Are (hp tapes) are compatible with IBM tape Library?

[qiblatain]

Previously I have hp tape Library (hp MSL 4048) with hp tapes. My Backup exec has crashed. Now I have bought the new tape Library IBM TS 3310. My tapes still have the backup.

Now can I put my previous hp tapes in the new  tape Library IBM TS 3310? Are the old (hp tapes) are compatible with the IBM tape Library?

Waiting for the quick response.

[Ken_Putnam]

Now can I put my previous hp tapes in the new  tape Library IBM TS 3310? Are the old (hp tapes) are compatible with the IBM tape Library?

Assuming that you did NOT use hardware compression, you should be able to read them on the new drive.

Even if you cannot read them,  if you relabel them, then you should  be able to reuse them in the new drive

[qiblatain]

Mr. Ken can you please clarify your comment more and can describe in detail. Many many thanks for your help.

[Ken_Putnam]

if you used no compression or software compression, you should have no problems reading or writing to those old tapes

If you did use hardware compression, you may or may not have any problems.  If you do, then if you insert a tape, inventory and then (on he devices tab) right click the drive and choose label, the old data will be unavailable, but you should be able to write to them using the new drive

[pkh]

You must check that your tapes are compatible with your new tape drive.  For example, if your new tape drive is LTO4, it would be able to read LTO1 tape, but not write to them.

[qiblatain]

Mr. Ken Putnam, We were using the hardware compression. Now by using the Hardware Compression can we still restore the backups of the previous cartridges of hp using the new IBM TS 3310 Library. If not in any case, please tell & if possible by any way please tell.

Millions of Thanks.

[CraigV]

All manufacturers would recommend using their branded tapes. They'll quote warranties and possible incompatibility as reasons should you log a call.
But an LTO tape is an LTO tape, and they all conform to the same standards...

[Ken_Putnam]

At one point different manufacturer's HW compression algorithms varied.  I haven't checked recently, but since all LTO drives are basically Quantum hardware, you may be able to read the old tapes

All you can do is try it.  if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.  You may need to keep the old drive around (connected to the new media server) and use it only for restores, and do all your new backups on the new drive

[mhorner]

Just joined the forum as I am undertaking a large BE 2010 install and will start to use all the great infomation.

I just wanted to post a quick response to this thread as I work in the HP tape devision for 5 years to work on the release of LTO 1 through 3.

LTO is an open standard that was designed and created by a consortium of HP, IBM and Seagate. LTO was designed from the outset to compete with the SDLT standard from Quantum which I'm sure everyone can agree it has done very well.

Seagate's drive mech was purchased by Certance ages ago and then Certance was swallowed up by Quantum to allow them a foot hold in the LTO market (sorry had to clear that up as Quantum have convince everyone that they invented LTO when infact they invented the competing product that has preatty much failed).

To allow the LTO brand to be applied to a vendors tape unit the drive and media must pass the consortiums compatibility tests which state that any LTO branded media be written to and read from any other vendors drive. If the the drive or media fails this test it is not considered to be LTO (Linear Tape OPEN).

Regardeless of hardware compression (which was always default enabled in the drive unless the software over road) any media writen in an HP drive can be read in and IBM unit.

The only thing to take into consideration as has already be said is the generation compatibilty e.g.
The LTO standard states that all drives are one write and two read backwards compatible.
I.e. a Gen 4 LTO (HP Ultrium 1840) can read and write a Gen 3 (Ultrium 960) and read a Gen 2 (Ultrium 460) or equivelents. In practicality most Gen four drives will also read 3 back allowing Gen 1 tapes to be accessed.

Bottom line if you are trying to read Gen two media (Ultrium 460) in a Gen two or newer drive and it doesn't work you can raise a case with either HP or IBM regardless of warrenty as someone will be in breech of the standard.

Sorry for the long reply, I've forgotten the dark years of dedicating my life to tape mechs!
Guess I'm still a "nearline technical evangelist" at heart!

[Khue]

Just a quick heads up, we went from a Quantum, to an Overland, to an IBM TS and we used hardware compression on all devices. The LTO3 tapes were readable across the board without issues. All three, as Ken pointed out earlier are all based off of Quantum technology. All devices were LTO3 based.