Simeon Johnston <simeonuj at eetc.com> writes:

> Phil Mendelsohn wrote:
> 
> > On 22 May 2001, Jon Schewe wrote:
> >
> > > I found a place I can get this tape drive from for $180, however it's got a
> > > cracked loader tray that'll probably cost $200 to fix.
> >
> > Bummer.  I'd look for a better one, unless it's some hella tape drive.
> 
> I would look for something smaller then.  A 7 tape autoloader seems to be kinda
> overkill.
> 20GB?  Does that include OS or is that just storage capacity?  If your OS goes
> bad I would recomend reinstall instead of pulling it from backup.

That's data.  Most of it I can live without.  Right now I've got most of what
I absolutly need backed up on a 2/4GB drive.  The rest would just be nice to
have backed up in case of hardware failure.  

> I would seriously look at some other technologies.  DLT is really nice and can
> get 40-80 GB per tape depending on the drive.  I personally use DLT and think
> they are very nice.
> They may be more expensive but they are more reliable than cassette like tapes
> simply because of the design.  I have no idea what the comparison is between
> them on long term storage and shock resistance -- stuff like that -- but I have
> used them for a couple of years and never had one go bad or get corrupted.
> For something as small as that you could just get a CD-RW and pick and choose
> what you want to backup.
> 
> Short answer - Don't go for it man.  Get a cheaper one that fits your needs
> better.

DLT does sound nice, what's the usual price range for a drive and a couple of tapes?

> > > What do you all think of using tape vs hard drives for backup?
> >
> > Who uses hard drives?  I'd put a smiley, but actually I want to know!
> 
> I've heard of people using HD instead of Tape but not as the only backup.  Just
> as a primary backup with tape as a secondary long term storage.  HD are less
> reliable but much faster for restoring.

I was thinking of the HD for backing up not quite as critical data, since it
generally seems cheaper than tape drives of similar size.

-- 
Jon Schewe | http://mtu.net/~jpschewe | jpschewe at mtu.net
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels 
nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any 
powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all 
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39