Sign in Subscribe
Computer peripherals industry

StorageTek's REEL Software Delivers Unprecedented Backup Performance with 9840 Tape Drive

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Real-life customer benchmarks verify that StorageTek's REEL software fully leverages the 9840 tape drive, providing higher performance and faster data access than traditional backup and recovery solutions. The benchmark results were compiled at live user sites, using actual customer data, and demonstrate the capabilities of the REEL software in combination with the 9840 tape drive.

Key Takeaways:

  • REEL software with the 9840 tape drive achieves an average data transfer rate of 15-18.5 MB/second and a peak transfer rate of 19.415 MB/second.
  • The solution provides maximum throughput by streaming, in parallel, all backup data to any combination of locally or remotely attached tape drives.
  • REEL software's unique architecture allows it to fully leverage the speed of the 9840 tape drive, rated as one of the fastest tape drives on the market.
  • The solution is the first to interleave UNIX and Windows NT data simultaneously onto the 9840 cartridge.
  • REEL software has been integrated into StorageTek's first Storage Area Network (SAN) application, called LANfree Backup(TM), allowing backups to be done on a dedicated SAN, keeping the LAN free from delays during the backup window.
  • The solution has been implemented by major international companies, including a Large International Bank and Daewoo Motor Company, United Kingdom.
  • The 9840 running on a pair of Sun Enterprise Ultra 450's utilizing REELbackup 4.3.1 software achieved a backup performance of 15-18.5 MB/second.
  • The 9840 tape drive running on IBM S70 running AIX 4.3 with eight processors and five GB of memory achieved a sustained transfer rate of 15 MB/second.
  • Andrew Arkwright, Section Head, Process Development A.T.P.D. for Daewoo, stated that the StorageTek PowderHorn silo with 9840 drives, coupled with REEL software, provided a flexible, robust solution for their data storage needs.
  • Bill Johnson, vice president of StorageTek's Storage Management Software Business Group (SMSBG), stated that the company's goal is to provide best-in-class, integrated solutions to customers.

Statistics:

  • Average data transfer rate: 15-18.5 MB/second
  • Peak transfer rate: 19.415 MB/second
  • Sustained transfer rate: 15 MB/second
  • Number of data streams: 5 (Large International Bank) and 4 (Daewoo Motor Company, United Kingdom)
  • Processor: IBM S70 running AIX 4.3 with eight processors
  • Memory: 5 GB

Sources:

  • "StorageTek's REEL Software Fully Leverages 9840 Tape Drive in Real-Environment Customer Benchmark Results" (PRNewswire, May 4)
  • "StorageTek Announces REELbackup Software with 9840 Tape Drive" (StorageTek, January 27)
  • "SCH Technologies and StorageTek Deliver High-Performance Backup and Recovery Solution" (SCH Technologies, no date)
  • "Daewoo Motor Company, United Kingdom: Using StorageTek's 9840 Tape Drive and REEL Software" (StorageTek, no date)
  • "About SCH Technologies" (SCH Technologies, no date)

Read more