DAT160 USB External not performing ANY hardware compression

[James A-K]

The tape drive is brand new, I have tried using Backup Exec 12.5, NT Backup and HP Data Protector Express (comes bundled with the tape drive) I can't get any compression over 1:1, Data Protector Express is showing 0.7:1 (how can that be!!) I have tried on 2 servers (2nd being a Prolient ML110) with the same result. The test data has no jpgs, mp3 etc and I know it is compressible. I'm not looking for 2:1 just more than 1:1 as I need to backup more than 80GB which I should be able to with a DAT160 tape drive.
HP Storage works library and tape tools shows that compression is working at over 2:1 but there is no compression with real backups! I have checked firmware and drivers are all the latest.

Please can someone help?

[TapeDrive Killer]

Choose only hardware compression and none software compression

Pablo Alvarado Siles

[Castellino]

Try HP libarary and tape tool's. and under the etest option there is device configuration test. i think it has an option to enable hardware compression.

but if its a DAT160 it should surely take 80GB on a cartridge for sure not too sure as to why it doesnt happen

[James A-K]

Hi, thanks for your replies.I do have only hardware compression enabled.

I will try to enable hardware compression using the HP libarary and tape tool's tomorrow, but to be honest it shows as being enabled eveywhere I look, it just does not actually do the compression. It does backup 80Gb onto a tape but not any more.

Regards

[Matthew Cutting]

Hi there,

I was just wondering if you have had any luck resolving this? we are having exactly the same issue with a customers tape drive...

Thanks.

Matt

[Víctor Cespón]

Stop the backup software services, reboot, and perform the compression test with L&TT.
Many backup programs disable compression on the drives as soon as the service starts.

[Matthew Cutting]

I have tried the HP Tape tool, and compression works okay with that. Backup Exec 12.5Gb only notices the tapes as 80Gb tapes and will not go over this amount. Same as NT backup. Any more thoughts?

[Víctor Cespón]

If L&TT can use the compression and the compression test shows 2.x:1 compression then the problem is software related, not hardware.

[James A-K2]

Hi Matthew

I did not ever manage to get to the bottom of it. I had various support calls out with HP and with Symantec and neither were able to get to the bottom of it. HP shipped me two replacement drives but the result was the same. I can't see how the problem can be with Backup exec if itâ s also a problem with NT backup.

James.

[tluggiero]

I also have the DAT 160. In teh HP storageworks library tools, hardware compression is enabled. When I used XP Pro's backup at 73GB it made me change the tape. I would like to get full use of the 160gb tapes! I can't find a solution anywhere