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Conference ssag::ask_ssag

Title:Ask the Storage Architecture Group
Notice:Check out our web page at http://www-starch.shr.dec.com
Moderator:SSAG::TERZAN
Created:Wed Oct 15 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:6756
Total number of notes:25276

6407.0. "Connector on the TZ88N-TA" by HGOVC::NANDAN () Wed Feb 19 1997 05:01

    
    What sort of connector does the TZ88N-TA have ? I need to connect a
    VAX 3100 that has a 50-pin LD connector to the TZ88N-TA & need to know
    which SCSI cable to use.
    
    Can someone please give me this information.
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Nandan
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6407.1TAPE::PETERSWed Feb 19 1997 07:116

	The TZ88N-TA has low density 50 pin Centronics style connectors.


			Steve P.
6407.2Thanks!HGOVC::NANDANWed Feb 19 1997 18:126
    
    Steve,
    
    Thank you for the information.
    
    Nandan
6407.3TK50 ?HGOVC::NANDANThu Feb 20 1997 00:557
    
    I have one more question about the TZ88. Can it read (& perhaps write)
    TK50 media ?
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Nandan
6407.4TAPE::PETERSThu Feb 20 1997 07:008

	There are two models of the TZ88. The TZ88 can read TK50 tapes,
but you asked about the TZ88N. The "N" stands for no TK50 compatibility.
In both cases they can not write TK50 format.


			Steve P.
6407.5This customer has a whole lot of TK50s...HGOVC::NANDANThu Feb 20 1997 07:3216
    
    Steve,
    
    This seems like a kind of Catch-22 situation. There is no orderable
    variant of TZ88 other than TZ88N. (The TZ87 has the TK50 read feature
    but is no more orderable).
    
    So, effectively this means that if a user has a whole lot of TK50s (as
    this customer does) and wants a new tape drive, we have no solution for
    him.
    
    Any suggestions please ?
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Nandan
6407.6TAPE::PETERSThu Feb 20 1997 08:0217

	Digital doesn't have a solution. The TK50 is very old and support
for the format is going away. We ( Digital ) don't own the DLT tape
family any more, so we don't have much control over the direction it
takes. There are sound technical reasons why TK50 support is getting 
harder and harder maintain as the drives get faster with higher
capasity. Quantum doesn't make the older drives any more so when our
stock runs out there are no more.

	I suggest your customer transfers all the data from TK50 format
to a newer format. I know it's a lot of work, but from time to time
it MUST be done. Tk50 has been around for over 10 years.



		Steve P.
6407.7Many thanks!!HGOVC::NANDANThu Feb 20 1997 09:058
    
    Steve,
    
    Thank you for that very quick & informative response.
    
    I guess we'll need to persuade the customer to move with the times.
    
    Nandan
6407.8TZ88 does not read TK50/70..SUBSYS::TRANStraight <Left> Hitter..Thu Feb 20 1997 09:296
    
    No. TZ88 only have one varient the 'N' version which will not read or
    write TK50/70. TZ87 (not the TZ87N) is the last version that reads not
    writes TK50/70.
    
    T.
6407.9SSAG::LARYteach 10,000 stars how not to danceThu Feb 20 1997 12:447
If your customer has a lot of VMS backup tapes on TK50 media and a VMS system,
Digital has a product that specifically addresses their needs. The Save Set
Manager for VMS will allow them to migrate their TK50 savesets to newer media.
You should be able to pack over 200 TK50 cartridges worth of data onto a single
TZ88 cartridge - and the Save Set Manager will also let you make multiple
copies of your TZ88 cartridges for extra reliability...

6407.10Thank you !!HGOVC::NANDANSun Feb 23 1997 17:5611
    
    Tran,
    
    Thank you for that specific qualification of drives.
    
    Lary,
    
    Thanks, I will explore the Save Set Manager as a possible solution for
    the customer.
    
    Nandan
6407.11TLE::REAGANAll of this chaos makes perfect senseMon Feb 24 1997 13:506
    Note that one of the official distribution media for layered products
    on OpenVMS VAX is TK50 (along with 9track magtape and CDROM).  Should
    the layered products work on retiring TK50 as an official distribution
    format?
    
    				-John
6407.12LEFTY::CWILLIAMSCD or not CD, that's the questionMon Feb 24 1997 14:036
    Last time I asked, SSB had TK50-type drives to write the media.
    
    Their call. Tk8x would be more appropriate for newer machines.
    CDROM is better. 
    
    Chris