Ken Sletten writes:
>[Gavin Scott writes:]
>> People need to realize that this is not an uncommon
>> problem with DDS tape drives.  You can go along quite fine
>> for years with an out of alignment DDS drive, but when it
>> eventually fails and gets replaced, you might find that all
>> backups and archived historical data are lost forever. .....
>
>> Purchasing a second DDS drive for redundancy, .....
>
>The more we have learned about DDS drives over the years, the
>less comfortable our site has been about depending on that

I have wondered about this. To what extent is the ability to read foreign
DDS tapes an indication that a given drive is within spec? I have three
different DDS drives on three different systems (HP 3000, Unix and Mac/PC
network); I can't very well afford to buy three more of the same. And I
can't very well afford to lose my data, either.

Is there some kind of interoperability check that could be done at
regular intervals? How much good does it do to periodically verify the
readability of the oldest tapes in the library?

-- Bruce


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce Toback    Tel: (602) 996-8601| My candle burns at both ends;
OPT, Inc.            (800) 858-4507| It will not last the night;
11801 N. Tatum Blvd. Ste. 142      | But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -
Phoenix AZ 85028                   | It gives a lovely light.
btoback AT optc.com                |     -- Edna St. Vincent Millay
Mail sent to [log in to unmask] will be inspected for a
fee of US$250. Mailing to said address constitutes agreement to
pay, including collection costs.