[ On Mon, November 2, 1998 at 21:09:14 (-0800), John Nemeth wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Amanda backups: gtar or dump?
>
> } multi-track tape has a truely long life, even by the specifications
> } compared to straight linear recording tape.  Tape cartridges with lots
> 
>      The only modern thing I know that is straight linear is the DLT.

I mis-spoke -- the only truely "straight" linear digital tape recording
format is far from modern (i.e. 9-track).

Even DLT uses serpentine tape traversal, but also records more than one
bit at a time too, as do Tandberg's MLR drives.  The primary difference
with them is that the use a two-reel cartridge more like a QIC tape.
Almost all the moving parts are in the cartridge and the tape is never
extracted from the cartridge.

>      Depending on who you believe, CD-R has a shelf life of 100+
> years.  However, it is much too expensive and slow to be used for
> backup purposes.

Or even 500+ years.  Some claims suggest CD-R media might have a shorter
shelf life than regular pressed CDs.

The big advantage of any CD though is that the markings in the materials
are one heck of a lot more stable and change resistant than magnetic
fields in an oxide film are.

Lots of info at <URL:http://www.phlab.missouri.edu/~ccgreg/tapes.html>,
and <URL:http://www.nml.org/MediaStability/>.

Tandberg claims their MLR media should have a lifetime of >10 years.

>      I haven't heard about MLR, but I've always liked Tandberg, so
> I'll check it out.  Thanks for the tip.  Tandberg makes nice drives,
> but they haven't been keeping up with the times.  Nowadays, I tend to
> go with DAT or DLT.

DLT is cool, but MLR seems better.  DAT (and 8mm) is amazing
micro-machine technology, but not something I really want to store
archives on!  MLR has been around for a while it seems, and recently
Tandberg has been pushing them in advertising in all the trade rags.

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098      VE3TCP      <gwoods@acm.org>      <robohack!woods>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>