>I'm hearing here some people want to archive data, and it could be in the TB >range, for very long periods of time. I would much rather just send this >stuff offsite and not have it take up space in the library and would rather >not work the system to make that second copy. The problem with this is of >course if they want to restore this data the tapes will need to be recalled. ...
If there was ever an application for a modestly priced, high-capacity-per-tape library, this is it. Let your prevailing high-performance tape library store its usual, "high" activity data. Implement a lesser library either onsite or offsite (networked). Trying to rig up a tape recall system will be expensive both in development/maintenance and tape transport costs, and will probably be unsatisfactory to both the end users and IT management. (Picture also the case where the tape containing data that the user wants just left the building, heading for offsite.) Realize that recall will be the more modest aspect of tape schlepping: regularly sending tapes offsite will be a greater cost. Richard Sims, BU
