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From: dan@python.eng.microcom.com (Dan Bishop)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: Information on DAT drives
Keywords: backup DAT drives tape
Message-ID: <1991Apr15.175312.2621@python.eng.microcom.com>
Date: 15 Apr 91 17:53:12 GMT
References: <1991Apr10.184710.12818@midway.uchicago.edu>
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In article <1991Apr10.184710.12818@midway.uchicago.edu (David Walton) writes:
| 
|> My department will shortly purchase a backup system for backing up a
|> couple of large hard disks (200 and 600 Mb, respectively) for a couple
|> of AppleShare servers we have.  We will also use it for individuals to
|> back up their individual machines as well.  We're considering a DAT
|> drive to use with Retrospect for this purpose.
|> 
|> Does anybody have any experience using DAT drives?  Recommendations?
|> Horror stories?  (Amusing anecdotes, even?)  I'm interested in hearing
|> specifics about any models that you've used, including
|> 
|> 	* reliability (of the hardware) and/or service;
|> 
|> 	* speed (though I understand that there's not much difference
|>           between different units in this regard);
|> 
|> 	* storage capacity;
|> 
|> 	* cost (both of the drive and of the tape it uses).
|> 
|> 
|> I understand that there are two or three different mechanisms (Sony,
|> Wang, and other), but I know very little about the differences between
|> them; I'd welcome anything you could say to enlighten me.


Hi David,

We have been using a DAT drive from Transitional Technologies Inc. with their Night
Shift Backup software. We can backup all the nodes on our LocalTalk and EtherTalk network just by putting an init on the stations. It also backs up our AppleShare server. The software comes with the drive and is very easy to use. It can be a real time saver when retrieving one or two files for somebody who needs them fast. 

I think we paid about 3500.00 for the drive, they also just released a version that does
compression up to 2GBytes. TTI has always given us good service in the sales dept. and from the technical side as well. Tapes are about 12.00 for Maxell 120 minute cartridges.