Driver for Overland tape library

[Dirk Moolman]

-----Original Message-----
From: linux-users-bounces at linux-sxs.org
[mailto:linux-users-bounces at linux-sxs.org] On Behalf Of Tony Alfrey
Sent: 04 January 2007 10:00 PM
To: Linux tips and tricks
Subject: Re: Driver for Overland tape library

Net Llama! wrote:
> On Thu, 4 Jan 2007, Man-wai CHANG wrote:
>>> No, it need not be tapes.  Backups should be:
>>> 1.  performed regularly (depending on how often files on the system
may change)
>>> 2.  be kept off-site  (that means not in the same building -- some
big
>>> companies like Fedex, etc., will have two data sites, one with
>>> accounting data, one with tracking data, and back up between the two
>>> sites -- located in two different states).
>> At home, I am using 2 harddisk to back up everything. I use them
>> alternatively. For more critical data, I keep a copy on DVD-RW.
>>
>> Tapes require special storage facilities, or they would be
oxidized(?).
> 
> On which planet is this?
> 


>
>This planet.  He's confusing the general deterioration of the adhesion 
>of the magnetic oxide on the tape with the fact that the stuff on the 
>tape is already oxidized, but magnetic tape does deteriorate.  Ask any 
>audio recording studio in LA where they put tape that they expected to 
>have usable 10 years down the road.  I can personally attest to the 
>oxide layer literally falling off the backing of old tape when taken
out 
>of the vault and run through the transport.



Just curious ..... how long do magnetic tapes normally last, before the
data on them become unreadable ?


Dirk


Disclaimer: http://196.33.167.70/disclaimer