Tapes and tape drives

[Jason Reed]

This is just a general question. Can a DDS4 Tape drive read a DDS3 tape?

Also, What is the difference b/t a DLT7000 tape drive and a DLT8000? When our system was installed it says that the tape drive is a QUANTUM DLT8000, but I can't seem to find tapes for an 8000, I can only find DLT 7000 tapes.

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

1) A DDS4 tape drive should be able to read a DDS3, DDS2 or DDS (90meter, don't know about the 60 meter) tape. All higher numbered drivers are supposed to be capable of reading from and writing to lower numbered tapes.

2) A DLT8000 driver has a native capacity of 40GB, 80 GB assuming 2:1 compression. A DLT7000 has a capacity of 35 GB native and 70 GB assuming 2:1 compression. I believe all DLT tape drivers still use the DLT IV tapes so you can use the same tape on a DLT7000 or 8000 and get the appropriate amount of data on the tape. I don't think the tapes themselves have changed like the DDS tapes have.

Here is a link to information on the DLT8000 on Quantums web site:
http://www.quantum.com/products/dlt/dlt8000/dlt_8000_overview.htm

And here is a link to information about DLT tapes on Quantums web site:
http://www.quantum.com/products/dlt/dlttape/dlt_tape_overview.htm

[William Groves]

jason,

a dds4 drive should be able to read a dds3 tape if the tape is a media recognition type.

if you are making a tape to send to another user, i recommend to use a 60m tape(media recognition type) if you do not know what type of tape drive they will be using.
dds4 drives should read any media recognition tape from a dds1, dds2, or dds3 drive.

i have no info about dlt's, sorry.

good luck

bill