11d is IMO is bloatware...

[Dan_Thurman]

Why?

1) First, I could NOT get 11d to restore ONE file from a set of 9 DDS-3 tapes previously created by v8.5, 2 years ago (the tape has errors nonetheless) and it refuses to produce a catalog for which I deperately needed to restore *some* of the files within error infested tapes.

2) I gave up with 11d. To my amazement, I found my CD containing v8.5 release fully saved by me, 2 years ago, (and no thanks to veritas removal of v8.5 from their site). I uninstalled 11d, but it did not completely remove everything as there was artifacts of SQL v2005 express (and It amazes me they use a freebe SQL 2005 Express Server!) still lying around and it is a &^#@$^&% to remove, which I will have to do later). Next, I installed v8.5, properly configured it.. Wow. The system actually was robust, fast, was not slow at all! My Sql v7.0 server is running fast. I started up v8.5 BE and it snapped up and I was ready to go. Now.... I then loaded the tapes into the library mag, and started a catalog.... and in spite of some of the tapes having read errors, I was able to navgate through this and get most of my catalogs at this point listed and granted, it was not easy. This is *impossible* for 11d. I have restored the critical files I needed but of course lost other files where tapes had read errors, part way through. I was in the end, able to at least partially restore some of the files I needed, to my partial satisfaction.

I noticed just how bloated/bad 11d really is... after removing it and installing v8.5. What a BIG difference it is.

Conclusion: I will stick to v8.5 (which I have a full license for) and forego 11d completely until I find something worthy of my hard earned money.Message was edited by:
Dan Thurman

[Joshua_Small]

Hi Dan,

I'd just like to comment on one statement:

"and It amazes me they use a freebe SQL 2005 Express Server"

What would you expect them to run? MS SQL 2005 Enterprise?

1. You are free to go out and buy this and install your database on it, if you really want to.
2. For a single user accessing a database that is so small, you will never hit the built in performance governor. There's therefore no functional difference.
3. People complain about the costs of Veritas enough as it is. Who do you think would pay for the product when it required an expensive database server.

The fact that version 8.5 is actually suited to your needs, suggests you aren't running anything like Windows 2000 Domain Controller (otherwise you wouldn't be backing up the system state).

If you have an NT4 server or similar, its age would easily explain why you see the performance issues when running brand new software.

[Dan_Thurman]

1) All I am saying, is adding a (free) database server adds a performance overhead, and it was very noticeable on my windows 2000 backup server which by the way is part of my domain's forest of which I have several other servers, not necessairly windows only. I note that a backup system does not absolutely require a database as noted in previous releases. I pointed out 'free' database only because 'free' means 'no guarantee of fitness' if the sh** hits the fan, so I am suspicious of anything 'free'. Of course I agree that forcing additional cost for a seperate database is out of the question, that is a no-brainer, but again, I am complaining about the necessity of even having one in the first place. This ought to be an option, not a requirement, perhaps. I also noticed the performance of changing the GUI's to that of xml based readers, which again added to performance overhead. Yes, adding more bells and whistles can be overdone or poorly planned as it seemed to be in this case, but that of course is my opinion.

2) I use v8.5 only because it is the version that happened to provide me the catalog in order to obtain the needed restores. Perhaps this implies that 11d is not completely backward compatable, I don't know. 11d failed the test for me, since I could not figure out a way to do it. Seemed like an all or nothing propositon since if any errors was detected, it failed to produce a catalog. Somehow, v8.5 provided the catalog, gave a restore list, and I could try to restore files, and if I were luckly enough not to encounter CRC errors, which aborted the restore. Overall, I was able to restore critical files, so v8.5 passed the test for me, although I know this version has bugs of it's own. I'd prefer a newer version, but 11d did not pass the test for me, so I will not buy this product version and will wait for the next release and test it. I will also be looking at other vendors as well.