LTO Libraries

Netvyper · 2 Dec 2009 at 11:24

Folks,

Tape drive in our Overland LTO3 Library has just given up, and a new drive is some £3k :eek:

We're currently looking at the Quantum Scalar50 LTO4 Library, which is £4.2k, has more slots, and is LTO4. Does anyone have any experience of Quantum units, are they any good or just cheap tat?

The equivalent HP unit is some £7k

Goliath · 2 Dec 2009 at 16:15

We've run a Scalar i500 for the past year and it's spot on, although it's not our primary backup solution it works hard enough and hasn't missed a beat. LT04s are quick too

#Chri5# · 2 Dec 2009 at 17:00

Quantum are on the companies that "own" the LTO/Ultrium format (alongside HP and IBM)

http://www.ultrium.com/About/ltobg.php?section=3&subsec=ltobg

Although this link suggestions Quantum don't make as many drives as HP/IBM:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/17/lto7_and_8/

Sp00n · 2 Dec 2009 at 17:04

Do Quantum make their own drives or do they use tandberg

?

DustyMiller · 2 Dec 2009 at 19:20

Our Scalar LTO 3 library uses IBM drives, only ever seen HP or IBM drives in any of our libraries. and it does what it says on the the tin, which is what you want from them at the end of the day.

Deathwish · 2 Dec 2009 at 19:50

Just setup an HP MSL 2024 with a single SAS LTO4 drive, works fine and only about £4k with 3yr NBD support.

Netvyper · 2 Dec 2009 at 20:19

Deathwish said:
Just setup an HP MSL 2024 with a single SAS LTO4 drive, works fine and only about £4k with 3yr NBD support.

Ours needs to be FC or U320 to attach to NAS, this adds a lot. Im sure we could have got the pricing down, but if the Quantum does whats required, its 38slots is attractive

Thanks for the inputs so far folks

Venares · 2 Dec 2009 at 22:17

Use many of these in my line of work and there fairly robust tbh.
They usualy almost always use IBM drives, though I have seen one or two units with HP's.

ethos · 3 Dec 2009 at 08:27

I'm using a Quantum LTO-4 external tape drive, physical quality isn't on par with the HPs I have but good enough. It does it's job!

Can't say the performance is great, but I think that is a software/hdd performance issue rather than the tape drive itself.

namnoc · 7 Dec 2009 at 19:33

Four years ago I supplied a customer with a rather large library that included 30+ Quantum LTOs and he is still very happy with them.

Arthalen · 8 Dec 2009 at 17:59

We run a Dell TL4000 with triple LTO4 drives in chassis that has ridiculous amounts of tape storage.

Its backs up our SAN that has Exchange and a Central File Server on.

Does the business, fast and efficient.

DustyMiller · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:23

We have the Tl 4000 also with the FC LTO 4 drives, and it does everything and more we can throw at it.

morfmedia · 9 Dec 2009 at 17:53

Also have Quantum i500 here and seems to do the trick so far.