[comp.sys.ibm.pc.rt] using an IBM 6157 tape streamer with MS-DOS ??

johan@cwi.nl (Johan Wolleswinkel) (04/22/88)

We've got some IBM 6157 Streaming Tape Drives, which are intended
for use with an RT; they use 37-pins connectors; the tape cassette
to be used can be a 45 Mbyte DC 300 XL/P from 3M.
We would like to couple some of these devices with MS-DOS machines.

After the IBM representative we consulted it is impossible
(by the way, this man thought, that an RT is another model in the
MS-DOS- range, somewhere in between an XT and an AT; doesn't this
sound reasonable -:).

I can hardly believe, that anyone, even IBM, would make a tapestreamer
to be used only with a very specific machine like the RT.
So I'm almost convinced, that it can be used with other machines.

If somebody used this streamer 6157 on a MS-DOS (or on another machine)
I would be glad to get some information about it.
We even don't know the pin-layout or command structure; so if
somebody knows, or even only knows how to get technical documentation
about it, that information would be welcome as well.
Please respond by E- mail.

Thanks.
-- 
                                                 Johan Wolleswinkel
CWI, Postbus 4079, 1009 AB  Amsterdam,  Kruislaan 413, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 20 5924050      Telex: 12571 (mactr nl)
UUCP: johan@cwi.nl or ...{seismo,philabs,decvax}!mcvax!johan

jonnyg@umd5.umd.edu (Jon Greenblatt) (04/23/88)

In article <420@turing.cwi.nl> johan@cwi.nl (Johan Wolleswinkel) writes:
>
>We've got some IBM 6157 Streaming Tape Drives, which are intended
>for use with an RT; they use 37-pins connectors; the tape cassette
>to be used can be a 45 Mbyte DC 300 XL/P from 3M.
>We would like to couple some of these devices with MS-DOS machines.
>
>After the IBM representative we consulted it is impossible
>(by the way, this man thought, that an RT is another model in the
>MS-DOS- range, somewhere in between an XT and an AT; doesn't this
>sound reasonable -:).
				.
				.
				.

	There is a product called Sytos which uses the RT streaming tape
on the AT and PS/2, It's by the Sytron Corporation. V2.0 works with PS/2's,
V1.X didn't. It looks like an IBM supported product from looking at the
liscence agreement. On a PS/2 I backed up a 30meg disk in 6 minutes!

						Jon Greenblatt.

glz5913@ritcv.UUCP (04/24/88)

In article <2591@umd5.umd.edu> jonnyg@umd5 (Jon Greenblatt) writes:
>In article <420@turing.cwi.nl> johan@cwi.nl (Johan Wolleswinkel) writes:
>>
>>We've got some IBM 6157 Streaming Tape Drives, which are intended
>>for use with an RT; they use 37-pins connectors; the tape cassette
>>to be used can be a 45 Mbyte DC 300 XL/P from 3M.
>>We would like to couple some of these devices with MS-DOS machines.
>>
>				.
>				.
>				.
>
>	There is a product called Sytos which uses the RT streaming tape
>on the AT and PS/2, It's by the Sytron Corporation. V2.0 works with PS/2's,
>V1.X didn't. It looks like an IBM supported product from looking at the
>liscence agreement. On a PS/2 I backed up a 30meg disk in 6 minutes!
>
>						Jon Greenblatt.

We used the 6157 and Sytos for nightly backups of all 3 servers (2-P/S 2 
Model 60's and 1 AT) on a token ring network.  Works like a charm.

						-Gary L. Zeiger