Re: Experience with EVault

There's a couple of these products out there. Some require a "device" The
device is treated like a normal tape drive. You use your standard
save/restore commands. This device automatically transfers the data
remotely. Some features and options may include: Does the device do
deduplication before sending the data out? Thus reducing transmission
time. Does the device give you a physical tape and a remote copy?
Some have no device but use their custom software to communicate with the
remote device. Sure, alternate IPL device becomes a concern. Then you
also have to consider, in a multi lpar system, how many physical devices
would you need versus no device and sending data out via the lan?

Other costs and stuff to consider. Iron Mountain. We send our physical
media to Iron Mountain. No local copy. Now, we have to make sure we get
our tapes unloaded and prepared for shipment before they come. Their time
varies between 9am and 1pm. Depending on whether or not someone requests
a special delivery (help, I need to restore from tape xxx001). The
operator needs someone to cover for her. She has never made it to our
monthly meetings at the main plant because she has to wait on Iron
Mountain. And it sometimes interferes with lunch plans. With so few
people in here we've been known to lock the doors and head out for lunch.
Heck if it wasn't for tapes this building could be lights out and we'd be
in the main office. True, the people in the main office envy our ability
to work uninterrupted. I know of people who's 'main office' for their
computers is in some third party bunker and they are not allowed in.


Rob Berendt