One side of this discussion that has been left out is the time line of
recovering/restoring data. Careful consideration should be given to your
company/organizations policies and requirements for historical access
to the data contained in the backups.

We have seen many HP3000s converted to other applications/platforms only
to find out that they have ongoing issues requiring access to the data 
that extend from 10+ YEARS down the line, to indefinite. These 
requirements tend to be concentrated but not limited to Payroll and 
Health Care records.

One recent urgent case for historical data access from an archived 
HP3000 application came from a school district that needed to produce a 
high school transcript to satisfy a very political and public request.

Thus one aspect besides life expectancy of the media, would be the 
availability of the exact tape device, backup software, and OS version 
combination that originally made the backup.

 From a long term view,it is important to consider the backups as an 
archive consisting of:The backup media (tapes), backup listing, and the 
HP original OS media, any third party software installation media, 
SLT/OS on bootable media, and at least one of the original device(s).

Given the complexity of recovering/rebuilding an HP3000 system from 
tapes only, Many HP3000 shops are continuing to run the HP3000 in 
archive mode or contracting the hosting of their HP3000 out.

<Plug on>
Beechglen provides Archival HP3000 & HP9000 System Hosting and Archive 
Data Retrieval
<Plug off>

TGIF,
Mike Hornsby
CTO/Cofounder
Beechglen Development Inc.
513-922-0509x31

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