Re: IBM i Now Supports USB Flash Drives

[Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The point of the original post was not for keeping a save file for 
occasional backups or transferring files, yes we have been doing that 
for some time. The poster was considering using a USB attached device 
for a primary back up medium. Larry's point was USB attached storage of 
that type will be too slow and unreliable as compared to tape.

If your discussing Winders, then make sure you point that out, since not 
everyone on the list will understand it.

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects

On 2/5/13 5:53 PM, Don wrote:
> Jim,
>
> I was talking in a WINDOWS environment..and I do system transfers and
> recoveries in that environment ALL THE TIME....  Usually a minimum of 500
> gig a pop...1+tb's is a norm....NO PROBLEMS...NO DATA LOSS....
>
> As for using it in an "I" environment....uh, how many of us have been doing
> binary FTP's of save files for how long now????   And, yes, it works JUST
> FINE!:)
>
> DR2
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Oberholtzer
> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 6:49 PM
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> Subject: Re: IBM i Now Supports USB Flash Drives
>
> And when was the last time you did a real recovery from that device? Not
> just an object or two but a real recovery on IBM i?
>
> Jim Oberholtzer
> Chief Technical Architect
> Agile Technology Architects
>
> On 2/5/13 4:45 PM, Don wrote:
> > >With all due respect to Dr. Franken, I've been using WD USB attached
> > >external drives for offline server storage/backup/recovery for about 10
> > >years now without any problems that I wouldn't encounter in a tape
> > >environment...:)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of DrFranken
> > >Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 5:07 PM
> > >To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> > >Subject: Re: IBM i Now Supports USB Flash Drives
> > >
> > >Good theory I suppose but USB 2.0 is nowhere near the speed of LTO
> > >(35MB/s theoretical vs 120MB for LTO4 and 140MB for LTO5)
> > >
> > >Plus I wouldn't personally trust that 'el-cheapo' WD drive as much as I
> > >would an LTO tape when being transported on and off-site. RDX is much
> > >better suited for that.
> > >
> > >
> > >           - Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis
> > >
> > >www.frankeni.com
> > >www.iDevCloud.com
> > >www.iInTheCloud.com
> > >
> > >On 2/5/2013 4:52 PM, Don wrote:
> > >
> > > > >> >If you have USB availability, why can't you then attached external
> drives
> > > > >> >for offline backup, etc?  I can get a 4tb WD external for a few hundred
> > > > >> >bucks...should be LOTS faster than tape and not to mention CHEAPER!:)
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >-----Original Message-----
> > > > >> >From:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > >> >[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Scott Klement
> > > > >> >Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 4:41 PM
> > > > >> >To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> > > > >> >Subject: Re: IBM i Now Supports USB Flash Drives
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >I was actually just listening to that info, here:
> > > > >> >http://bit.ly/WLpWOS
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >Some pretty neat stuff in TR6
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >On 2/5/2013 3:22 PM, Bryan Dietz wrote:
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > > > >>> >>http://ibmsystemsmag.blogs.com/i_can/
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > > > >>> >>Holy cow!  Brain is spinning....
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > > > >>> >><snip>
> > > > > > >>> >>Today, IBM is adding support to use USB Flash Drives as a second type
> of
> > > > > > >>> >>RMS technology. Flash drives can hold as much data as multiple DVDs
> and
> > > > > > >>> >>can typically access the data much faster. This allows a much more
> > > > > > >>> >>convenient way to move data (either IFS or save data) to another
> > > > > > >>> >>machine. IBM does not qualify nor recommended any particular device,
> but
> > > > > > >>> >>typical USB 2.0 devices from 2 to 32GB have been used in our testing.
> > > > > > >>> >></snip>
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > > > >>> >>Bryan
> > > > > > >>> >>
> > > > >> >
> > >-- 
> --