topic Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX in Operating System - HP-UX

Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

bill_allen — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:38:55 GMT

I would like to make ignite images of my servers, but need a new tape drive. Can anyone recommend a scsi external tape drive with capacity well over 4GB?

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

A. Clay Stephenson — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:52:34 GMT

It matters somewhat about the choice of tape drive because not all tape drives are bootable --- especially if you also have to support older boxes. Just about anything will boot from a DDS3 drive which feature a native capacity of 12GiB and a compressed capacity of 24GiB. They are relatively slow drives compared to an Ultrium or DLT but essentially any box PA-RISC box will boot from a DDS drive.

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

Tim Nelson — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:57:29 GMT

DDS3
DDS4
DLT8000
Ultrium2

Other options will have to be investigated as supported boot devices.

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

bill_allen — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:58:02 GMT

DAT tape was what I was looking at. My current systems are PA-RISC, but my new system will be a RX6600 Itanium. Assuming this still holds true for the Itanium, do you have some models you could recomend? I am looking for scsi rather than USB models.

Thanks

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

Sp4admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:01:28 GMT

Hi Bill,

We have a 6600 and the DAT drive is a DDS4 model number C7438A. We also run ignite tape and have booted off of the tape with no problems.

sp,

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

Steven E. Protter — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:28:14 GMT

Shalom Bill,

I had a support call with HP on this for one of my customers. Only the HP tape drives and recommended tapes receive full support from HP. The customer in question had a drive from another maker. The response center rep informed me that the drive had been successfully used to boot an HP-UX server however was not certified and therefore the level of support to be given was different.

I've had excellent success with the Ultrium series of tape drives. Pay attention to the type of SCSI card they need and don't put any other SCSI devices on the same scsi chain.

The moral of this story is to precisely follow HP recommendations for the highest level of support. There could hardly be a more important piece of equipment in your installation.

SEP

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

bill_allen — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:48:54 GMT

Steven,

Good point. The drive I am considering now is the Q1523B. 72GB SCSI DAT. I think it will work so long as it is good for booting both my PA-RISC system and the new RX660 I am getting. Any experience with this tape drive?

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

bill_allen — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:52:38 GMT

Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice. :-)

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

Torsten. — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:50:44 GMT

Look up the matrix for supported drives for your server:

http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/compatibility/tapebackup/IPF/13-9999-0005.html#matrixtable

Be aware you will see USB drives too, but read the notes! They are not compatible with HP-UX.

Re: Recommend a tape drive for use with Ignite-UX

bill_allen — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:38:49 GMT

Torsten,

Excellent reference! Thanks much. :-)