Re: SDLT vs LTO tape library

From: David J. Dachtera (djesys.nospam_at_fsi.net)
Date: 06/05/03 

Date: Wed, 04 Jun 2003 20:50:20 -0500

tr dorr wrote:
>
> We've purchased two SDLT tape drives(Hp part no CQP 1-2 DRV DLT TAPE
> LIBRARY or MSL 5026 S2) in Nov 2002 and have had problems with
> frimware and sharing between VMS and NT. Because of tape
> initialization and sharing, we run firmware version v35. The most
> recent firmware just release today is v52. We'ev had to replace the
> tape drives at least three(3)times as well.
> Because of the issues with SDLT, it's been suggested to switch to LTO.
> I know nothing about LTO and want some honest (non-sales) feedback on
> LTO and how it works with VMS. Also, the tape library will be shared
> with NT and I would like to know how LTO works in a VMS/NT shared
> environment.

As we - and StorageTek - recently learned, VMS will not provide support
for Generation-1 LTO due to blocksize limitation issues and others.
Gen-2 LTO is not here yet, neither is VMS support for it. So, SDLT is it
for now.

That said, we are likewise having SDLT issues. The drives are Quantum,
not HP-badged. Also, they under contract with StorageTek thru the VAR
and not with HP. So, essentially, we have no support for our SDLT drives
on VMS since neither StorageTek nor the VAR has OpenVMS support
resources. Messages like "Extended Sense Data received" mean nothing to
non-VMS folks, apparently. 

-- 
David J. Dachtera
dba DJE Systems
http://www.djesys.com/
Unofficial Affordable OpenVMS Home Page:
http://www.djesys.com/vms/soho/

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