From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Tue Jun 17 00:23:22 2008
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2F1171065674
	for <questions@freebsd.org>; Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:23:22 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from roberthuff@rcn.com)
Received: from smtp02.lnh.mail.rcn.net (smtp02.lnh.mail.rcn.net
	[207.172.157.102])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DC2728FC1F
	for <questions@freebsd.org>; Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:23:21 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from roberthuff@rcn.com)
Received: from mr08.lnh.mail.rcn.net ([207.172.157.28])
	by smtp02.lnh.mail.rcn.net with ESMTP; 16 Jun 2008 20:23:21 -0400
Received: from smtp01.lnh.mail.rcn.net (smtp01.lnh.mail.rcn.net [207.172.4.11])
	by mr08.lnh.mail.rcn.net (MOS 3.8.6-GA) with ESMTP id KAK71183;
	Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:23:20 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from 209-6-22-188.c3-0.smr-ubr1.sbo-smr.ma.cable.rcn.com (HELO
	jerusalem.litteratus.org.litteratus.org) ([209.6.22.188])
	by smtp01.lnh.mail.rcn.net with ESMTP; 16 Jun 2008 20:23:17 -0400
From: Robert Huff <roberthuff@rcn.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Message-ID: <18519.1013.259797.518537@jerusalem.litteratus.org>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:23:17 -0400
To: Christopher Sean Hilton <chris@vindaloo.com>
In-Reply-To: <F551340C-1A3B-4357-9EC8-2FB2904ECCDD@vindaloo.com>
References: <F551340C-1A3B-4357-9EC8-2FB2904ECCDD@vindaloo.com>
X-Mailer: VM 7.17 under 21.5  (beta28) "fuki" XEmacs Lucid
X-Junkmail-Whitelist: YES (by domain whitelist at mr08.lnh.mail.rcn.net)
Cc: FreeBSD Questions <questions@freebsd.org>
Subject: Replacing tape changer with USB disk drives.
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:23:22 -0000


Christopher Sean Hilton writes:

>  I run FreeBSD 7.0-STABLE on a file server and until recently used a  
>  Tape Changer for backups. I'm considering my options for a new backup  
>  solution. I'm actually thinking of ditching tape and using an  
>  externally attached USB or Firewire disk drive.
>
>  Has anyone gone this route? If so what was your experience?

	I have been using this for at least a year - USB2 connecting to
a PATA drive.  The protocol dumps a week's worth on one disk: a full
and six incremental backups.
	I have had no problems with reliability.
	I /do/ have problems with speed.  The fast recorded throughput
was aroud 3.5 bytes/second; faster than the SCSI-1 DLT it replaces,
but nowhere near the 60 mbytes/second of the USB,  (Yes, I know it's
"theoretical maximum" ... but even if we halve it and then halve is
again, we're still factor-of-4 off the actual performance.)  This
has resisted serious attempts for remedy,
	Hardware:
		no-name disks
		Addonics Saturn drive cartridge system
		Acer Labs USB2 add-on controller


				Robert Huff