HP StorageWorks Autoloader 1-8 Ultrium and compression

[Joseph L. Casale]

I am running this device under Windows 2003 sp2 using rsm and ntbackup with scripts.

This is functional and working most of the time except for odd variations in tape capacity. Sometimes the tape drive will have disabled compression on its own and thus requires rsm to be stopped, tape tools to be launched and used to reconfigure the drive.

Is there a reason why this might be happening? Also, is there any way to produce some detailed logging about tape capacity/compression rates when using rsm and ntbackup? I am open to using a different solution if required.

Thanks!

[TapeDrive Killer]

Hi Ritmo2k there are some files that are already compressed so the hardware compression wont go any further. Why don't you try performing the LTT compression test then also try installing DPX that software will tell you what compresion you achived.Try the job with your backup soft then with DPX.

Drivers
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/tape/SmartComp/HPStorageWorksTapeDrivers.zip

DPX 3.5 sp2
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=1144272&prodNameId=1144275&swEnvOID=1114&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=co-55597-1

Pablo Alvarado
Tape Storage/DPX

[Joseph L. Casale]

Pablo,
There is no uncertainty in the hardware compression being turned off constantly. The very same data spans twice as many tapes when this happens, and the driver explicitly reports it being off. I need to use Tape Tools to re-enable it.

[TapeDrive Killer]

What Tape Drive do you have ?

[Joseph L. Casale]

Pablo,
It is the 8 tape LTO-2 autoloader.
Thanks!

[TapeDrive Killer]

Im not 100% sure but I think ntbackup doesnot control the hardware compression. Here is the information about ntbackup there is nothing about compression.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/d/8/bd8e1a40-d202-429a-8eb7-26300d62bcc9/BKU_BkupRstr.doc#_Toc139375348

Try using DPX

Pablo Alvarado
Tape Storage/DPX