RE: Compatibility between different vendors VTL solutions

<snip>
I don't know if that would work since once a VTL backup is restored what
format is it?
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Same format that the data would be if you restored from a 3590, 3570, LTO1-7, etc.

What they are suggesting is
1 - PRODA at site A saves to old VTL. Old VTL is also hooked up to DEVA at site A.
2 - RSTLIB is done on DEVA at site A. This library looks the same as if it were restored from mylar tape.
3 - Then you either save that to a *SAVF and transmit that to DEVB or PRODB, or you use SAVRST to move it from DEVA to DEVB or PRODB at site B.
4 - Once it is on some lpar at site B then you do your SAVLIB to your new VTL.
Step 2 will require space for the library to be restored.
Step 3 will require the space for a *SAVF, unless you use SAVRST.
Step 3 will also require significantly more bandwidth than the automatic replication between like VTL's with good dedup.
Step 4 will require space on the target lpar to restore the data and save to local VTL.
All this will lose all your retention dates that you've set up with BRMS.
All this will lose all your capability to do a WRKOBJBRM and find what tapes have what object.

It's doable but clearly not what I'd recommend.
I realize that VTL's are expensive. Compare them to one of those huge IBM media libraries with 10 drives and hundreds of LTO7 tapes loaded into it at $/tape and it's not so bad. Now add the dedup and automatic replication and they really shine. Plus they also remove the hours of manual tape handling, dealing with Iron Mountain or whomever to pick up, store, retrieve tapes, etc.


Rob Berendt