Good point! I'm going to propose a definition of 'tapeless' as needing no human in the loop (not counting storage management).
In a classic tape solution, humans are needed to move physical tapes in and out of the ATL's, in and out of onsite storage, package for transport to offsite storage, and unpack tapes returning from offsite storage. Humans are the single most expensive component of that solution. -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of van der Grijn, Bart (B) Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 10:17 AM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: Tapeless??? Bill (and others that have stated they are tapeless), at the end of the day, where does your inactive data (i.e. the virtual tape) reside? On a physical tape, a physical disk, other? I'm trying to understand if we're all working of the same definition of tapeless (in my mind, a back-end physical tape is not tapeless). Thanks, Bart -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of William Bishop Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 10:55 AM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: Tapeless??? We replicate all tape files offsite. Our disk system environment is kept replicated to a second set of disks. Backups taken to virtual tapes locally are copied to the second tape library. This is both full volume and HSM. Long-term data retention is managed by retention dates and expiration policies, just like physical tapes. We basically support our own DR site at another of our facilites. We own a processor, which is kept at minimal capacity,with no software licenses, designate the box as a DR box, and contract for the right to bring it up to full capacity in the event of a disaster. We test a coulple times a year, and are as current as the last disk replication cycle gets us. We can be back online in a couple of hours if need be. Thanks Bill Bishop Specialist Mainframe Support Group Server Development & Support Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. bill.bis...@tema.toyota.com (502) 570-6143 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message, together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
