Martin Wendel wrote:
> We are buying an IBM 3584 LTO library and after looking at the specifications
> on HP and IBM Ultrium media it seems they both are compatible with their own
> hardware and nothing is said about eachothers hardware.
>
> We can get a better price on HP media. Does anyone have any experience proving
> it is better to go for IBM media than HP media for the IBM library?

There is one note you might be interested in. Buying HP LTO media gets
you the cartridges but no barcode labels. Those you will have to buy
from IBM, apply each one *carefully* so that it is straight and in the
right position (so the robot can read it), and then check the cartridges
in.[1]

[1] Had a customer do this exact thing. The cartridges worked fine, but
he ended spending more[2] than if he had ordered the media from IBM.

[2] If you count the money he had to spend on the barcode and the hours
he spent applying the labels[3]

[3] And in some cases reapplying, and reapplying, and....

--
Mark Stapleton (stapleton AT berbee DOT com)
Mark Stapleton (stapleton AT berbee DOT com)