Hi,

This is the first time I'm posting here and I'm hoping to find a solution to
our area's backup problems. We are in dire need to finding a suitable backup
solution. We used to have a very simple backup operation that worked until
little changes such as new operating software (Windows NT to Windows 2000,
NT backup to Veritas Backupexec for Windows Servers 9.1, hp tape dlt III
XT - dlt IV) caused all sorts of upheaval. Typical problems were:

Tape drive unable to read older generation tapes
Backups over multiple tapes not successful
On add occasion cataloging data resulted in tape being overwritten (yes
overwritten!)
Errors generated trying to do a backup - "cyclic redundancy check",
"multiple tape alerts", etc

I'm sure these issues is old hat to some people. Perhaps we just did not
master the whole backup concept or devote enough effort to set up a workable
operation. Perhaps our operation was just outdated for it's time. So perhaps
it's time for a fresh start.

We currently have 2 different kinds of backup tapes:
Quantum DLTtape III XT and Verbatim DLTtape III XT (15-30 GB)
HP DLT IV and  Verbatim DLTtape IV (40-80 GB)

So the question is:
Which tape drive would be able to access the latest storage media, run with
Windows 2000 and allow backward compatibility to read older generation
tapes? Which tape software programmed would be ideal i.e. simple to use (I
never understood  the concept of Backup Exec and its media lables)? Is there
a simple solution or is it more complex than it appears?

Thanks
Hilton

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Well, one simple solution is to dump tape. With the ever dropping price
of online backup, secure fast networking and low-cost hard disks, it's
har to imagine any remaining benefits to tape backup.

I'm running an XP file server which backs up two XP workstations and a
win98 laptop using a single freeware backup tool running on the file
server. But maybe your situation is much more complicated? How much
data are you backing up and how many computers?

Regards,

Chad
http://free-backup.info

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

We have about 24 data "crucher" servers which can have data sizes up to
100gig. Not all the servers are backed up one time. Once a quarter so when
new quarterly data arrives the previous quarter stuff must be backed up. It
would be great if you or anyone can recommend a set-up. I've been to various
web-sites and the amount of information is just too much to try and make
sense of it, let alone a big decision. There is a proposed solution but is
merely is a replacement option. The specs of the proposed tape drive are as
follows:

HP STORAGEWORKS, 40GB/80GB, INT, VS80-DLT-1, 68PIN, TAPEWARE, 1X DATA, 6MB/S

This is greek to me. Has anyone used this machine before? How good is it? Is
there anything better on the market?

(By the way not that it matters but I'm in South Africa and generally we
have to import the latest technology, so the "latest" releases over here
could at times be regarded as "old" overseas!).

<chad@aahh.com> wrote in message
news:1126714159.588238.223110@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Well, one simple solution is to dump tape. With the ever dropping price
> of online backup, secure fast networking and low-cost hard disks, it's
> har to imagine any remaining benefits to tape backup.
>
> I'm running an XP file server which backs up two XP workstations and a
> win98 laptop using a single freeware backup tool running on the file
> server. But maybe your situation is much more complicated? How much
> data are you backing up and how many computers?
>
> Regards,
>
> Chad
> http://free-backup.info
>

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Hilton,
Backup Exec can read the following types of media
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/190558.htm if it helps knowing that you
may still be able to restore from current backup tapes should you convert.

If you need some clarification on media labels, shoot me an email offline
and i'll try to answer your questions.

Thanks
Nick


"Hilton" <get_chatting@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:caadnYiW8sl0dbreRVn-iA@is.co.za...
> Hi,
>
> This is the first time I'm posting here and I'm hoping to find a solution
> to
> our area's backup problems. We are in dire need to finding a suitable
> backup
> solution. We used to have a very simple backup operation that worked until
> little changes such as new operating software (Windows NT to Windows 2000,
> NT backup to Veritas Backupexec for Windows Servers 9.1, hp tape dlt III
> XT - dlt IV) caused all sorts of upheaval. Typical problems were:
>
> Tape drive unable to read older generation tapes
> Backups over multiple tapes not successful
> On add occasion cataloging data resulted in tape being overwritten (yes
> overwritten!)
> Errors generated trying to do a backup - "cyclic redundancy check",
> "multiple tape alerts", etc
>
> I'm sure these issues is old hat to some people. Perhaps we just did not
> master the whole backup concept or devote enough effort to set up a
> workable
> operation. Perhaps our operation was just outdated for it's time. So
> perhaps
> it's time for a fresh start.
>
> We currently have 2 different kinds of backup tapes:
> Quantum DLTtape III XT and Verbatim DLTtape III XT (15-30 GB)
> HP DLT IV and  Verbatim DLTtape IV (40-80 GB)
>
> So the question is:
> Which tape drive would be able to access the latest storage media, run
> with
> Windows 2000 and allow backward compatibility to read older generation
> tapes? Which tape software programmed would be ideal i.e. simple to use (I
> never understood  the concept of Backup Exec and its media lables)? Is
> there
> a simple solution or is it more complex than it appears?
>
> Thanks
> Hilton
>
>

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

I hope your transfer rate was a mistake. That works to roughly 1/2 GB per
day!! 50 days per machine, 24 machines. I hope you're not in a hurry.
Norman

"Hilton" <get_chatting@hotmail.com> wrote in message
 news:kNudnd3K3LN3GbTenZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@is
.co.za...
> We have about 24 data "crucher" servers which can have data sizes up to
> 100gig. Not all the servers are backed up one time. Once a quarter so when
> new quarterly data arrives the previous quarter stuff must be backed up.
It
> would be great if you or anyone can recommend a set-up. I've been to
various
> web-sites and the amount of information is just too much to try and make
> sense of it, let alone a big decision. There is a proposed solution but is
> merely is a replacement option. The specs of the proposed tape drive are
as
> follows:
>
> HP STORAGEWORKS, 40GB/80GB, INT, VS80-DLT-1, 68PIN, TAPEWARE, 1X DATA,
6MB/S
>
> This is greek to me. Has anyone used this machine before? How good is it?
Is
> there anything better on the market?
>
> (By the way not that it matters but I'm in South Africa and generally we
> have to import the latest technology, so the "latest" releases over here
> could at times be regarded as "old" overseas!).
>
> <chad@aahh.com> wrote in message
> news:1126714159.588238.223110@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com... 
>
>

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]