HP StorageWorks DAT 72 USB Internal Tape Drive - slow writing

[Ryan Melling]

Hi all
I have a tape drive as described above, I am currently having problems with it writing 33.67gig only completing 30.71gig in 2days 8 hours and 31 minutes. I have updated the firmware and run all the tests in L&TT with no errors recorded. The computer i am running is Windows XP pro with 4 gig extreme memory, intel Quad, running yosemite backup server. No one was using the computer as i set it off manually backing up Friday evening before finishing work.

I have read some of the forums on here and some indicate Firmware, software not really mentioned alot ie which Backup program used. Any of your help would be most helpful. Also i have been in contact with Yosemite as yet no answer.

[Víctor Cespón]

That's only 0.15 MB/S
Can you run the L&TT Read/write test?
And use another tape, just in case.

[Ryan Melling]

The tape i used for that backup was a HP DAT 72 C8010A, The following test is done using a 4mm DDS-150 20gig tape.
|__ Device Performance Test Started on Drive (C7438A) (\\.\Tape1)
|__ Testing with 2:1 Compression Ratio
|__ Opening Tape Drive
|__ Rewinding Tape
|__ Writing 1GB of 4GB
|__ Writing 2GB of 4GB
|__ Writing 3GB of 4GB
|__ Writing 4GB of 4GB
|__ 4 GB written in 742 seconds at 5 MB/s
|__ Rewinding Tape
|__ Closing Tape Drive
I am just running the other tests now.

[Víctor Cespón]

5 MB/s with compressed data is fine for a DAT72, so the tape drive is not the problem.

Are you doing backup of another server through the network?

You can use the "sys perf" button to do a performance test on the drive from which you're reading the data.

[Ryan Melling]

Ok I have done the additional tests for you.
Test Results for TEST. I only have one server which the drive is attached to, I am not backing up over a server. I have a daily backup at 5:00PM, where no one is using the server also. Would you like me to attach my system file?
Thanks Ryan

|__ Analysis Results
||__ DDS Drive Assessment Test, version: V24.06.2009
||__ Time: Fri Oct 9 13:42:09 2009 Serial Number: HU10926T73
||__ Data Cartridge Information:
||__ Format: DDS-4
||__ Serial Number: H-Z8B-HU10926T73-4-00-00001
||__ ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION (from drive logs):
||__ Device Analysis for DDS Drives
||__ Test script revision: V17.10.2008
||__ Date tested: Fri Oct 9 13:42:11 2009
||__ The drive has been checked in the following areas.
||__ Firmware rev 'ZU8B' is up-to-date for 'C7438A' as of Wed Nov 26 19:00:00 2008.
||__ Rule 1 - Fatal Error Rule
| ||__ No Problems found
||__ Rule 2 - Write/ Read Errors Rule
| ||__ No Problems found
||__ Rule 3 - Media Usage Rule
| ||__ No Problems found
||__ Rule 4 - Cleaning Rule
| ||__ No Problems found
||__ Rule 5 - Device Status Rule
| ||__ No Problems found
||__ Rule 6 - Device Configuration Rule
| ||__ No Problems found
||__ Rule 7 - Device Usage Rule
| ||__ It appears that you are using media in this drive that will not give you the optimal performance and capacity available.
| ||__ We suggest you use C7438A media to achieve the most from your drive.
||__ There were 8 rules checked.
||__ RESULTS OF THE TEST ON THIS DRIVE
||__ 'Amount of data required' test option : Default
||__ Iteration number 1 of 1
||__ Write Margin: Great Margin (1 GB Write)
||__ Read Margin: Great Margin (1 GB Read)
||__ The DDS Drive Assessment Test has checked the history and/or operation of the selected drive, and
||__ Warnings have been reported, but the drive has PASSED.
||__ Please refer to the Device Analysis results for further information.

---------------------------------------
Restore Performance test

|__ 1020 KB written (8 files)
|__ Restore Performance finished creating files for restore testing.
|__ 255 MB written (16 files) in 6 seconds at 42 MB/sec
|__ Successfully removed all files created by Restore Performance Test.
|__ Restore Performance finished creating files for restore testing.

---------------------------------------------
Backup Performance test

|__ Scanning
|__ C:\ - Files Read: 77529
|__ 20407 MB read (77529 files) in 719 seconds with rate 28 MB/sec
|__ TOTAL: 20407 MB read (77529 files) in 719 seconds with rate 28 MB/sec

[Ryan Melling]

System Info attached

Ryan