On Feb 13, 2008, at 3:33 PM, Wanda Prather wrote:
OTOH, the LTO4 drives will require a new library. The TS3500 library is my favorite library out there; it is even more durable than the 3494, MUCH faster, and a cleaner interface than the 3494 (no category codes to deal with).
In considering libraries, keep very much in mind the distinction in types, and relative advantages. The 3494 concept is very clean: it contains a library manager and database, where the host needs only ask it for a tape mount, and not be concerned about keeping track of tapes. The 3584 and similar libraries (of the "SCSI library" legacy name) shift the burden of control to some host program, which has to deal with micro-managing all the volumes, cells, and drives, with a plethora of element numbers. Hopefully, all of these library types will evolve toward some middle ground which combines all the advantages, but allow differing cartridge types. Richard Sims
