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Are MO Jukeboxes Supported Under Linux?
Jonathan wants to know your thoughts
on this issue:
"I'm thinking of purchasing a magneto optical juke
box (in particular an HP 80ex), I was wondering
if anyone has had any sucess running them under
linux, or just an experience with them in general."
I saw something on this. It was my very first time I heard about Linux, oh so long ago. They were running an MO jukebox at one of the Bell Telecom joints, or something, and they were using linux to do it. I was certain. Maybe it wasn't bell, but you should search for the doc on the net.
My 2 cents.
I just quit a job where I was administrator for 5 of these boxes. (diffrent model) We had to use Sun boxes to control them because the backup software wouldn't run on HPUX. Don't know if the server software runs on linux though. The software is from a company called Commvault. I have to use tape drives at my new job and i HATE them...I have been spoiled by the MO jukebox.
If you can afford the jukebox you can afford a small Sun box to control it (if it isn't ported to linux).
When I was looking at this six months ago, I didn't find much. I wouldn't recommend purchasing a jukebox specifically to use with Linux. However, I suspect you could make one work with a combination of AMANDA and the SCSI-changer support in the 2.x kernel release.
I have had very limited luck with my two Pinnacle Optical Drives. Linux sees them just fine, but cannot change disks or flip the disks over to write onto the other side. The disk changing I can do from the drive itself, but flipping them over is software only. I got mine for free though, and wouldn't advise buying them for a Linux only enviroment.