06-10-2019 02:26 PM
Although LTO is still a viable onsite backup technology, there is a huge problem with all of the hardware... it has the same micron precision requirements as the heads and platters in a mechanical hard disk drive, yet it is not at all sealed against dust intrusion.
Virtually every standalone LTO tape drive or automatic robotic library I have ever seen does not has even the most basic of dust filtration on the air intake vents, but instead sucks raw unfiltered air straight through the library and through the tape drive.
If you want LTO hardware to last, you have to ensure that the air passing through the drive/library is as clean as it can possibly be. Probably absolute cleanliness is preferred, and you should be working around the tape drive in one of those clean room bunny suits.
I can't afford to set up a clean room, so it seems the next best option is a sort of mini-cleanroom for the drive or library itself.
So far I am not having any luck finding this, and it seems like I may be forced to build it myself:
06-13-2019 05:41 AM
06-13-2019 06:29 PM
I am thinking it would probably be best to start with some company's existing open-frame steel server rack on casters, and then from there, work on fabricating a plywood cabinet to go around it. That way I don't need to worry about any of the core structural rigidity, strength, or rack unit dimensioning issues.
For example...
Trip-Lite - SmartRack 12U Standard-Depth 4-Post Open Frame Rack
Model: SR12UBEXPNDKD
https://assets.tripplite.com/product-pdfs/en/sr12ubexpndkd.pdf