Re: QIC Tape 'Survey'

[rob@xxxxxxxxx]

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Gee, I didn't know anyone was using the 13gb tape.  :-)

In an effort to 'Seek first to understand'(1) let me offer this.  There
are some devices that never sold well.  There are some of these devices
that may have been a bear to get to work right (like the integrated fax
adapter).  Some of these devices also required a SPD bus versus the newer
bus being pushed, (I forget the name).  Putting all these factors together
make continuation of this less than desirable.  (Don't you have
programmers on staff that would love it if you could drop certain problem
packages?)

Granted, in many cases, we just beat these programmers into submission.

You can take this in many ways.

I)  See if a newer tape drive would be a good fit anyway.
 A)  Are you seeing the lousy data we see on numerous 25gb tape drives, on
numerous iSeries?
  PRTERRLOG TYPE(*VOLSTAT) VOLTYPE(6386)

  Volume          ---Temporary Errors---   --------K Bytes--------
  ID                    Read       Write         Read      Written
                          11         126            4            4
  1AAA12                   0          16            1            1
  1FRI12                   0        9383           11     13895287
  IBMIRD                   0        2036            4      4791529
  1THU12                   0        3170            9      9097207
  1MON12                   0        1960           14     13876390
 B)  Would a faster tape drive minimize your downtime due to backup?
 C)  Would a higher capacity tape drive reduce the number of cartridges
needed?

II)  Stay on a lower release.  Yuck!

III)  Submit a DCR, explain your business case as to why you need this.
And pray for the best.
http://faq.midrange.com/data/cache/189.html

IV)  Contact IBM services and offer them a chunk of that $10g to support
that tape drive.

(1)  "Seven Basic Habits of Highly Effective People"  Steven Covey

Rob Berendt
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin




Larry Bolhuis <lbolhuis@arbsol.com>
Sent by: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
12/24/2002 07:35 AM
Please respond to midrange-l

        To:     Midrange Systems Mailing List <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
        cc:
        Fax to:
        Subject:        QIC Tape 'Survey'


IBM has dropped support for the FC #6385/6483 13GB QIC drive in V5R2. They
reason that the FC #6383/6483 16GB is functionally equivalent.  The Former
started out life supporting the 13/26GB Cartridges but supported the
16/32GB
ones when they were introduced.  The latter also supports both types. V5R2
sees the 13GB unit and varies it on. *ANY attempt to use it sends it to a
FAILED state.

While I can understand not selling the 13G unit - what's the point - I
don't
understand why support should be dropped for a very common device in the
field
just because an equivalent unit is available. In our customers base, we
have
exactly zero FC #6383/6483 16G drives while we have Many #6385/6483 13GB
drives.

So how many of you out there will be forced to spend $3900 in order to
upgrade
to V5R2? NO, WAIT! STOP THE PRESSES!!! The 16G drive has been Discontinued
too!! So NOW you get to not only NOT read your old tapes, Not USE your old
taped but replace your Drive AND buy all new media! HOORAY! My 'Free'
upgrade
to V5R2 just went screaming toward $10,000 with a decent tape rotation!
yippee.

In case none has picked up on this I intend to raise further 'odoriferous
emanations' in southern MN.

  - Larry

--
Larry Bolhuis           | IBM Certified Solutions Expert
Vice President          |     iSeries Technology V5 R1
Arbor Solutions, Inc.   |     e-business for AS/400 V4 R2
(616) 451-2500          | IBM Certified Specialist  AS/400
(616) 451-2571 -fax     |     RPG IV Developer
lbolhuis@arbsol.com     |     System Administrator for OS/400 V4 R4
www.arbsol.com          |     Professional Network Administrator
                         |       Network/Multiple Systems
                         |     Client Access


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