Paul Zarnowski said the following on 12/21/05 12:00 PM:

We are looking to implement a copy storage pool in a distant location
(200 miles away).  Network connectivity is good - 1Gb e/n to start
with.  DR site is not necessarily the same location as the copy storage
site.

We are considering the following options:
1. use of a remote TSM server and using virtual volumes, or
2. remotely attached tape library using iSCSI to tape drives, or

Paul,
    We went with iSCSI a few years ago and it worked out pretty well.
 Now we aren't at the distance you specify. We are still within a mile
and probably won't be that far away for a few years.

The initial hardware was a Cisco 5428-2(iscsi)/2109-F16(fc)/3592 tape
combo over a 1Gb connection. We have a Cisco 9216i to replace the
5428/2109-F16 combo and are looking at etherchannel or maybe even a 10
Gb link in the next few months.

Now interestingly enough we are about 200 miles from you so maybe we
could spend a few days testing this solution if you are game. I don't
believe we will get gig throughput, but it would be interesting to see
what speed we do get.

-Jonathan Siegle

3. PTAM (pickup truck access method - moving tapes around)

If anyone has experience with options 1 or 2 that they would care to
share, I would appreciate it.

Concerns that I have:
Option 1:   using copy tapes for DR would require both primary and
remote servers to be relocated/recreated at DR site, instead of just
the primary server.
Option 2:   would like to know if anyone else is doing this and with
what h/w.

Thanks in advance.
..Paul


--
Paul Zarnowski                            Ph: 607-255-4757
Manager, Storage Systems                  Fx: 607-255-8521
719 Rhodes Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-3801    Em: psz1 AT cornell DOT edu