LTO Ultrium is an open format that has a credible six-generation roadmap that details not just future capacity points but also the incremental technology needed to get there. Ultrium technology is designed from the ground up with reliability in mind.
Q2.
How does an open tape format specification ultimately benefit customers?
A2.
Customers can no longer afford to buy products that don't play together, that aren't reliable, readily available, or robust enough to take advantage of technological enhancements coming down the line. The Ultrium tape format provides a framework in which end users can buy into the implementation of the format as well as expand their data storage needs. They reap all the benefits of competition: more innovation in products, lower prices, and added-value features. Multiple competing manufacturers for both drive and media assure supply and value. The format specification ensures seamless media interchange between different drives.
Q3.
Why HP StorageWorks Ultrium Tape Drives?
A3.
HP is one of the original technology provider companies that collaborated in developing the LTO format. HP brought its many years of tape drive experience to bear in developing the format specifications and designing award-winning Ultrium tape drives that lead the industry for reliability. With our complete range of Ultrium tape drive and library products, we have shown once again why HP is number one in tape.
Q4.
What are the reliability improvements you have incorporated in Ultrium?
A4.
The design of HP StorageWorks Ultrium Tape Drives is based on best-of-breed technologies. In addition to a superbly robust leader capture system that virtually eliminates the "lost leader" problem seen in DLT mechanisms, the load/unload life has been further improved. Being very power-efficient compared to other superdrives means there is less heat to dissipate inside the drive, further improving reliability. In our latest generation drives, improvements to the data rate matching range and increases in the data buffer size further improve reliability by reducing the "shoeshine" effect where the tape drive has to reposition due to a slow host.
Q5.
Why choose an Ultrium drive when I am getting by on 80 GB tapes today?
A5.
The answer is simple. All the forecasts show capacities rising at an alarming rate. A technology decision made today has to reflect the likely growth over the next three to four years. First-generation Ultrium drives may meet your needs for years to come, and beyond that the LTO Ultrium format roadmap provides for growth through six generations of products. The low cost of media also means that you get cost-effective backup and an overall low cost of ownership.
Q6.
Why should I choose HP Ultrium media?
A6.
HP branded media undergoes additional testing on a batch-by-batch basis to ensure consistently high quality. Other vendors test to the Ultrium media specification, but HP does not stop there. We also test extensively in the areas of shock, vibration, and durability. For more details, please consult the HP white paper, "Media Qualification and Testing — HP Does More" on the website: http://www.hp.com/go/storagemedia
Q7.
What's so special about HP StorageWorks One-Button Disaster Recovery?
A7.
All other disaster recovery solutions for PCs rely on the manual preparation of a set of disaster recovery floppy disks and/or CDs. The minute your system changes -- a new piece of software or a new peripheral is added, for example -- these disaster recovery disks are out of date. With HP StorageWorks One-Button Disaster Recovery (OBDR), you can automatically save your latest configuration every time you make a standard backup tape.
Likewise, other solutions require a manual system recovery -- a process that takes time and extensive technical knowledge. If it is not done properly, you run the risk of further system failures. With HP StorageWorks One-Button Disaster Recovery, you will never have to perform a manual system recovery -- ensuring you, and your colleagues can quickly get back to business. You can quickly, reliably and simply restore your entire system just by inserting the most recent backup tape and pushing one button on the tape drive. Your HP StorageWorks Ultrium Tape Drive will restore your operating system, configuration, applications, drivers and data files. The sheer simplicity of OBDR means the risk of a user error during recovery, and therefore subsequent recovery failure, is significantly reduced. Read more about HP StorageWorks One-Button Disaster Recovery on our website at: http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/products/tapebackup/obdr.html
Q8.
Will OBDR work on any Intel-based server with any backup application?
A8.
It is impossible to say that all servers can support OBDR. HP StorageWorks One-Button Disaster Recovery relies on the system BIOS and HBA BIOS to correctly position the CD-ROM at the top of the boot order when boot from disk is not possible. The backup application must also recognize that the tape drive is OBDR-compatible to ensure that the disaster recovery image is created and loaded onto the tape at each full backup. HP's compatibility program tests all ProLiant ML and DL servers to ensure that they work flawlessly with OBDR. For other servers, check your specific server-software combination on our compatibility website: http://www.hp.com/go/connect
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