DLT tape devices

[Kevin Griesmar]

I am looking for the differences between the DLT 4000 tape devices and the DLT 8000 tape devices. Can you use DLT IV tapes on the 4000 series? If you store data to a DLT IV tape using a DLT 8000 series device can you restore the media from that tape from a DLT 4000 series?

[Patrick Wallek]

Here are some links to information about DLT tape drives on Quantums web site:

http://www.quantum.com/Products/Quantum+l+DLTtape/DLT+8000/Default.htm

http://www.quantum.com/Products/Quantum+l+DLTtape/DLT+7000/Default.htm

http://www.quantum.com/Products/Quantum+l+DLTtape/DLT+4000/Default.htm

Here is a good PDF file that talks about all DLT media: http://www.quantum.com/NR/rdonlyres/00000584rfvyvxggjlmsuegk/dlttapemedia.pdf

In short: All DLT [4,7,8]000 drives use DLT IV tapes.

DLT4000 - 20 GB native, 40 GB with 2:1 compression
DLT7000 - 35 GB native, 70 GB with 2:1 compression
DLT8000 - 40 GB native, 80 GB with 2:1 compression

A DLT8000 should be able to read anything written with a DLT[4,7]000 drive, however a DLT4000 CAN NOT read anything written with a DLT[7,8]000 drive. A higher numbered drive can read from a lower number drive, but not the other way around.

I hope that makes sense.

[Alexander M. Ermes]

Hi there.
The density fo written data on a DLT 8000 is much higher than on a DLT 4000. A sample from pc tapes : a Colorado 250 was able to read tapes from a Colorado 120, but not viceversa.
if you want to use a tape from a DLT 8000 in a DLT 4000 for backup or storing data, you have to initialize it, before you can use it.
I hope, this additional info helps you to understand a bit better.
Rgds
Alexander M. Ermes