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From: Robert Huff <roberthuff@rcn.com>
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Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 13:54:58 -0500
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Subject: OT: hardware: backup tape reliability
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	I have a friend who's trying to implement a back-up regime,
but running into media issues.
	Specifically: they live in an area with extremely high
temperature+humidity (90-95 F/32-35 C; 90+% hum.) and climate
conditioning is not an option.  They need to backup critical data
files (code base is not an issue) and have tried floppies, ZIP
drives, and CDs ... all of which have proven to have a very short
life span.
	They're considering trying tape backup; but before spending
hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a system they'd like some
assurance this will work.
	(One way to do this would be a hot swap disk ... but that's an
escalation we'd like to avoid if possible.)

	I'd like to hear from people who have Been There and Solved
That.  I'll also take pointers articles that talk about tested
solutions.

	Thanks in advance.


				Robert Huff