For the systems we roll out here we use clones backed up with BackupEDGE to DAT. Our most recent Compaqs, using the Intel 845G chipset, dog on SCSI transfers to the IDE drives (using either an Adaptec 2940 or 29160). I'm talking my first one out of the box ran the restore for over eight hours and didn't get halfway through the tape. I restored to the drive on another system and slapped it back in the box and it worked fine.
Such was the problem that I went to backing a clone to an IDE. It took 20 minutes instead of 2 hours (or 8+/unknown on 845G). I just had BackupEDGE use /dev/hdc. I did the same on my initial use of the CPIO command with the same setup. BackupEDGE, however, stores only the real data from a number of informix chunks, while tracking their virtual size and recreating them correctly on restore. This results in a smaller backup in less time. Based on this experience, if I were to use a pluggable (preferrably hot-) drive I'd just have it on it's own (hdc or hdd, on the second channel for improved throughput during backup). Plug in, run backup, pull out and stow. Surely someone has a hot-plug module for the kernel...buy their thing and get their software while still leaving the drive as a standard drive. sh On Thu, 2003-01-16 at 11:05, Tom Oehser wrote: > > Although I have always been against this, the price of a DLT or AIT or LTO > tape cartridge that can hold 100 gigs is just about climbing over that of > a hard drive. When you add in the cost of the tape drives that can do it, > plus the better transfer speed and drastically better random access, I'm > starting to consider reconsidering... ASSUMING that you really do install a > hotswap and buy drives the way you would have bought tapes, it is hard to see > the advantage of investing in DLT or AIT or LTO. > > Does anyone have a recommendation for IDE hotswap bays? > > What about getting the kernel to recognize the swaps? > > -Tom -- Scot Harkins (KA5KDU) Systems Engineer Apropos Retail Management Systems [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.aproposretail.com
