Can't Tape it any more, NEED HELP!!!!!!!!

[NetworkGuy]

I work for an IT company that has way to much data that needs to be
backed up every night. I've been struggling with tape for years now
and have finally had enough. In my search for a sympathetic ear I
found a forum (www.tapesucks.com) and through that I found a
company(www.high-rely.com) that makes highspeed low cost, hot
swappable, usb 2.0 hard drive back-up systems.

I've done some research on their product and it sounds great. Their
fast, have mutlibays so I don't have to switch tapes, just pull on to
take home, ect. Anyone have any experiance with it? Or could anyone
give me their opinion, I don't have a whole lot of experiance with
these.

In need of something else...
Joe

==============
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[Grant]

I work for an IT company that has way to much data that needs to be
backed up every night. I've been struggling with tape for years now
and have finally had enough. In my search for a sympathetic ear I
found a forum (www.tapesucks.com) and through that I found a
company(www.high-rely.com) that makes highspeed low cost, hot
swappable, usb 2.0 hard drive back-up systems.

I've done some research on their product and it sounds great. Their
fast, have mutlibays so I don't have to switch tapes, just pull on to
take home, ect. Anyone have any experiance with it? Or could anyone
give me their opinion, I don't have a whole lot of experiance with
these.

In need of something else...
Joe

USB hard drives are great. The best thing to do is just buy the actual
enclosures and shop around for a good deal on 200GB hard drives, but those
enclosures listed on that site look pretty interesting. Not really needed
unless you are talking about a terabyte or more to backup regularly, since you
can just get a few huge hard drives and swap them (or hook them all up at the
same time). Hard drives are faster and more reliable than tape, and don't wear
out as fast.

PS. no need to post 4 times. I'll assume that was a mistake.

 

[Guido]

Let me get this straight - you work for an "IT co." and you're asking for
advice here ??

You're not a "shill" for the company you 're referring to ... or are you
??

OK, I'll regard you as a "dumbfuck IT guy".

I'm using EZ Swap for my desktop as described here:
http://www.atruereview.com/ezswap/index.php

Works OK for me.

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha !!!!

 

[NetworkGuy]

USB hard drives are great. The best thing to do is just buy the actual
enclosures and shop around for a good deal on 200GB hard drives, but those
enclosures listed on that site look pretty interesting. Not really needed
unless you are talking about a terabyte or more to backup regularly, since you
can just get a few huge hard drives and swap them (or hook them all up at the
same time). Hard drives are faster and more reliable than tape, and don't wear
out as fast.

PS. no need to post 4 times. I'll assume that was a mistake.

Cool thanks for your opinion. Sorry about the post thing, I often red
this forum but it's the first time I've even posted. I know this
Isn't exactly the place for big company IT Guys to be posting these
kinds of question but then 6 people don't really count as big
company. Thanks for those who are being helpfull.

==============
Posted through www.HowToFixComputers.com/bb - free access to hardware troubleshooting newsgroups.

 

[Grant]

Cool thanks for your opinion. Sorry about the post thing, I often red
this forum but it's the first time I've even posted. I know this
Isn't exactly the place for big company IT Guys to be posting these
kinds of question but then 6 people don't really count as big
company. Thanks for those who are being helpfull.

Don't worry about the guy bugging you that you shouldn't post here. Everyone,
even professionals, have questions from time to time. No shame in asking for
help when you need it.

 

[Bennett Price]

I work for an IT company that has way to much data that needs to be
backed up every night. I've been struggling with tape for years now
and have finally had enough. In my search for a sympathetic ear I
found a forum (www.tapesucks.com) and through that I found a
company(www.high-rely.com) that makes highspeed low cost, hot
swappable, usb 2.0 hard drive back-up systems.

I've done some research on their product and it sounds great. Their
fast, have mutlibays so I don't have to switch tapes, just pull on to
take home, ect. Anyone have any experiance with it? Or could anyone
give me their opinion, I don't have a whole lot of experiance with
these.

In need of something else...
Joe

==============
Posted through www.HowToFixComputers.com/bb - free access to hardware troubleshooting newsgroups.

Not familiar with the product but what about the cost difference? Tape
drives are expensive but tape is (comparatively cheap). How many of
these hard drives do you plan to store off site each year?

 

[NetworkGuy]

drives are expensive but tape is (comparatively cheap). How many of

these hard drives do you plan to store off site each year?

Well as far as storing them off site at the end of the year, yahh I
could see that getting expensive, but tape isn't cheap either so
we've been using dvd's for our bi monthly archives. Much cheaper and
more reliable in my opinion. Or does someone have a reason as to why
I should not do this?

As far as using drives inplace of tape for general backups don't
hardrives have a much longer use life? And from my experiance there
much ledd prone to error and other finacy issue like dust and the
elements. So in the end I should be saving money and time by going
this way?

==============
Posted through www.HowToFixComputers.com/bb - free access to hardware troubleshooting newsgroups.

 

[Bennett Price]

Well as far as storing them off site at the end of the year, yahh I
could see that getting expensive, but tape isn't cheap either so
we've been using dvd's for our bi monthly archives. Much cheaper and
more reliable in my opinion. Or does someone have a reason as to why
I should not do this?

As far as using drives inplace of tape for general backups don't
hardrives have a much longer use life? And from my experiance there
much ledd prone to error and other finacy issue like dust and the
elements. So in the end I should be saving money and time by going
this way?

==============
Posted through www.HowToFixComputers.com/bb - free access to hardware troubleshooting newsgroups.

Whether you save money or not will, I think, depend upon your bu scheme
- how many media get stored for how long before reuse.

As for durability, ruggedness, and sensitivity I've found HD's more
robust than tape until I drop one - not uncommon when the devices are
being handled daily.

I can't comment on the advisability of using DVD's for backup; perhaps
they are a better alternative to tape.

What sort of tape device are you using now?

 

[Charles]

We use a tower model tape drive unit that holds about 21 tapes and a
cleaning tape that is connected to a server. The tapes all have
serial numbers and the server software manages the tape unit. It is
pretty much automatic. Just put the tapes in and it takes off. These
new units can even come with Tape Racks that you can pop in and out
for removal of all the tapes at once. The problem is this stuff is
expensive. It is a lot better solution than one of those standalone
tape drives that you have to constantly pull tapes out of all the
time. Also because each tapes has a serial number the server software
keeps track of the tape numbers and it is a lot easier to find the
exact tape for a recovery.

This requires bug bucks for a tapes storage overhaul in some cases
depending on the number of servers and can be hard to justify. You
could just nock the unit on the floor and or break it and then they
would have to buy a new one.