ArcServe9 - possible to join 2 tape drives to one logical tape drive

[hlauwers]

Hi,

I run a Win2000 server with ArcServe 9.
I run two HP Surestore Tape drives.
I would like ArcServe to see those two drives as one logical drive.

We have the Tape Library option.
But when I want to create a virtual library ArcServe says
"one ore more tape libraries are not fully configured"

So then I go to Tape Optical library.
I then see the to tape drives on the right, but the buttons to ASSIGN the drives are disabled.

Can you only combine tapes that are in one holder (magazine) ? Of is it possible to combine two standalone tapes;

So the two tapes are 100GB each, I would ArcServe to think I've got one 300GB tape. (Just to clarify the problem

Hope someone has some experience in this ..
Tnx alot

Hans

 

[mohamdr]

Hi
to group tape drives both tapes has to be:
1-From same made Model
2-Same Firmeare

regards,
mohamdr

 

[hlauwers]

Are you sure Mohamdr?

Can anyone confirm this?

Thank you

Regards,

Hans

 

[mohamdr]

Hi
Yes I am SURE.......
This is as per Arcserve training material from CA

regards,
mohamdr

 

[davidmichel]

With the Tape Library Option installed Groups are for slots and not tape drives.

Virtual Library Option is used to split one large library into two smaller ones. This way tape RAID can be used with one and not the other.

There is no way to do what you are asking for. There are hardware solutions that do this, but I would not recommend it. Problem is the application sees only one drive so it writes to one drive. Which means data will be written in one 64k block, which means poor performance. (Windows can only manage a maximum size block of 64k)

The closest you can get is tape RAID Level 0.

My recommendation is to rethink this, and use it as is.

By the way how do you get one 300gb tape out of two 100gb tapes?

 

[hlauwers]

Thank you guys for the advice

A 100GB compressed tape contains +- 150GB.

Regards,

Hans