>> In a multi-storage-node environment, you will need to do a lot of
>> provisioning and management that you simply don't have to do in the
VTL

>It really seems to be a matter of maturity.  When I was using a VTL
>three years ago, I simply didn't trust the backup vendors own disk
>storage solutions.  I think both Networker/NetBackup have gotten much
>better, 

But they haven't solved (and don't seem to have any plans to solve) the
core problems that I brought up: the problems associated with
provisioning and sharing filesystems and the costs associated with 1:1
storage.  Until those problems are solved, Intelligent Disk Targets
(IDTs) will continue to have a significant advantage over regular disk
used as an AFTD.

>and I'm now more aware of the the problems that a VTL can create
>all by itself.  

Nothing's perfect. ;)  Seriously, though, all of the problems I'm aware
of can be avoided by proper vendor selection and proper configuration.

>I also like the fact that I'll probably be able to
>upgrade to better features in the future.  

The same is true of IDTs, and the rate at which they're innovating in
this space is much faster than the rate that EMC/Symantec/IBM are
innovating.

>Some of the VTL choices
>require some hardware that I would have a difficult time repurposing.

And some of them don't.  You should make that part of your purchasing
decision if that's an issue for you.

>One slow client or network problem that I
>can't fix immediately can lead to a multi-hour backup job.  No
>restores/clones from that volume while it's happening.

It won't be cloned until it's done with an AFTD, either.  Each
individual saveset isn't readable until it's completed.

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