Description and Benefits of Tape Mirroring

What is Tape Mirroring?

How it works

"Tape Mirroring" (or data duplication) is often referred as a Tape RAIT Level-1 operation (RAIT being the equivalent of RAID - but for tape rather than disk).

Our real-time mirroring systems automatically writes the same data in parallel to 2 (or more) tape-drives. Each block of the users data is written to a specific set of array channels (referred to as a "Mirrored set") at the same time. It is the controller that maintains the tape positions for all drives within a mirrored set - with our systems you can have up to 5 drives being mirrored/duplicated at the same time.

The bits and bytes

As mentioned above, a mirrored tape system is equivalent of a RAIT (redundant array of independent tapes) system with level-1 operation. With 2 tape-drives and RAIT-1 the data is written to 2 drives at the same time. With 3, 4, or 5 tape-drives and RAIT-1 the data is written to multiple drives at the same time.

By changing the RAIT level (eg. RAIT-0, RAIT-5) and by using multiple tape drives you can write your data to multiple tapes while striping the data with or without redundancy. This is similar to RAID-0 or RAID-5 operation with disk arrays.

How is data handled during these operations?

User data is read from the lowest channel number within the mirrored set. The array controller handles read/write errors differently depending on the settings of the disaster recovery options.

If a write error is encountered with any one of the drives within a mirrored set and the fault tolerant write option is enabled, the failing drive is disabled on the fly without interrupting the backup process. The controller reports a write error only upon detecting a write error from "all of the drives" within a mirrored set.

If a write error is encountered with any one of the drives within a mirrored set and the fault tolerant write option is disabled, the write error is reported to the host.

If a read error is encountered with any one of the drives within a mirrored set and the fault tolerant read option is enabled, the failing drive is disabled on the fly without interrupting the restore or verify process. The controller reports a read error only upon detecting a read error from "all of the drives" within a mirrored set.

If a read error is encountered with any one of the drives within a mirrored set and the fault tolerant read option is disabled, the read error is reported to the host. The array controller does not attempt to recover read errors using other available drives within the mirrored set.

Two drives Tape Mirroring		Five drives Tape Mirroring

Benefits of Tape Mirroring
Increased System Backup Performance
Simultaneously create up to 5 identical backup tapes in real time. No additional system overhead.
Increased Data Availability
Recover valuable data even if one tape becomes lost, stolen, or damaged. Read and write operations continue even in the event of a drive or tape failure.
Increased Reliability
Verify restored data by automatically comparing tape contents. Either copy can be used independently for data recovery.
Disaster Recovery
Full fault tolerance protection with user configurable disaster recovery options.
Robotics Support
Automatically manages and operates mirrored autoloader or tape libraries.
Offline Diagnostics
Perform drive read and write tests without having to bring down your operating system. Testing can be done with the "Ultimate" GUI software or the front operator panel.
Offline Tape Copy
The Mirroring systems feature an offline tape copy utility that ensures data protection and allows additional "Exact Copies" to be created.

Reliability and Availability

High Speed Data Mirroring - Backups Happen On Time!

TM-L Series - Tape Libraries for Mirroring
The TM-L Series consists of tape mirroring systems. Each system enhances existing tape technologies by increasing backup/restore transfer speeds, fast file location, create multiple copies for disaster recovery applications, tape robotics library automation, and offline tape operations. Each tape drive in the array operates as if it was directly attached to the host system with increased reliability and flexibility.

Create Multiple Backups with Tape Mirroring - An Instant Disaster Recovery Solution!

TM-L and TM-LM Series - Tape Libraries for Mirroring
The TM-L and TM-LM Series consists of tape mirroring systems. Each of these systems operate in a "Tape Mirroring" mode that enhances existing tape technologies by creating multiple copies in the same time it takes to create one copy. For disaster recovery applications, the tape mirroring mode provides fault tolerant backup and restore operations. The tape mirroring feature ensures the copies of your backup are "Exact". Now you can get your backups done on time and have up to 5 copies created for offsite storage or distribution.

TM Series - Tape Drives for Mirroring
The TM Series The TM Series consists of the TM1, TM2 and TM3 tape mirroring systems. Each system enhances existing tape technologies by increasing backup/restore fault tolerance. Each tape drive in the array operates as if it was directly attached to the host system with increased reliability and flexibility. The tape mirroring feature ensures the copy of your backup is "Exact". Now you can get your backups done on time and have a 2nd copy created for offsite storage

Powerful Robotics Library Automation - Multiple Libraries/Autoloaders are kept Synchronized

Automatically operates your drives media changers
Eliminates excessive media handling
Keeps multiple libraries/autoloaders synchronized
Flexible to allow the operating mode and the inventory of the primary library or autoloader to control which media slots can be accessed

Built in Controller Diagnostics and Flexibility Keep Your Unylogix Solution Running

TM-L, TM-LM Series and TM Series - The TM-L, TM-LM and TM Series provide easy to use offline diagnostics utilities to test each individual drive to help isolate a suspect media, drive, cable, or array channel interface.

Compatibility

Use the Backup or Mastering Software of Your Choice

As long as the backup software or mastering software supports the attached drive type, the logical RAID set of drives operate as if they were directly connected to the host system.

Hardware Design is Transparent to the Host Computer System

TM Series and TM-L, TM-LM Series - The TM-L, TM-LM and TM Series consists of tape Mirroring systems. Each system enhances existing tape technologies by transparently operating as a single high performance tape device with increased reliability and flexibility.

Standard Device Drivers

As long as the host system can operate a single drive, the tape Mirroring systems enhance the drives features and capabilities to a level that no single drive can be compared. It is recommended that the operating system should be configured to use the latest backup software packages or device drivers provided by the manufacturer.

Controller Firmware Levels

Proper operation of each supported device is ensured with drive manufacturers. Each array controller operates using a flash upgradeable firmware.

Tape replication solutions

We also have available units for standalone, offline tape duplication. These will let you do tape replication of any tape formats from a single source tape drive.