Very Computer

Does anyone know which cleaning method (dry or wet) is better/preferred
over the other? Which is more harmful?

Is there a tape certifier device available to certify 8MM, 4MM, or both?

Is there a tape cleaner device available for 8MM, 4MM. or both?

Is there a utility available to test the tapes if a certifier is unavailable?

We are experiencing numerous tape drive problems/errors while running backups
which cause us in the long run to replace the tape drives possibly sooner than
necessary.

Any info is appreciated.

I find it hard to believe that my site is the only one to experience this
problem or similiar problem(s).

Again, any help will be appreciated.

Artie Von Dohre
Systems Analyst
Open Systems Support

Quote:

> Does anyone know which cleaning method (dry or wet) is better/preferred
> over the other? Which is more harmful?
> We use both methods here, and I don't see any significant difference.

Quote:> Is there a tape certifier device available to certify 8MM, 4MM, or both?

> Is there a tape cleaner device available for 8MM, 4MM. or both?
> Tape cleaner/certifiers are available, but COSTLY.  One site I worked at

Quote:> Is there a utility available to test the tapes if a certifier is unavailable?
> This is one I've been checking with multiple sources.  In a nutshell, the

Quote:> We are experiencing numerous tape drive problems/errors while running backups
> which cause us in the long run to replace the tape drives possibly sooner than
> necessary.
> Your tape drives may not necessarily be at fault.  Sometimes, it's the

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If we have unlimited ability to think, why do we use computers?

| Does anyone know which cleaning method (dry or wet) is better/preferred
| over the other? Which is more harmful?

Don't think it make a lot of difference, wet is probably better, but
either seems to work.

| Is there a tape certifier device available to certify 8MM, 4MM, or both?
|
| Is there a tape cleaner device available for 8MM, 4MM. or both?
|
| Is there a utility available to test the tapes if a certifier is unavailable?

Each vendor will recommend a number of passes for a tape, but I
usually am conservative, since tapes are relatively cheap compared
to the cost of errors.

| We are experiencing numerous tape drive problems/errors while running backups
| which cause us in the long run to replace the tape drives possibly sooner than
| necessary.

Having run lots of backups on both 4mm and 8mm tape, and having
virtually no probalmes ever, I would suspect your environment.

| I find it hard to believe that my site is the only one to experience this
| problem or similiar problem(s).

When I was at GE we used 8mm, with one group I ran using 4mm. At TMR
I use 4mm, and at client sites a mix of 4mm and 8mm is used. A tape
problem once every 1000 backups is what I estimate the error rate to
be, based on 2 failures in a year on 8 drives, backing up every
working day.

I'd like to know what other people see.
--

"As a software development model, Anarchy does not scale well."
                -Dave Welch

Then we installed the Legato Networker software.  It replaces the V-juke's software.  
Since then, we have had so few errors that we almost never get paged.  So, I am betting
that your problem has less to do with your tapes and more to do with your backup system.  

We use the EXABYTE dry cleaning tapes.  Sometimes the first backup run after a cleaning
will fail.  So what we do is run a dummy backup right after the cleaning.  If everything
goes ok, then the nightlies will too.  If not, we do it again until it does.

I hope this helps.

John Pavao

| Then we installed the Legato Networker software.  It replaces the V-juke's software.  
| Since then, we have had so few errors that we almost never get paged.  So, I am betting
| that your problem has less to do with your tapes and more to do with your backup system.  

This matches my feeling that the hardware is quite reliable.

| We use the EXABYTE dry cleaning tapes.  Sometimes the first backup run after a cleaning
| will fail.  So what we do is run a dummy backup right after the cleaning.  If everything
| goes ok, then the nightlies will too.  If not, we do it again until it does.

Well, I find it a useful tip, I've never had this problem with any
of my systems, but it's worth checking the drive after cleaning,
although I think a dd of a raw disk partition would probably do as
well as a dump for testing the drive.
--

"As a software development model, Anarchy does not scale well."
                -Dave Welch