[NCLUG] Help with a DLT4000

[thorson at aster.com]

On Mon, 2 Apr 2001, Sean Reifschneider wrote:

> and have verified them before wiping all the data from the machine.  I
> managed a couple of the 4ks in a pair of jukeboxes a few years ago, and I
> ran into several instances where I had to go to another set of backups
> because the first tape had a read error on it.

I have never had even the slightest problem after 2+ years of DLT4000
usage on Linux machines.  These are, by far, the most reliable tape
technology that I have used in years. Funny thing is that it's the same
technology as the old Vax TK50 tapes that I hated because they were sooooo
slooooow.  You can hold them up side-by-side and they look identical.

On my current desktop (linux) I have a slow 4mm DAT and a fast 8mm
Exabyte Mammoth.  I have never been happy with the quality or reliability
of DAT tapes or the drives.  The Mammoth is close to the quality of the
DLT but I have never, ever been happy with the quality of the Exabyte
drive.  I have always considered those to be $1800 throw away devices since
if they break it costs a very minimum of $500 to fix anything.

Bill