Hi Guys;

Been around this one before. I am looking for a tape back-up archive for Mac. I plan on using Retrospect as software, but looking to archive to tape. Now we have a Dell PowerVault with SAS connection, but it is not I cannot seem to connect to it.

I should mention I have a HightPoint 2711 SAS card, and running Lion on MacPro.

Is there a tape backup that is best for Mac? Or is there a way to connect the Dell PowerVault?

thanks

BGPS

I've used tape archives in the past but switched to DVDs due to capacity restrictions and the fact that tapes are sequential - DVDs are random access and therefore faster access.

However my bigger problem is that I used Retrospect for a number of years, archiving many gigabits of old work, the developer of Retrospect was sold, the new company sold it again and it since has been revised/updated, and now I have great difficult accessing my old records.

Now I just make back-up copies onto DVDs without proprietary software and record the "location" with Neofinder. Easily search for specific files and I can read the files on any discs at any time.

Another point to remember if you plan for long term storage - over time your new versions of the original app used to create the file may not recognize the older version/format - or the app may not even exist on your new system. You might have to keep updating the copies if they're valuable

One item that you might want to consider is the G-Safe drive from G-Technology. It's not tape, it is an actual drive unit. Mirror drives, and you can purchase a 'spare' that can be swapped in and out of the unit to allow for offsite backups. Capacity ranges up to 3 Tb.

I've got one myself that I've been using since October, and I've sold them to a couple of customers already.

I've used tape archives in the past but switched to DVDs due to capacity restrictions and the fact that tapes are sequential - DVDs are random access and therefore faster access.

However my bigger problem is that I used Retrospect for a number of years, archiving many gigabits of old work, the developer of Retrospect was sold, the new company sold it again and it since has been revised/updated, and now I have great difficult accessing my old records.

Now I just make back-up copies onto DVDs without proprietary software and record the "location" with Neofinder. Easily search for specific files and I can read the files on any discs at any time.

Another point to remember if you plan for long term storage - over time your new versions of the original app used to create the file may not recognize the older version/format - or the app may not even exist on your new system. You might have to keep updating the copies if they're valuable

To put this in very clear English, archiving is the gaping hole in modern technology. Like the old actetate movie films of the early 1900s, todays "archived" digital data is simply waiting to self-destruct.

The medium is just one aspect that can quickly become obsolete. Anyone tried reading one of those old Jazz drive disks recently? Even if the hardware is good your next computer may not have any possible way to connect to the hardware, or the software to read it should you over come the connection obstacle.

I also agree that using proprietary software as part of the back-up strategy is a very bad idea. OBD covered the reasons quite thoroughly.

Beyond that file formats themselves can become obsolete and unreadable in a very short period of time. One needs to be aware of this possibility. If you see a format being phased out you will want to convert those old archives to the replacement format, check everything out, then re-archive.

In short there really is no viable way to archive digital material. At best you are looking at a long term project to keep those old files viable and available.

Thanks for all the responses...Unfortunately I don't know if DVDs are a viable format. The files are rather large (sometimes in excess of 100GB each). Tape is the only one that appears to be able to handle that volume size. This certainly is an issue though, I suppose we can just keep buying expander storage array boxes and hope for the best.

Thanks for all the responses...Unfortunately I don't know if DVDs are a viable format. The files are rather large (sometimes in excess of 100GB each). Tape is the only one that appears to be able to handle that volume size. This certainly is an issue though, I suppose we can just keep buying expander storage array boxes and hope for the best.
If you are dealing with files that are that size, you need to be looking at some of the G-Technology units, possibly even the units that are bigger than the G-Safe device.