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Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

 
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Jim Rogers_5
Advisor

DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

We have a L2000 server and have been using a DLT4000 for our nightly backups for years. In an effort to improve speed of the backups we purchased a DLT7000 drive. We simply use TAR to backup our database files, around 20 GB. On our old DLT4000, this backup would complete in about 1.5 hours. We switched to the DLT7000 and the time actually went to 2 hours. We purchased new tapes with no effect on time.

Can someone please help me with things I might look at to realize the speed of the DLT7000? Please let me know if you need any further information.
6 REPLIES 6
Tim Nelson
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

Use of fbackup will help. fbackup will allow the adjustment of record size and fully utilize the buffer of the tape drive.
Pete Randall
Outstanding Contributor

Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

I think Tim is right - it's not the drive, it's the backup software. These modern drives need to be fed data at a rate that will keep them busy. Too slow and the drives have to continually stop, back up to where they last wrote, and resume writing. If you can provide the data continuously, then the drives "stream" and are very fast.

Your absolute best bet would be to go with a commercial backup solution like HP's DataProtector.


Pete

Pete
Pete Randall
Outstanding Contributor

Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

Also take a look at Bill Hassell's response to this question. He has some great tips on configuring fbackup for best results:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=995121


Pete

Pete
Christian Peter
Frequent Advisor

Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

if it isn't the software:

maybe a controller or cable problem?
which controller you are using? no adapters between controller und cable ? is it a LVD 68-pin cable or an old scsi-2 cable with adapter from 50-pins to 68-pins?

greetings chris
Jaclyn Rothe
Trusted Contributor

Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

Which controller are you using for the DLT 7000. This drive is recommended with an adaptec 29160 controller where you can set the bios sync transfer rate to 20 mb/s. Your old drive does 10mb/s (burst rate).
See Recommended scsi controllers here:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=lpg50063&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
Also the block and buffer size in back up software tends to default to a low setting when you newly install products. For the DLT 7000 drive this block and buffer size dhould be set to: 8mb
See document: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=lpg50170&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Also you might try to upgrade the firmware on the DLT 7000 drive with HP's Library and Tape Tools. This often rests the drive (even if it is at the newest revision)
Get LTT here: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?pnameOID=406731&locale=en_US&taskId=135&prodSeriesId=406729&prodTypeId=12169

Jaclyn Rothe
Trusted Contributor

Re: DLT4000 Upgrade to DLT7000

As Chris mentioned using a narrow cable (50 pin connector) or controller for this wide drive (68 pin connector) will reduce throughput.
Run your SYSPERF test in LTT and also a drive assessemnte test with NEW media to get the test results and transfer rate values.