raanan@bc-cis.UUCP (Raanan Herrmann) (02/03/88)
Could anybody list the sources of tape-backup systems (hardware and software) for Xenix, prices and personal views? -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Raanan Herrmann (bc-cis!raanan, raanan@bc-cis.UUCP raanan@bklyncis.BITNET)
clif@chinet.UUCP (Clif Flynt) (02/05/88)
In article <1094@bc-cis.UUCP> raanan@bc-cis.UUCP (Raanan Herrmann) writes: > > Could anybody list the sources of tape-backup systems (hardware and >software) for Xenix, prices and personal views? >-- >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Raanan Herrmann (bc-cis!raanan, raanan@bc-cis.UUCP raanan@bklyncis.BITNET) Where I work we are using Archive and Wangtek streaming 60 M drives. I don't know pricing, but I can offer opinions... Both are supported by Xenix's mkdev tape driver installation package. Both seem to read and write reliably and quickly. 60 Mbytes of system files and data go to tape in about a half hour. We've used tar and cpio with both these drives. The backup times for the systems comes out almost identical, with cpio -B taking a bit longer than tar. I suspect that SCO modified tar to buffer something like 8 K of data before writing to tape, but that's sheer guess. Of the two drives, I like the Wangtek a bit more. I find it easier to get the tapes in and out, and it doesn't sound quite so unhappy when it moves the heads. That's pretty minor differences, but from where I sit the drives behave nearly identical. On my own system at home, I have an Everex 60 M streaming drive. This looks a lot like Wangtek. It seems to behave well, and I have no complaints. One word of advice: Whatever tape system you get get as large a memory buffer on the controller board as they support. My Everex is an old, used model that came with 2K onboard. A $5.00 8 K Ram chip cut my backup times in half! Another trick that I see Microport using is to make a program that sits between your cpio and the tape, and it can buffer 20-30 K of data before writing to tape. This gives you better performance. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ My Opinions are my own. I can't imagine why anyone else would want them. Clif Flynt ihnp4!chinet!clif ------------------------------------------------------------------------
karl@ddsw1.UUCP (Karl Denninger) (02/07/88)
In article <2199@chinet.UUCP> clif@chinet.UUCP (Clif Flynt) writes: >In article <1094@bc-cis.UUCP> raanan@bc-cis.UUCP (Raanan Herrmann) writes: >> >> Could anybody list the sources of tape-backup systems (hardware and >>software) for Xenix, prices and personal views? >>-- >>------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>Raanan Herrmann (bc-cis!raanan, raanan@bc-cis.UUCP raanan@bklyncis.BITNET) > > >Where I work we are using Archive and Wangtek streaming 60 M drives. I >don't know pricing, but I can offer opinions... > >Both are supported by Xenix's mkdev tape driver installation package. >Both seem to read and write reliably and quickly. 60 Mbytes of system >files and data go to tape in about a half hour. > >We've used tar and cpio with both these drives. The backup times for >the systems comes out almost identical, with cpio -B taking a bit >longer than tar. I suspect that SCO modified tar to buffer something >like 8 K of data before writing to tape, but that's sheer guess. > >Of the two drives, I like the Wangtek a bit more. I find it easier to >get the tapes in and out, and it doesn't sound quite so unhappy when >it moves the heads. > I second that motion on the Wangtek -- QUALITY product there. Quality is expensive though -- you're looking at an 800-900 drive there if you get it from a "mail order" outfit, and probably closer to $1k if you get it from a "we'll answer questions and we know what we're doing" dealer. Unfortunately, it will not easily fit in all machines, so make sure you have the proper rails and/or a return policy (or a machine shop ;-) if it doesn't fit in your system unit. It also requires a full-length slot, but this is not normally a problem. As for throughput, try using 'afio', which was posted to the net, with a buffer size of say 1M (providing you have the physical memory for this). With Xenix/386 this makes a MAJOR improvement in throughput (it writes the MB of buffered data in a couple of seconds!) We've used these with Xenix/386 in the Televideo Tele-386 systems, and except for the mounting hassles (we had to make brackets) they're wonderful drives. Worked out-of-the box with Xenix's built-in drivers (mkdev), and it's fast and well-constructed. We will be carrying a nice-n-inexpensive (ie: < $400) 40M streamer for Xenix soon -- but then again, I guess I shouldn't say more lest I be accused of advertising on Usenet ;-) Disclaimer: We have sold the Wangtek (although we don't make a practice of it, too rich for most customer's blood), and we've also used a few here... Comments on the Wangtek are from the perspective of a customer. ----- Karl Denninger | Data: +1 312 566-8912 Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. | Voice: +1 312 566-8910 ...ihnp4!ddsw1!karl | "Quality solutions for work or play"
root@mjbtn.UUCP (Mark J. Bailey) (05/17/88)
Hello,
I am seeking information on available tape backup drives for a Tandy 4000
('386 machine) running SCO Xenix 2.2.2 (386 version). I am curious as to
what the difference is between a "cassette" and a "cartidge" unit. Which
is better, and can the cassette unit work on Xenix.
Also, which of the available ones on the market would you netlanders
recommend as the best and reasonably priced unit. I can use either a
40 or 60 meg unit for my setup.
I have heard conflicting arguments from those around me regarding the
cassette vs. cartridge units. The cartridge units are more expensive,
thus my concern about whether a cassette unit will do the job. Any help
anyone can provide would be most appreciated.
Please email responses as my system will be down from news for a week or so
while we make our transition from our old system to the '386.
Thank you.
Mark.
--
Mark J. Bailey "Y'all com bak naw, ya hear!"
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