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Conference stkhlm::magtape

Title:MAGNETIC TAPEDRIVES
Moderator:STKHLM::GJOHNSSON
Created:Mon Sep 21 1987
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3775
Total number of notes:13147

3670.0. "TL826/TZ887 load/file access times" by --UnknownUser-- () Tue Feb 25 1997 08:15

T.RTitleUserPersonal
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3670.1TL826 TZ887 load and access timesSNOFS1::GALLAGHERTTue Feb 25 1997 09:100
3670.2File Access time.SUBSYS::TRANStraight <Left> Hitter..Tue Feb 25 1997 16:2358
The information below is approximate.  Times will vary depending on
configuration and applications used.

TL81x/82x/89x Tape Library
---------------------------
Q: How long does it take to locate a file on the device???

A: There are three variables to consider to derive a total time:
	1.  The time to move a cartridge to a drive which is the robot movement
	    time.
	2.  The time for the drive to mount a cartridge
	3.  The time to locate the file
	---------------------------------
	Total time to find the file on the device

	Move a cartridge - Varies from 10 - 25 seconds
			 - AVERAGE is 15 seconds

	Mount a cartridge - First mount is approximately 1 minute
			  - Subsequent mount varies from 35 - 45 seconds

	Locate a file - Depends on where the file is on the tape
		      - Maximum is 90 seconds to end of tape
		      - Average is 45 seconds
		      - Nominal is 30 seconds
    
TOTAL TIME EXAMPLES:

	First Cartridge Mount: 

		 15 seconds + 1 minute + 45 seconds = 2 minutes/cartridge

	Subsequent Cartridge Mount:

		15 seconds + 40 seconds + 45 seconds = 1 min, 40 sec./cartridge

COMPETITIVE COMPARISON:

It is important to be sure that matching comparisons of volumes are used, 
otherwise the times above do not give an accurate comparison.

	Per Cartridge: (In 2:1 compression mode)
		TZ89  =  70 Gb = 1 cartridge
		TZ88  =  40 Gb = 1 cartridge
		TZ87  =  20 Gb = 1 cartridge
	Example:
		TZ87  =  20 Gb = 1 cartridge
		8MM   =   5 Gb = 4 cartridges
		3480  = 500 Mb = 40 cartridges
		3490  =   1 Gb = 20 cartridges

Therefore, if a file is on the last volume of an 8MM, the time would need to
be a multiple of 4 in order to make an accurate comparison with the DLT.

CONCLUSION:

	DLT "WINS" per Volume but not per Cartridge.
    
3670.3TAPE LOAD & ACCESS TIMESSNOFS1::GALLAGHERTWed Feb 26 1997 07:2922
(.0 hung with anetwork partner exit so here is the text. 
    .2 nicely anticipated the questions)

I have a customer planning to use a TZ887 and TL826 for an archiving
application.

Can you help with some information on the following questions:

1. Tape set up time for extracting a cartridge from TZ887 stacker and
mounting in the drive. Same info for TL826.
2. min, max and average time to find the start of a file in a 20GB(native) tape
3. Does the 2.5mb/sec transfer speed apply to writes and reads?
4. Does blocking factor/size affect DLT tape capacity?
      -20GB native capacity constant or depends on blocking size?
      -Any technical papers describing the physical layout of DLT tape
       (header, segments, blocks, gaps, index, etc)?

The customer is looking at using Polycenter Sequential Media File System
software, ovms and sequential files on tape for archive data.

Thanks in advance
_Tony
3670.4SSDEVO::ROLLOWDr. File System's Home for Wayward Inodes.Wed Feb 26 1997 17:374
	What version of OpenVMS?  While the tape drives are capable
	of very fast positioning, the driver in some versions may
	not allow access to it.  Since you're interested in SMFS
	you may want to about it in that VAXnotes as well; COOKIE::SMFS.
3670.5OVMS 6.2SNOFS1::GALLAGHERTThu Feb 27 1997 02:195
    The VAX 7000 systems use OVMS 6.2.  
    
    Thanks for the info
    
    Tony