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Re: September Data
Tom,
When I suggested you look at CD autoloaders I also suggested
that if you wanted one you purchace it from a UNIX/Linux system
integrator. These vendors typically provide a high level of
service which could even include on-site setup
A second point:. An "autoloader" is a LOT simpler than a
robotic storage system. The robotic systems can pick a
CD from any slot and put it in a standard CD-ROM reader and
then put the CD back in it's slot. The autoloaders handle
CD media just like printers handle paper. Blank CDs are
removed from a stack in a hopper writen to and then dumpped
on top of an output stack. They cannot pick and put CDs
to and from random slots. Even so I'd suggest buying an
autoloader from a vendor who can support it in a unix/linux
enviromment
The other option is tape. State of the art tape systems can
"look" like a very large disk but with access to the first byte of
a file taking a few seconds. Software makes it look like all
of your data is on-line. The largest units hold 1.300 terrabytes
and can do 20GB/sec sustained truoughput and are designed so that
parts can be swapped out without taking the unit off-line.
(They use things like redundent load balancing power supplies.)
Of course they also make smaller units. But tape s not cheap.
In either case you are right. It's the software that would make
a robotic storage system usable. Te problem is that storage
systems like these are NOT comodity devices They are sold in ones
and twos by company sales reps and supported by real customer
enginerrs.
--- tom <tdroege2@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Come on guys, you won't get me to bite on this one. I already bought
> two
> wonderful juke boxes that could do this job if I installed CD burners
> instead
> of the CD readers. The problem as Chris noted, is not the hardware,
> but
> setting up the software. That is a real limit for me or I would have
>
> something set up to take advantage of all the CD burners that I
> presently
> have. You guys could no doubt set up something that would find all
> the CDs
> that needed to be written and put simple instructions on the console
> as to
> what to write on the label of the CD that just finished writing and
> where to
> load the next CD. While you all could set such a thing up in a
> couple of
> hours, it would take me hundreds and there would be no net gain. It
> was
> already a heroic effort for me to write a program that figures out
> which
> files need to be burned and to put them in directories 80 at a time
> for easy
> selection for writing.
>
> OK, my solution for this is to get a computer up where you all can
> log into it
> an play on my system. This is the next best thing to one of you
> moving in
> down the street. If I can create an attractive enough playground,
> then
> perhaps some of you will come over to play. Hmmm! If you came by
> here
> Jennifer would serve you tea and cookies. I wonder what I could put
> up on my
> system for tea?
>
> Tom
>
> On Tuesday 21 September 2004 05:14 pm, Chris Albertson wrote:
> > I suggested to Tom by direct email something like
> > one of these:
> >
> > http://www.cdrom2go.com/equipment/autoloaders.asp
> >
> > There are many different types. Mostly they are used
> > to make bootleg pirate copies of music CD but also to
> > backup a large disk array.
> >
> > --- tom <tdroege2@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > > Doug,
> > >
> > > It is the image back up files that take all the time. I only
> make
> > > one copy of
> > > those. The multiple copies are done once a month. I have tried
> > > running on
> > > several machines at once and sometimes I can do it but mostly I
> make
> > > mistakes. It only takes about 5 minutes to write a CD, but today
> I
> > > wrote 19
> > > of them. I have written scripts for most of the process. It
> could
> > > be
> > > improved. There are 4 machines involved and they all have CD
> > > writers. So in
> > > theory I could start 4 at once. It could probably be improved if
> I
> > > were to
> > > spend a few days organizing it better. Sigh!
> > >
> > > Tom Droege
> > >
> > > On Tuesday 21 September 2004 03:47 pm, Doug Welch wrote:
> > > > Hi Tom,
> > > >
> > > > Perhaps the question should be: "Is there a way to burn CD's
> that
> > > > doesn't involve your continuous presence at the machine?" If
> you
> > >
> > > are
> > >
> > > > always writing three copies, you could potentially run these on
> > >
> > > three
> > >
> > > > CD-burners simultaneously (possibly on the same computer, but
> not
> > > > necessarily). Would buying a CD production unit free up your
> time?
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > Doug
> > > >
> > > > tom wrote:
> > > > >I know some of you sneer, but September is turning into a
> record
> > >
> > > month. I
> > >
> > > > >have burned 300 CDs so far this month. I keep wondering if
> there
> > >
> > > is a
> > >
> > > > > better way to archive data, but my research says that CDs are
> > >
> > > probably
> > >
> > > > > the best media for long term storage.
> > > > >
> > > > >It is a royal pain since it takes several hours just sitting
> in
> > >
> > > front of
> > >
> > > > > CD burners each day. It is a real pain since it the interval
> > >
> > > between
> > >
> > > > > changing CDs is not long enough to do much else and if I try
> I
> > >
> > > make
> > >
> > > > > mistakes.
> > > > >
> > > > >So far I have taken data 19 out of the first 20 days in
> September.
> > >
> > > This
> > >
> > > > >should make a nice sequence for testing things about the data.
> > >
> > > All the
> > >
> > > > > data is not perfect. Some stars, for example, grow halos at
> some
> > >
> > > periods
> > >
> > > > > in the night. I think it is a question of ground fog and the
> > >
> > > like.
> > >
> > > > > Still, when I exclude such frames from the data set, the
> scatter
> > >
> > > does not
> > >
> > > > > improve. So there is something else going on that is there
> on
> > >
> > > clear
> > >
> > > > > nights.
> > > > >
> > > > >I am not saying fuzzy frames don't have larger errors, I am
> saying
> > >
> > > that
> > >
> > > > > the frames that look bad contribute less error from their
> badness
> > >
> > > than
> > >
> > > > > other hidden errors. If we fix the other error, then
> possible
> > >
> > > excluding
> > >
> > > > > "bad" frames might make the data better, but not at present.
> > > > >
> > > > >Tom Droege
> >
> > =====
> > Chris Albertson
> > Home: 310-376-1029 chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com
> > Cell: 310-990-7550
> > Office: 310-336-5189 Christopher.J.Albertson@aero.org
> > KG6OMK
> >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________
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>
=====
Chris Albertson
Home: 310-376-1029 chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com
Cell: 310-990-7550
Office: 310-336-5189 Christopher.J.Albertson@aero.org
KG6OMK
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