Question : Problem: massive tape drive reliability

Hi,

I am getting a new main file server for the office here.

I am getting a Dell 6600, but am going to put my own tape drive in it.  

I would like to get a 300/600 Gig Super DLT drive and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with such a large drive.  

The drive I have on my server now is a 100/200 DLT drive and I have had ZERO problems with the drive itself, and only 5 or so problems with tape reliability over the last 3 years.

Does anyone know if these large tape drives such as a 300/600 might have relability issues?  data degradation over a time period? say 5 years?

Thanks.  

Answer : Problem: massive tape drive reliability

> DO NOT BUY DELL BACKUP HARDWARE

I don't mean to be rude here, but that's a bit of an over-reaction! If you buy a Dell LTO or LTO 2 drive it comes from *exactly* the same manufacturer as the IBM or HP badged LTO or LTO-2 drive. The same applies for DDS 4 and the various incarnations of DLT...

The Dell badge on the front of the box doesn't, of itself, compromise reliabilty!

FWIW - I'm a great fan of LTO technology and the new LTO 3 (400GB native, 800GB compressed) is just, or about to be, released. I'm guessing that it won't be cheap...