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Re: [Networker] Tape Labeling Conventions
2009-05-23 18:01:40
On 23/05/2009, at 11:58 , Eugene Vilensky wrote:
Alternatively, you can use mminfo as follows:
mminfo -q 'location=JUKEBOX_NAME' -r
'volume,barcode,olabel,labeled,recycled'
Which will tell you for each volume that is in your tape library
named
"JUKEBOX_NAME" when you first labeled it, last labeled it, and how
many
times it has been recycled. You can use that to find those tapes
that are
old enough or have been cycled enough times that they need to be
removed
from service before they fail on you.
Where might I find the recommended lifetime limits for LTO3 media?
Would it the same across all manufacturers of the same format?
This is usually both manufacturer and usage dependent. As a starting
point, I'd suggest reviewing the "annoying paper sleeve" that comes
wrapped inside most tape cases. In additional to humidity/temperature
variations for recommended operating environments, this will usually
contain some usage/lifetime recommendations.
Personally my gut recommendation for most environments is that any
backups you're wanting to keep for more than 2 years you should be:
* Testing every 2 years (even just as random samples) for read/
reliability
* Planning to replace every 5 years
I don't hold much confidence in shelf life promises for media – look
at CDs as an example. When they were first released we were told by
all the vendors they'd "last forever"; these days its fairly well
accepted that CDs have a shelf-life of about 10 years.
You may find that the Wikipedia entry on Linear Tape Open will help as
well - it's got some good generic information.
Cheers,
Preston.
--
Preston de Guise
"Enterprise Systems Backup and Recovery: A Corporate Insurance Policy":
http://www.amazon.com/Enterprise-Systems-Backup-Recovery-Corporate/dp/1420076396
http://www.enterprisesystemsbackup.com
NetWorker blog: http://nsrd.wordpress.com
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