Quantum DLT 2000 Handbook page 88

How To Buy a Tape Automation System
What should you look for in a tape automation system? As in buying
a standalone tape drive, it's best to begin with an evaluation of your
current situation and your future needs. For instance, how much data
do you need to back up? How fast is your data growing? How long is
your backup window? How much time do you and your staff spend
performing incremental and full back ups? How often will your
automation system be accessed? How critical is it that any new tape
system be compatible with your old system? Are you currently using
an enterprise backup software system, and does it support leading
tape automation systems? How much budget is available for a tape
automation solution? Be sure to factor in savings you may be able to
achieve in labor, media, and lost production time.
Inside Tape Libraries
Let's take a moment here to look more closely at tape libraries.
What are you buying when you buy a tape automation system?
Every tape library comes equipped with certain basic elements.
(See Figure 8-3.) The next few pages describe these basic elements
briefly.
One or more tape drives. This is the heart of the system. The drive
capabilities and characteristics will determine, to a large extent, the
overall performance of the library, including capacity, throughput,
reliability, data compression, compatibility, and media consump-
tion. Can you add additional drives (or higher performance drives)
at a later date to reduce user wait time, increase transfer rate, and
increase availability?
Multi-cartridge magazine or rack. Many library systems use car-
tridge magazines that can be loaded outside the library, then
plugged into the library when needed. This type of system makes
life easier for the system operator. Some systems require cartridges
8.8 AUTOMATION