When we decided to test tape libraries, we ran into a little problem: How could we test the automation of these devices without getting into a holy war about the tape drives themselves? We decided that, for the purposes of this article, we would avoid discussing formats, much the same way we steer away from conversations about money, religion or politics at a dinner party. After analyzing the market, we chose the DLT 8000 format as the common denominator because of the large number of libraries that have DLT 8000 drives. Again, our aim was to show the features of the library, not the drive; if you're looking for more information on formats, see "New Formats Fight To Dominate Tape Storage" (11/06/00).
We called for libraries configured with 15 to 60 slots, two to four DLT 8000 drives, a SCSI-2 fast/wide LVD (Low Voltage Differential) interface and autochanger technology, then cleared space in our Green Bay, Wis., Real-World Labs® for units from ADIC (Advanced Digital Information Corp.), Compaq Computer Corp., Overland Data, Qualstar Corp. and Quantum ATL. Hewlett-Packard Co. did not get its library to us in time, and IBM produces only LTO (Linear Tape Open)-based review units.
We judged the devices based on ease of use, quality, price, scalability and performance. Tests included moving tapes from slot to slot, re-inventorying each unit by disturbing their doors/magazines, conducting power-on-to-ready timings and running a perfunctory backup/restore set using Legato Systems' NetWorker to prove basic functionality. We also removed hot-swap drives during backup operations and pulled hot-swap power supplies during backup/restore times to test the functionality of the failover mechanisms and to evaluate the level of reporting each unit would do via its front panel.
Then we dove into some serious exploration of the front-panel-menu structures, noting how easy they were to use. We performed mail-slot insertions and extractions, observing the ease of executing those operations. We swapped whole media carriers, unexpectedly powered down the units and did our best to cause trouble. We even went so far as to dismantle some of the more obfuscating units to observe serviceability and determine what kind of mechanisms were used to make the magic happen.
After doing everything but stick sharp objects into the slots to see if we'd be electrocuted, we chose the Overland Data Neo Series LXN4000 as our Editor's Choice. This expandable library is an excellent pick for many applications and can be scaled up to serve growing needs, both from a tape/slot standpoint and from a drive perspective. Top-notch menus, operation, setup and support make the LXN4000 a first-class unit, and the price, warranty and ease in which the machine operated impressed us. The only reason the Compaq entry, which is an Overland OEM machine, came in third is the steep price Compaq charges for the unit.
The prices we've listed are MSRP and are for the libraries as tested. The prices of many units vary based on configuration options.
Our Best Value award goes to the Quantum ATL M1500, a compact, granularly scalable unit with an excellent price point and easy-to-use menus. We would not hesitate to recommend it to shops for which the base LXN4000 may be too big or expensive.
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