wbkh@uunet.uu.net (Bruce K. Haddon) (03/07/89)
There has been a lot of discussion recently (in this group and elsewhere) about high capacity backup and archiving devices, largely of the WORMS variety, but also including 8mm video and the like. For regular dumps we have gone over completely to using Exabytes, with some initial equipment problems, but with large gains in convenience, cost, and handling. And now we are contemplating installing SMD disks, to increase our already 4 - 5 gigabyte online capacity. But what we are really interested in now is a true archiving capability, which is the topic I have not seen discussed amongst the above subjects. By "archiving capability" I mean permanent, secure, off-line storage, with desirable features such as:- - user option to request archiving of files; - online "directory" of archived material (something similar to a "symbolic link" to the archival location in the former directory location would be nice); - retrieval system (preferably one that batches and sorts the retrieval requests so that operator intervention is needed only at predictable times); - simple operation in a multiserver, networked environment (need I say "NFS"); - administrative control of migration of little used files to archive (i.e. as Administrator, I wish to be able to dictate that files meeting specifiable age requirements will forcibly be moved to archival media); - administrative control of exception from archival migration; - costs for equipment, media, and software about an order of 5db down on the cost of forever adding online storage; I would appreciate any direction to sources or suppliers of hardware and/or software for such a system (commercial, private, or otherwise): with sufficient interest (and sufficient interesting responses) I will summarize later. Bruce K. Haddon [{mcvax!}cernvax!cgch!wbkh] Wissenschaftliches Rechen Zentrum/R-1045.3.28 Ciba--Geigy AG/Basel/Switzerland +41 61/697 8027