[rescue] Re: Quick EXB-210 questions

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Sunday, August 26, 2001 at 00:10:14 (-0700), Robert Novak wrote: ]
> Subject: [rescue] Re: Quick EXB-210 questions
>
> Wrong answer, but thanks for playing. I have one changer already without a
> key, and I'd rather have it the way Mr Tapechanger intended.

It's actually trivial to replace the lock barrel if you're handy with
hardware -- I'd have done so with mine but it's just not worth my effort
(especially since I've got it mounted on rails so I can just pull it out
of the cabinet and lift the lid off when necessary).

> Three guesses who would want AIT. Hint: Me. From what I've seen, it has
> better access time and similar metrics on everything else compared to
> DLT8000 and Mammoth/Mammoth2. 

I don't care what the published specs say -- the design and the
engineering are atrocious.  All the wrong effort in all the wrong places
with extraneous and redundant cost factors that realy suck.  (not to
mention but it's helical scan too, isn't it?)

What are your backups for?  Do they just impress management and get done
quickly enough not to annoy you, or are they for real-life uses?  If the
latter then you really cannot afford AIT or anything helical scan!

> (I wonder if there is a corollary to the hitler-reference rule that
> applies to microsoft references.)

I'm trying to establish that precedent, as a matter of fact!  ;-)

> Ew, TK50 on steroids. I gave up on drives you can hear in the next room
> when I retired my last QIC-80 drive years ago. But still, whatever crap
> works for you works for you.

Don't mess with a good thing!  Everyone I've ever met or even heard of
who's had real experience with *REALLY* needing their backups when the
proverbial smelly stuff hits the fan big-time has either been ultra
grateful for having chosen DLT, or spitting nails for having not chosen
DLT.  I've paid a great deal of attention to studying backup issues in
depth over the past decade, both from a technical perspective as well as
by gathering war stories and anecdotes.  There really is nothing better
than DLT all-round for today's systems (IBM 3480 cartridges would come
close but they're too slow and low density for today's uses).

> I've never had anyone give me a really compelling reason to use DLT.

It works, EVERY time (assuming correct treatment and proper
maintenance).  It doesn't wear out as quickly (neither tape nor drive),
and the shelf life of the tapes is guaranteed proven to out-last
commercially produced CDs (never mind CD-RW!).

If I had a dime for every 8mm tape or tape drive I've seen fail then I'd
have a nice shiny DLT drive of my own.

> Some nice 4mm changers on ebay tonight... if I could swap them out for
> DDS3 or DDS4, it might be worth considering. Other projects coming first
> though... maybe in a couple of months.

4mm dies twice as fast as 8mm, which dies 10 times as fast as DLT.

The only thing good about 4mm is that a cartridge hidden in your shirt
pocket looks more like a pack of gum than a pack of cigarettes (assuming
you're not trying to cultivate the image of being a smoker, that is!  ;-)

If I had a penny for 4mm tape or tape drive I've seen fail then I'd have
a nice shiny new DLT drive of my own!

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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