Hello Joel,
>
> Is anyone using Advanced File Typed devices as their main backup
> targets and then cloning/staging to tape a necessary?
Yes, we are doing in an installation for a customer.

> What type of
> disk is your AFTDs on?  Any advice on setting the devices up?

They are on EMC CX ATAs, four devices, each about 4 TB in size.
Volume management is done by Veritas Volume Manager. Host based
striping using the vm and striping over all storage busses of the CXs
improved performance considerably.

But unfortunately we have had some issues with the AFDTs. Backups have
aborted without apparent reasons or helpful error messages. Legato
suspects some kind of corruption of the file device, but they can not
explain why or how this happened.  We had to relabel the volumes
of the advfts to get our backup working again. Whether this a permanent
solution or whether this problem might come back is unknown.

Due to EMCs engagement in this matter (thanks), Legato is now examining
the problem at developer level. May be they will find out what happened
and provide a solution.

Regards,
uwe

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