it would help to get some info to you straight from us at Ecrix.
In this email, you'll find answers to these questions:
- Which files compress and which don't?
- How does Dantz software compression work with VXA?
- How does a VXA drive optimize for speed vs. capacity?
- What are the factory settings of the VXA drive?
- Does the firmware level affect tape capacity?
- How do I check my firmware version?
- How is tape capacity reported?
- How do I check my firmware version?
- Where do I get VXAtool and new VXA Firmware?
- Does VXAtool run on Mac?
- Does the VXA drive use streaming like other tape drives?
I hope that this is useful info. Let me know if you have any more
questions or comments.
- Frank Saab
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ecrix
----------
- Which files compress and which don't?
gif files, jpeg's, mpeg's, mp3's, etc. are pre-compressed
and you cannot expect any further compression. Text files,
word documents, source code, etc., compress at an
average
ratio of 2 to 1. Binaries, executables, and system files
compress at about 1.4 to 1.
- How does Dantz software compression work with VXA?
If your files are compressible, turn software compression
off and hardware compression on. If the files are not
compressible, turn both hardware and software compression
OFF. You reset hardware compression with VXAtool. Software
compression is set in the Retrospect interface. If you
are having trouble setting hardware/software compression,
please contact us at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
- How does a VXA drive optimize for speed vs. capacity?
The VXA drive can run in one of two modes: One optimizes
for speed (this is the factory setting). The other mode
optimizes for capacity. If your connection to the drive
is slow, use the capcity mode to get the most capacity
on the tape. You can reset the mode with VXAtool.
- What are the factory settings of the VXA drive?
The drive is set with hardware compression on and is set
to favor speed over capacity.
- Does the firmware level affect tape capacity?
VXA firmware older than V21E1E1F (released 04/04/00) does
not let you select speed versus capacity optimization. With
the newer firmware, you can use VXAtool to reset this option.
The latest version of firmware is V2959 released 02/26/01.
- How do I check my firmware version?
You can use VXAtool to check your firmware version.
- How is tape capacity reported?
Almost all storage hardware manufacturers (including Ecrix)
use the IEEE method of reporting capacity, where one GB
is
1000 x 1000 x 1000 bytes. Retrospect software uses a different
method, where one GB is 1024 x 1024 x 1024 bytes. Because
of
this, the maximum capacity that Retrospect will report on
a
VXA 33 GB tape is just over 30 GB, which is almost 33 GB
by
the IEEE method.
- Where do I get VXAtool and new VXA Firmware?
They are available from http://vxa.com/support
- Does VXAtool run on Mac?
VXAtool is available in different versions for Mac, Linux,
Windows, and DOS.
- Does the VXA drive use streaming like other tape drives?
VXA drive is the first tape drive that does not use streaming.
Its packet format lets it work at variable speed. This avoids
shoeshining/backhitching, which are detrimental to the drive
and to the tape. We have videos explaining this in more
detail
at http://vxa.com/vxa and http://vxa.com/tour
I hope that this is useful info. Let me know if you have any more
questions or comments.
- Frank Saab
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ecrix
