Best Archive Software for Tape Library

[Andrew Proude]

I would check out Archiware P5, as it supports tape libraries:
https://www.archiware.com/p5-archive.303.1.html

[Mauro Moreira]

Hi Andrew. I forgot to mention that i tried P5 and it is a amazing software, but the cost is to high (here in Brazil it costs almost three times more than the LTO DRIVE).

[Tim Jones]

BRU Producer’s Edition and BRU Server both support tape libraries as libraries.

Tim
—
Tim Jones
CTO – TOLIS Group, Inc.
https://www.tolisgroup.com
BRU … because it’s the RESTORE that matters!

[Martin Greenwood]

Hi Mauro,

YoYottaID Automation will move LTO tapes into the library drive automatically when needed for restore or archive. Then when another tape is needed the original tape will be shelved.
YoYottaID Automation will do this for all LTO libraries including the Quantum Superloader 3.

If archiving it will auto format a blank tape and then mount it.

You can also do this manually, sorry if this wan’t clear from our website.

Select a tape in the LTFS panel, see picture here :-

https://yoyotta.com/yoyottaid/automation.html

Then click the Mount or Format buttons.

Eject will put the tape back into the original slot.

Export will put the tape into a mailslot.

Move will move from one slot to another slot.

Martin Greenwood

CTO YoYotta

[Tim Jones]

BTW – the issue that our team reported to you with the SL-3 is related to it’s quality of build and longevity. BRU PE and BRU Server will work fine with it – as long as it works. In the more than 15 years that we’ve been distrusting this unit, Quantum has never been able to provide us with a test unit (7 to date) that lasted more than a few hundred trips through the tape changing test.

When the unit works, BRU works in much the same way that YoYattaID will work with it as Martin says. But, when it breaks, there’s nothing that ANY software can do to work around the issues that occur. We just prefer to inform our customers of this problematic history and suggest alternatives to the SL-3. There’s a reason that the SL-3 is priced so low – this really is a living example of “you get what you pay for.” Any other Quantum library will provide a much more successful and long lasting solution.

Tim
—
Tim Jones
CTO – TOLIS Group, Inc.
https://www.tolisgroup.com
BRU … because it’s the RESTORE that matters!

[Mauro Moreira]

Thanks Martin. I think i`ll give another try on the Yoyotta Automation. My initial goal was to work with LTFS too.

[Mauro Moreira]

Thanks for your help Tim.
I know that the SL-3 is not the best hardware available. I’ve worked with BRU PE and a standalone drive and it was totally perfect.
With the SL-3, during the first 5 tapes i’ve got some issues like the tape is not put back in the slot, or the system cannot change to the next tape and so on.
I think i have a few days left in my demo mode and i’ll do some another tests!

[Tim Jones]

That’s exactly why we don’t support the SL-3. What you’re witnessing is a hardware error, not software problems. A MOVE ELEMENT call is specifically defined low-level SCSI command that is the same no matter who’s software you’re using. If the library’s acting up on something that simple, there’s nothing that any software vendor can do to alleviate it. This is a perfect example of why we don’t support that unit and recommend you to stay way. It’s not that BRU products won’t work with it, but rather that they break down too often for a reliable backup environment.

If your SL-3 is already acting up, you’ll see the same issues with any other software package; and it won’t get better over time.

Tim
—
Tim Jones
CTO – TOLIS Group, Inc.
https://www.tolisgroup.com
BRU … because it’s the RESTORE that matters!

[Mauro Moreira]

Hi Martin, is there a way in YoYotta Automation that i can use slots 1to8 to archive for example my personal files and slot 9to16 for another specific files?
Or use a label range (TE0001L6 and foward) to archive my personal files and another label range to other files?

Thanks,