Can DDS4 drive read DDS2 tapes ?

[berenger aguissi]

Hi,

I have an Alphaserver DS20 with tru64 unix installed. The internal DDS2 tape drive attached to it is defective. I have only DDS2 tapes. If I bought DDS4 drive, can I be able to read the DDS2 tapes archives ?

Regards.
Berenger.

[Luk Vandenbussche · Accepted solution]

Hi,

A DDS4 tape can read and write DDS2 tape

[Kurt Beyers.]

Hi Berenger,

Yes a DDS4 drive can read DDS2 archives. The following information is found in the DDS specs:

Backwards Compatibility HP DAT tape drives are backward read-write compatible with two previous generations, thus:

DAT 72 also reads and writes DDS-4 and DDS-3
DAT 40 also reads and writes DDS-3 and DDS-2
DAT 24 also reads and writes DDS-2 and DDS-1

best regards,
Kurt

[Shameer.V.A]

Hi Berenger,
Yes.
DDS4 Drive can read/ Write up to DDS4 Tape.(DDS1,2,3,4)..

But it is recommended to use the media which is made for that drive..
like DDS3 for a DDS3 drive.

If you are using lower capacity media on a higher capacity drive, it can gradually affect the life of drive head; as tape tension will be different on different media because of the tape length

The Specification of DDS media as follows
DDS1-90 meter =366KB/s 4GB compressed,
DDS2-120 meter <=1.4MB/s 8GB Compressed
DDS3-125m <=3MB/s 24GB Compressed
DDs4-150m >=6MB/s 40GB Compressed
DAT72- 170m >=10MB/s 72Gb Compressed


Hope these informations will help you to conclude..

Regards,

Shameer

[berenger aguissi]

Thanks for your help !

Regards.
Berenger.

[JamesJackson]

Hi,

Can DDS2 Drive read DDS 4 tape ?

Can anyone Answer?  it will be helpful.

Thank you

[RbBsmn]

No James, they are not forward compatible.