From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Dec 10 01:09:13 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7F1251065679 for ; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:09:13 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from dougs@dawnsign.com) Received: from mailfilter.dawnsign.com (cetus.dawnsign.com [216.70.250.4]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 666398FC1E for ; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:09:13 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mailfilter.dawnsign.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mailfilter.dawnsign.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id D09E49592A; Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:09:12 -0800 (PST) Received: from cetus.dawnsign.com (cetus.dawnsign.com [192.168.101.5]) by mailfilter.dawnsign.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 612AB9583A; Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:09:07 -0800 (PST) Received: by cetus.dawnsign.com with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2657.72) id ; Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:09:07 -0800 Message-ID: From: Doug Sampson To: 'Olivier Nicole' Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:09:05 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2657.72) Content-Type: text/plain X-Virus-Scanned: ClamAV using ClamSMTP Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: RE: HP USB 2.0 Tape Drive X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:09:13 -0000 > Hi Doug, > > > Does anyone have had positive or negative experience using > these USB-based > > DAT tape drives? Specifically, I am looking at the HP > (Hewlett-Packard) > > I know that I am not really answering your question but here are a > couple of thoughts that came to my mind when reading your post: > > - USB 2 should be able to sustain the transfer speed to stream your > DAT drive, I checked that point; > > - I always considered DAT one of the worse tape solution myself, too > sensitive to the physical conditions, too prone to errors, could > never read a tape after 6 months; > Interesting points you raise. I have owned several DAT drives (Quantum, Sony, and HP) over the past 17 years and have yet to lose ability to restore data due to bad tapes. I am careful where I store these between use. I use these with SCSI interfaces on Windows systems with one exception- I use a SCSI-based Sony DDS DAT 12/24 tape drive in a FBSD system running PGSQL. All I just want to know is whether FBSD will recognize and work with the tape drive I posed in my previous email (the Hewlett-Packard StorageWorks Q1581SB DAT 160 Tape Drive). Will it be identified as /dev/da* something? Can any one of you confirm if you got any USB 2.0 tape drive to work with FBSD? I like the fact that I can just plug a USB tape drive into a new system in seconds without having to fuss about installing a SCSI/SAS card and have a tape back up made relatively soon. As a side note: I had trouble getting certain branded USB external hard drives recognized by FreeBSD. I ended up using LaCie hard drives as these were listed as being compatible. Thus I am cautious about anything that uses USB in general with FreeBSD. I just got off the phone with a Quantum technical staffer and he was stymied by my question whether their USB 2.0 DAT 160 tape drive would be recognized by FBSD. He pushed me off to a sales representative who is just got off for the day. ~Doug