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Enable/disable compression on C1537A

 
Lena Starbird
Occasional Contributor

Enable/disable compression on C1537A

I have a C1537A internal 12/24GB tape drive that isn't compressing more than 13 or 14GB through hardware compression. Does anyone know how to disable hardware compression, as I got better ratios using my software? Also, any pros/cons to using software compression instead of hardware?

Thanks in advanced for any feedback!
3 REPLIES 3
Leif Halvarsson_2
Honored Contributor

Re: Enable/disable compression on C1537A

Hi,

Check this document:
http://www4.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en_US&docId=200000062212492

Hardware compression can be turned on/off by setting the DIP switches on the drive (check your manual). Or, if Unix by creating a uncompressed device file.
Michael Lampi
Trusted Contributor

Re: Enable/disable compression on C1537A

Besides the option of using a non-compressing device file, you could just perform the compression in software and then pipe it out to tape. The hardware compression will not get in the way and expand the space required to store your data.

The only con to using software compression rather than hardware compression is that the restoring of your data will not be as transparent; i.e., you will have to remember to perform the software compression step when you read the tape in order to make sense of the contents.

The pro to using software compression is that your effective data rate in writing to the tape is increased over hardware compression.
A journey of 1000 steps ends in a mile.
Marino Meloni_1
Honored Contributor

Re: Enable/disable compression on C1537A