Why does an industry standard tape format specification ultimately benefit customers?
A1.
Organizations can no longer afford to buy products that don’t work together or that aren’t reliable and readily available. The DDS tape format provides a framework in which customers can 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 industry standard specification ensures seamless media interchange between different drive manufacturers.
Q2.
How committed is HP to DAT technology?
A2.
HP is committed to meeting the data protection needs of small or medium businesses (SMBs). DAT technology stands alone in delivering a balance of cost, performance and reliability. The DAT 72 has been the most popular DAT drive of all time and as such has met these needs for many years. The DAT 320 drive has been released in recognition that SMB requirements have increased.
Q3.
Where can I find more information on connectivity and compatibility?
A3.
For more information on any of the following topics including system and server compatibility with HP StorageWorks DAT Tape Drives, One Button Disaster Recovery (OBDR), Library and Tape Tools, etc. go to http://www.hp.com/go/connect.
Q4.
Why should I choose DDS media and how long can I store the tapes and still recover the data when I need it?
A4.
HP branded media undergoes regular additional testing on a batch-by-batch basis to ensure consistent high quality. Other vendors test to the DDS 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. Tests have shown that if DDS tapes are stored correctly, the data retention life is at least 10 years. It seems likely that the actual data retention life is considerably longer.
Q5.
What is the difference between DDS and DAT, and can you use DAT tapes with DDS drives?
A5.
Digital Data Storage (DDS) is the format that was developed by HP and Sony to adapt the Digital Audio Tape audio technology for data storage, which requires much higher data integrity. The term “DAT” is now most commonly applied to the data storage device and often used interchangeably with DDS. Although DDS and DAT are based on similar helical scan formats, DAT media is not of sufficient quality for data storage. DDS tape drives will reject DAT audio tapes. HP StorageWorks DAT Tape Drives require media that carries the DDS format logo to show that it is of the quality necessary for computer data storage.
Q6.
Why choose a SAS interface DAT drive?
A6.
Customers purchasing a HP DAT Tape Drive with native SAS interface can benefit from:
Wide availability of SAS ports - SAS interfaces are now widely available on servers and systems. With server I/O bus technology moving from PCI-X to PCI-Express (PCI-e), customers may find it difficult to obtain Parallel SCSI host bus adapters for the PCI-Express bus.
Increased flexibility – SAS has the ability to connect multiple initiators, allowing the tape drive to be shared between several servers.
Investment protection – this new generation interface is supported by a robust multi-vendor roadmap and already boasts a clear future out to 12 Gb/s.
Q7.
Why choose a USB 2.0 interface DAT Tape Drive? Does this mean that SCSI is dead?
A7.
USB 2.0 is fast becoming adopted by the market as the most common native interface for the majority of low-end servers and workstations used by DAT customers. By purchasing HP’s native USB DAT drive customers benefit from wider port availability and therefore less conflict over port resources. A saving can also be made as there is no need to purchase an additional host bus adapter. Finally, the native USB plug-and-play connectivity means that a USB DAT drive can be taken out of the box, be plugged in and ready to backup in around 60 seconds!
SCSI has long been the standard interface for many computer products, including DAT. However, there are no future enhancements planned for SCSI interfaces and it is declining as a native system interface making connectivity more challenging for customers with more complex installation and additional purchase of host bus adapters. SCSI is still a solid interface and will still be available for DAT 72 and DAT 160 customers who want to continue to have SCSI connectivity between their tape drive and server.
Q8.
What’s so special about HP StorageWorks One Button Disaster Recovery, will it work on any Intel-based server with any backup application?
A8.
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 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 OBDR, 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 DAT 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 OBDR on our website at: http://www.hp.com/go/obdr
It is impossible to say that all servers can support OBDR. HP StorageWorks OBDR 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 comprehensive compatibility program tests a broad range of servers and software, including their support for OBDR. Check your specific server-software combination on our compatibility website: www.hp.com/storage/SPOCK.
Q9.
Are all HP StorageWorks DAT tape drives supported by HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools?
A9.
Yes, HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools (L&TT) provides diagnostic support for all HP StorageWorks DAT tape drives. In addition to diagnostic and troubleshooting abilities, L&TT lets you access useful information about the product and automatically check the web for the latest firmware. L&TT can be downloaded from the following URL: http://www.hp.com/support/tapetools
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