Jerry, We are an MVS shop with server level V2.1.07. We have been using
Storage Tek silos (Timberline) with 3490E tapes (tapes are ESCON attached)
(and the silos are equipped with POWDER HORN robotics- 2 hands instead of 1)
 . We have not seen any problems with tapes for over 1 year once we went to
this set-up. You mentioned you were going to an OS/2 server. I think that
Storage Tek makes a smaller version of Timberline called Wolf Creek that has
the capability to be SCUSI attached to servers. And I also believe they will
support 3490E technology. IBM also makes a small Library. I believe its
called a 3494 and I think that one will support 3495 tape.


Ronnie Craig
State of Texas Comptroller
Austin, Texas  78774
E-Mail Ronnie.Craig AT cpa.state.tx DOT us
 ----------
From: Jerry Lawson
To: Multiple recipients of list ADSM-L
Subject: What would you buy?
Date: Friday, August 02, 1996 8:12AM

Date:     August 2, 1996            Time:    07:42
From:    Jerry Lawson
    ITT Hartford Insurance Group
    (203) 547-2960    jlawson AT itthartford DOT com
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
After several years of running the MVS server, we are getting ready to
establish a departmental ADSM server, most likely using OS/2.  As I watch
this
list server, the questions that keep coming up the most seem to be related
to
tape drives and their care and feeding.  At this stage in our departmental
server project, we have not yet made a hardware decision, so I thought it
would be prudent to fall back on the collective wisdom of this group and ask
the question - which tape drives are NOT giving people problems?  What would
you recommend?   This includes robotic drives as well.

*****************************************************************************
Jerry Lawson
ITT Hartford Insurance Group
jlawson AT itthartford DOT com