tape/backup systems

[George Goble]

In article <3395 at dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> merritt at iris613.UUCP (John H Merritt) writes:
>
>In the August 6, 1990 issue of Unix Today, Cybernetics advertizes
>8mm with 10.24GB at 60MB/min.

Could it be two EXB-8500's in a common controller to look like one large
drive? (with no compression).  50% compression on an EXB-8500
would also give 10GB 60MB/min.  I believe the tape media (low grade
8mm sony tape) is good for 10 GB, if anybody can build a drive to
write it.  The 8500 does not increase the linear density over the 8200,
it just writes tracks (stripes) inbetween the existing ones.., so
it has double the number of tracks per inch, but same density. 
the 2X xfer rate comes from the fact that tracks are written two at
once now (5 heads, on servo, two write, two read). Imagine what 50%
compression would do on that drive (20 GB, 120MB/min).
--ghg