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Bashawin
15 pts.
 DVD Backup
AS/400 backup, Backup, i520, iSeries, V5R4
I am working on an iseries 520 v5r4m0. Our tape backup is not reliable. So I would like to backup to CD or DVD. Could you tell me what hardware I need to do this? And could it be used with the current IBM backup software.

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ASKED: July 31, 2008  2:22 PM
UPDATED: June 10, 2010  1:59 AM
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Answer Wiki:
Hi, There are a number of <a href="http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/i5os/index.jsp?topic=/rzam4/rzam4supportedhardwareops.htm&tocNode=int_213737">DVD burners</a> available for the iSeries, you will probably need a DVD-RAM drive or multi-recorder for backup purposes. As far as I know none of the normal IBM backup procedures supports backup to optical media - you can however write your own routines to handle this. For example, you could save your data to a save file and burn the save file to a DVD. You will also have to write your own routines to handle restores from optical media. Alternatively you can try and find a third party product which will let you save/restore using optical media. The lack of support for this is one of the reasons that my site still uses tape for backup. We have to provide data on DVD to a third party, and we ended up transferring the data to a PC and burning the data to the DVD from the PC. Maybe you'd be better advised to get a new (more reliable) tape backup. Regards, Martin Gilbert.
Last Wiki Answer Submitted:  July 31, 2008  2:47 pm  by  Gilly400   23,625 pts.
All Answer Wiki Contributors:  Gilly400   23,625 pts.
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Thank you Martin this was very helpful. We are using 8mm 60 GB tapes and after a short time of usage they have a media error. They are made by Sony so I think they are of good quality. We are a government agency so money is short.

Bashawin
 15 pts.
 

Hi,

You can probably get a more reliable tape drive for your iSeries for the same money as a DVD burner. Maybe you could get a secondhand/used drive with warranty.

Maybe your tape drive is the unreliable factor, not the tapes?

Money is always too short :-<

Regards,

Martin Gilbert.

Gilly400
 23,625 pts.
 

Have you thought about doing a virtual tape save if you have the DASD and then offloading your save to the 8MM during the day when the tape progress can be monitored?

mbelle

Mbelle
 45 pts.
 

When considering swapping out tape for DVD, keep in mind the difference in capacity. One 60GB tape might handle a dozen (or more) 4GB DVDs. Restores might be interesting to say the least. As for CDs, it’s hardly worth considering.

Basic tape drive servicing for cleaning should be thoroughly applied before looking at alternatives.

Tom

TomLiotta
 108,330 pts.
 

Sorry to tell that Gilly400 is wrong. There is indeed support for backup to DVD’s.
Two years ago I had my 520 machine delivered, configured with a DVD ram (#6331-003) which takes 4,7 Gb per dvd. Looking at the 520 box, it looks just like the ‘normal’ DVD rom unit. Untill lately I have had no tape-unit.

My backups were taken to virtual DVD’s at night, and copied to multiple DVDs during daytime. The unit is adresssed in normal backup-commands as an OPT01.

By the way: restore can be done from the virtual DVDs , and this is lightning fast :-)

DanF

DanTheDane
 2,540 pts.
 

…restore can be done from the virtual DVDs , and this is lightning fast

I’d expect it to be fast. How are items located for restore from the physical DVDs? Or do you load the set into virtual images and then restore from there?

Tom

TomLiotta
 108,330 pts.