Alternatives to BRU/ArGest for LTO on Linux

[Jon Allen]

I recently contacted OWC support for a simple licence issue but they offer “no estimates for a response time”. How can a company operate like this?

What are people switching to from BRU PE/ArGest? I don’t edit video. I simply need (LTO 6) file storage with searchable catalogs. (Ubuntu Linux)

Thanks all for your help!

[Bailey Jumps]

I was a long time BRU customer, now using Hedge Canister and not looking back. For my use it get the job done; it’s simple and easy and is LTFS and the price is right. Support folks are responsive as well.

I’ve found BRU support to be mildly helpful when they respond, but unfortunately it’s too sporadic and unpredictable and not an option to wait days, weeks, months, to close an open support ticket or answer simple questions.

I was also considering YoYotta, did a trial and I have no doubt it is very capable, however it seemed like overkill for my use which is periodically simple backing up projects and media to a single drive LTO 5 for long time archiving.

Best of luck to you,

Bailey

[Bailey Jumps]

Forgot to add Canister also has easily accessible and readable catalogs.

Cheers

[Jon Allen]

Thanks! I’m going to try both Yoyotta and Canister. I’m leaning towards Yoyotta because the company seems to have a longer history but I would be paying for a few features I don’t need.

[Neil Sadwelkar]

You mentioned you were looking for something that runs on Linux. Neither Canister not Yoyotta will run on Linux.

Anyway, whatever you get for writing to LTO, consider getting an indexing software like NeoFinder or DiskCatalogmaker. These can ‘scan’ a finished LTO and save an offline copy of all file and folder structures without any data from them. Like an offline Finder which lets you browse a drive even when the drive is not mounted to the system.

So, you could store indexes or catalogs of, say, a hundred LTOs and then search for a file or folder across all of them and then restore it faster.

Canister also has an indexing and an offline search feature, but NeoFinder or DiskCatalogMaker is more useful as it can also scan drives, RAIDs etc.

[Jon Allen]

@neilsadwelkar I can’t find anything turnkey for Linux besides ArGest which has slow/unreliable tech support. I wanted to move away from Mac for storage but it seems like no one is developing for linux. Do you have any suggestions for Linux-based LTO software?

[David Fox]

Also investigate Archiware P5 Jon (I represent it in the UK) which both runs on Linux and has an internal database (index) which tracks everything you archive. UI is web-based, index can be browsed and searched in browser. Heavily used in media/broadcast people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPlIru5RzI4

https://www.archiware.com

David

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[Jon Allen]

@davidfox5 is there a personal version of the P5 archive software? the price is much higher than other options and I am a noncommercial user. thanks, J.

[Jon Allen]

@davidfox5 can I contact you by email? Please let me know if you are still offering the 50% discount for BRU PE licence holders. I would like to try a demo.

[David Fox]

Hi Jon, just tried to see if direct messages work here, so excuse the two ‘connect’ requests. You can get me via david [at] jpy.com. The BRU offer expired, currently lowest cost option for Archiware P5 is USD 1,680 which provides both backup and archive. May tick all your boxes but more sophisticated product due to full indexing and media-preview capture. David