Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!otter!hpcpbla!mark
From: mark@hpcpbla.HP.COM (Mark Simms)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: HPUX 7.0: Was Re: HP Optical When???
Message-ID: <660006@hpcpbla.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Jan 90 16:41:29 GMT
References: <13002@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Organization: HP Computer Peripherals Bristol, UK
Lines: 42

>> 5)  i have been considering getting one of these for backup purposes.
>> are they better than the dat tapes and/or the 8mm exabyte tapes for
>> this purpose?

The advantages of optical discs for backup are:

	Very large amount of data available without human intervention
	provided you have the autochanger.

	Media can be mounted as a filing system which makes recovery
	very easy.

The disadvantages are:

	Media costs per megabyte are much higher than for DAT/8mm
	tapes.

	Interchange of data with other manufacturer's systems is
	impossible.

If you keep only a few backup copies, then the optical discs are a
great solution.  Otherwise, the media costs start making a big
difference.

If you have a particularly large installation to back up, you may
consider backing up to optical discs and then copying the backup to a
tape medium.

Otherwise, I would suggest a tape backup.

Mark Simms, CPB

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Opinions expressed are my own and are not intended to be an official
statement by Hewlett-Packard Company
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:         Mark Simms
Position:     Software Development Engineer
Organisation: Hewlett-Packard Computer Peripherals Division
Email US:     mark%hpcpbla@hplb.hpl.hp.com
      UK:     mark%hpcpbla@hplb.hp.co.uk
Address:      Filton Road, Bristol BS12 6QZ, United Kingdom