Request for tape drive info

[Bill Vermillion]

In article <14221 at netcom.UUCP> karen at netcom.UUCP (Karen Woolley) writes:
>Hello, netlanders!
>
>I'm considering installing a tape backup in my SCO Xenix System V.2.3.1 (386,
>20 Mhz).  I'd like to hear from anyone with experience with adding a tape
>backup system to Xenix, specifically:
>
>1.  Any recommendations (for/against) a particular type of tape backup?

I have a site that uses the Maynard Maystreams - portable Box with adaptor
cards in each cpu unit.

I used to have no problems under SCO V 2.2.3 under '286 and '386.  

However that was then and this is now. However things changed when SCO
released version V.2.3.2   It took them over 6 months to get
new drivers out for the MCA versions.  And the file xfer time has dropped
from 2.5+ MB/min to the 1.6 -1.8 range.   Much slower.

On top of that I tried to upgrade the '286 systems to 2.3.2 and found they
have no drivers.  I found this out after the systems would crash with
drivers installed.  I had a problem with installation now working, and tech
support sent me a new disk!

After finally getting someone to finally call me back ( I don't know how
many times I waited on hold for over 1`/2 hour before giving up), someone
who seemed to know a bit more said "We don't support that.  We only made a
decision last week (this was in August) to support that.  We figured the
world was going to '386 machines." (rough quote).  I said "Well what about
all your installed '286 machines that are out there". He said (again rough
quote) "Yes, we found that out".

Me = "When are you going to release the drivers"
Him = "We haven't started on them yet"
Me = "Can you let me know"
Him = "I can try to call you next week".

Me -call next week.
   - call next next week. 
   - call some more.

I have left messages at least every other week for TWO MONTHS just trying
to find out when I can expect drivers.  I can't get calls back, and I'm
damned if I'm going to wait on hold for 1/2 hour (or more) listening to
commercials which say how great their drives are.

Upshot is I am now investigating ways to use the mechanical subsystem with
the TEAC drives with other controllers and junking the Maynard controllers.

Caveat:  Don't by tape drives that are not supported by the OS vendor.  eg
Drives that require vendor software support, as they don't always keep up
support should not be considered.

The new '386 drivers (on MCA machines at least) are installation depedant.
I could crash the system if the tape drive were accessed twice without an
intervening reboot.   If I install the tape drivers first, at least the
reboots are down to one ever week to 10 days (doing daily backups).

On the new MCA machines from IBM with the SCSI adaptors, they don't reboot.
They just freeze solid.  You can get to alternate screens on the console
but it will not accept keyboard input.  PERIOD.

I have been a supporter of Maynard products since Kim Maynard started as a
virtual backyard operation here locally in 1981.  Since their acquisition
by Archive, their support has gone to hell.

Avoid Maynard systems at all costs unless you are sure you are not going to
ever upgrade any hardware or software.   Things ran fine until we needed to
upgrade the OS to handle some new hardware.  Now we are "caught between a
rock and a hard place".


-- 
Bill Vermillion - UUCP: uunet!tarpit!bilver!bill
                      : bill at bilver.UUCP