16GB of points, there are now 20GB, 40GB, 72GB of divided. Memory speed because of different versions, such as AIT-1 storage speed of 3MB / s, AIT-3 reached a 12MB / s, the latest AIT-4 reached a 24MB / s. This is according to their own businesses back up and storage capacity needs to set the pace. For the tape library products we would also like to know how much it can accommodate up to tape and whether it meets their business needs a backup capacity.

【Note】 If the backup storage is already compressed data, even if the compression used in the backup mode, and can only store non-compressed volume data. Such as general marked compression of data to store 80GB of disk, if the storage backup all the data has been compressed, then it can only store 40GB of data (because usually tape drive compression ratio of 2:1). Therefore, a tape eventually be able to store data on how much capacity, depending on whether the data stored has been compressed, compressed file is stored in the file as a proportion of the total determined. This should be special attention, in fact there is not, and network administrator asked this to illustrate Ming writes can store 80GB, why do I backup capacity of less than 50GB, say that the disk is full, is not it manufacturers in fool me . Of course, if the disk is marked to achieve disk storage capacity of compressed files, you must enable the backup tape drive compression function, is now generally tape machines have this feature.

(3) tapes of different formats can have different brands

This is not difficult to understand, as we used to determine the tape format, the next step to determine which one uses a tape product. Tape drives and tape libraries to tape technology, we propose to adopt the corresponding leading vendor products, because they are the most secure technology and services. As for the tape media used, although the original product is also recommended, but sometimes it is very expensive original products, but also the quality of the storage medium relative to other well-known brand-name products is not much advantage, then we can choose an alternative product. Such as the original HP and 3M tape on the same specifications of the difference between the more, Sony’s tape media when the product line is also very rich and affordable.

(4) different tape technology is applicable to different storage applications

A format corresponding to a different tape technology, tape storage capacity and speed limits, according to their own business needs to set the actual backup. Described in the previous eight kinds of tape technology, ADR, DAT, DLT, SLR these types in terms of storage capacity and memory speed are poor, but a lower price, very suitable for use by SMEs, in particular DAT that widely recognized to be the user tape technology. Using this technology, a single volume in the 50GB tape capacity is usually below (HP’s DAT tape currently has 72GB), the memory speed 5MB / s or less. If your business day storage capacity of 50GB or less, several of which the best choice, and the best choice and application compatibility, application of a good format for a broad range of DAT tape drive and tape. Because there is 5MB / s storage rate, so storage backup time generally completed within 3 hours, it should be in line with SME backup schedule.

For some storage capacity greater than 50GB, then not only to consider the storage capacity, and also consider storage speed, because excessive capacity, while the store is too slow, then it may take too long time, and even affect the normal work day . 50GB or more in tape technology, at present mainly AIT, Super DLT, VXA, and LTO 4 kinds. Among them, the application of AIT and LTO wider vendor support capabilities are better. If Sony’s new AIT-4 tape format, a single volume capacity of up to 200GB, memory speed up to 24MB / s. IBM’s new LTO-2 tape format is also a single volume capacity of up to 200GB, memory speed is up to 35MB / s, is the highest of all tape technologies. Quantum SuperDLT technology is also very good, the maximum capacity of 320GB, memory speed has reached 32MB / s.
(5) To give full consideration to tape drives and tape unit capacity cost

From the tape over the two main aspects to consider. In determining the tape backup device, but also give pre-eminence tape drive or tape library device, of course, this is usually only a one-time consideration. In addition to the above format, the corresponding tape storage capacity and memory speed not the same, there may also be the price point is very different. The format used by the tape unit capacity costs may also vary in many. Do not Look at less than 1 dollar a small difference, because that is the price per GB of capacity difference, if it met hundreds of GB, then a single volume is hundreds of tapes of the price difference in U.S. dollars, nearly one thousand yuan a. And general corporate backup COSCO is not a tape can be solved individually. Common daily backup will take at least two weeks, that is, 14. Coupled with weekly backup, monthly backup and quarters of the year so need to preserve the tape a long time, you also need at least 20. So what, the entire cost of storage backup big.

In the tape drive or tape library, we would also like to note that a different tape drive or tape library interface may not be as supported by the operating system are not the same. Not the same as your business are in line with the actual network environment. However, this aspect is usually not large, because the basic aspects of the host interface, are basically using SCSI interface, the operating system would normally support the popular Windows network operating system. Of course, if your company is located mainframe tape drive instead of using Windows, will have to consider whether to support it, because the tape drive or tape library also need to install the driver.

(6) The vast majority of manufacturers of products fail to identify transfer rate of commitment to the value of

In practice, the use of these products, manufacturers specifications known as the transfer rate appears to be less accurate. In general, the product transfer rate, the designs should be able to in 2 to 3 hours, filled with a roll of tape. This is from the user can store the backup provided by the proprietary time usually 3 hours or so to be considered. But no matter what level, there are a number of products can not meet this requirement, usually only a nominal 80 ~ 90%.

Transfer rate can be said that an important key to the product level. Transfer rate between 2.4 Dao 3.0 MB per second, the product suitable for entry-level servers to use, this part of the market, mostly by using DAT (DDS 4), DLT1 and VXA-1 tape technology products such as carved up by the net storage capacity (compressed ago storage capacity) are between 20 and between the Dao 60 GB.

Suitable for mid-range server products, most have a transfer rate of 6.0 MB per second, 4.0 Dao level. These products are ADR2, SLR, DLT7000/8000, VXA-2, AIT-1 and AIT-2 and other technologies, the net capacity of between between 35 and 80 GB.

SDLT, AIT-3 and LTO technologies are suitable for high-end server, per second transfer rate of up to 16 MB, most of the net storage capacity between 100 to 160 GB.

(7) choose to install a simple and convenient as possible, compatibility, a good tape drive

Do not belittle this tape, and some not so good to install them repeated several times to install the driver can not recognize it. In addition, poor compatibility with some tape drives, which recognize only the factory production of the tape. We know that the same format tape drives and tape are a number of different manufacturers in the production processes and technologies of different manufacturers are not exactly the same strength, the quality of products produced naturally some differences. Some of the prices of the products are quite different. If compatibility is not good, users are very helpless, and just do not have to change tape drives have been the only manufacturer to purchase the tape, on the one hand may be too expensive, on the one hand the quality of the tape can not meet the needs of enterprise backup storage. Generally speaking, maker of the tape drive technology is relatively mature, good compatibility. In addition you can buy the tape machine to the manufacturer or dealer ask questions.

(8) to select a good brand

Little tape drive or tape library, the price may be cheap, at least have to manually load 3000 to Yuan, advanced some of tens of thousands must be quite a mid-range server prices. Also, the tape drive or tape library such products are high-tech products, maintenance quite amazing, and usually on a thousand dollars. This requires that the selected brands have considerable technical strength and perfect service system. If your tape drive is broken and can not be found in this city maintenance providers, and are sent to other cities, or manufacturers maintenance of the trouble, because such work is usually the backup is needed on a daily basis in. In general, maintenance requirements for repair works to provide backup machine. It also requires service providers to respond to a timely manner.

After trying more, HP’s tape drive or tape library product prices are more expensive, but its product quality and after-sales service is still quite good. In particular, it’s gold service response level may be based on customer demand. I once talked to them several times, are good. DELL’s response is quite timely, but a slight lack of technical level of engineers.

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1. What is Tape Drive Technology?
2. Linux Tape Backup Software
3. The Relationship between Disaster Recovery and Backup
4. Data Backup Storage Guide
5. Mac System Backup Guide

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