Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!cognos!dbullis
From: dbullis@cognos.UUCP (Dave Bullis)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Tape backup for ISC Unix
Message-ID: <9497@cognos.UUCP>
Date: 3 Apr 91 22:18:33 GMT
Reply-To: dbullis@cognos.UUCP (Dave Bullis)
Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 39



I am looking for a tape backup for my ISC2.2 system.  Currently I have
	DTK 2500 Motherboard, 4Mb
	WD1007WA2
	Miniscribe 8380E

I am looking for something to handle from 60 to 150Mb and the options
seem to be
	floppy tape (ie. CMS Jumbo)
	QIC (Wangtec, Archive...)

The good thing about the floppy tapes is price,
The bad things are:
      1)The 1007WA2 controller has a timing problem which causes problems
	with the CMS Jumbo.
      2)ISC's floppy tape driver is broken and you need CMS's drivers.
      3)Too many horror stories on the net and too few testimonials.
The first 2 points (from CMS tech support) blow the price benefit,
and the last gives me the chills.

So...

Is anyone using high-capacity floppy tapes and are happy?  Is it reliable?

Any recommendations for QIC drives?
My experience is that QIC 60Mb tapes are interchangable between machines,
is this generally true?  how about 150Mb tapes?
It used to be that 150Mb tape could read but not write 60Mb tapes,
is this still true?
Is SCSI-based versus separate controller (ie.SC499) an issue? How about cost?

In general, can anyone compare the reliability of floppy tapes vs. QIC tapes?
How about 60Mb QIC vs. 150Mb QIC? 
-- 
Dave Bullis        Cognos, Inc     VOICE: (613) 738-1440 FAX: (613) 738-0002
3755 Riverside Dr. P.O. Box 9707    WORK: uunet!mitel!cunews!cognos!dbullis
Ottawa, Ontario,   CANADA  K1G 3Z4  HOME: dave@sillub.ocunix.on.ca
"I didn't know the terminals were haunted.  The salesman didn't tell us."