Hardware Compression for HP Ultrium 6-SCSI Drive with BackupExec 16

[HPEO]

Dear all,

I'm using LTO6 tape for my with HP 1x8 G2 AUTOLDR, from the GUI, it showed the compression is NO.

Drive Information (LUN) Vendor ID HP Product ID Ultrium 6-SCSI Firmware Revision 35PW World Wide ID - Port A 50014380271C1CD6 World Wide ID - Port B 50014380271C1CD7 Physical Drive Slot Number 1 Element Address 1 Autoloader LUN Hosted By Drive Yes Data Compression No Interface Type SAS

However, from Backup Exec16 -> Storage -> Robotic Libray -> Tape Drive (HP Ultrium 6-SCSI) -> Properties the hardware compression was "Enabled".  Also, Backup job -> Backup Options -> Storage -> Compression:  "Hardware if available, Otherwise None" was selected. 

By result, the tape was only contained 2.38TB (not compressed) data.

Since my data is getting bigger and bigger, instead of buying more than, I want to enable hardware compression. 

Been Googling for few day but couldn't find any results.

Can someone shed me light of enabling hardware compression.

thanks,

Nick

[Rajat Bhargava]

Hello Nick,

Hardware compression is generally enabled by default on all tape libraries and Autoloaders and drives. If it is not it can be enabled from Library and Tape Tools, under Device Configuration options.

You can download Library and Tape Tools from here:

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=1009019479&swItemId=MTX_5ec3d4e51c6042d0a1d13f434a&swEnvOid=4184

Manual is here:

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-a00006060en_us

[HPEO]

Hello Rajat_B, 

thanks for your help, I have installed the HPLTT successfully and it can detect my Library and drive Ultrium 6-SCSI.

From the manul, to enable hardware compression, it is required to run "Device Configuration Test"

However, the "Device Configuration Test" was not there under Test -> Drive 1  -> Test Group.

Any ideas?

Thanks again.

Nick 

[Rajat Bhargava]

Hello Nick,

When you went to the test group, What was selected on the left side. Library or Drive?

[HPEO]

Hi Rajat_B,

Drive was selected on the left side.

Thanks. 

[HPEO]

[Torsten.]

Please keep in mind the LTO-6 tape has 2.5TB raw capacity.

Using compression does NOT mean you can always backup more data.

It always depends on type of data - if the data is not compressable, you have no benefit of compression.

So see what I mean try to zip a large text file - the result is probably very small.

Now try to ZIP a ZIP or JPEG or whatever compressed file - the result is probaby a larger file than the original.

[Rajat Bhargava]

Thanks Nick,

Can you please go to the utility section and check?