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There are many adjectives you can apply to DLT tape libraries. Quiet isn't usually one of them.
But Hewlett-Packard Co.'s latest DLT autoloader, the SureStore 818, is the first desktop tape library I have used that actually belongs on a desk. In fact, this autoloader has so much going for it that its one flawpractically unusable frontpanel buttons-is almost forgivable in light of the many positive adjectives that can be used to describe this unit.
Weighing and costing only a bit more than the Quantum DLT 8000 tape drive (80 GB compressed) it contains, the SureStore 818 cuts a surprisingly slim profile at 7.25 x 9 x 21.75 inches. And its fans, loader and drive are quiet enough to suit any office environment.
The Litle Things
It's not difficult to build a good desktop tape library. Any vendor getting started in this market could learn much from HP. The design should start with easy access. One of the "eights" in SureStore 818 refers to the library's eight DLT cartridge slots (the other identifies the Quantum DLT 8000). Six of the slots sit in front of the door. The sturdy plastic magazine pulls out easily, tapes and all, thanks to an ingenious swing-out handle. Each slot has an independent latch that engages when you push in the cartridge. A shiny metal tab pops up, both to hold the tape in place and to show you the latch is engaged. When you push on the tape again, the latch disengages, ballpoint-pen-style.
Labels for all six frontseated tapes are visible through the SureStore 81 8s large window. This drive lacks a barcode reader,...