Ways to reduce the Tape mount cost

gsbrar16 · New User Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 27 Location: india

Hi,
My jobs are using heavy tape files and it takes lots of cost to mount these tapes. Is there any way to reduce the cost?

William Thompson · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:56 pm

What kind of "cost"?
The simple answer it to not use tape files, load to disk or use virtual tape.

gsbrar16 · New User Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 27 Location: india

Cost is TAPE mount cost, Actually i am getting the tape files as input to my system and main cost for running the job is to mount the tape.

William Thompson · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:01 pm

What kind of "TAPE mount cost"? Dollars? Time?

Bitneuker · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:16 pm

Charge the one sendng you the tape or tell him to transfer the data via FTP.

dick scherrer · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:43 pm

Hello,

Several sites i've worked with have a fixed $cost associated with the physical tape mount (especially if it is an external tape) - it is a fixed rate per mount - no "volume" discounts for example. Of course, one of the goals of this fee is to discourage having foreign tapes mounted. If you will not move from tape, the cost will most likely remain.

As George suggests, use ftp rather than "mailing" the tape. It will also be faster and less error prone.

Phrzby Phil · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:00 pm

If the ideas above do not apply, consider:

1. If you read these tapes more than one time, have a new job copy them to disk for the remaining jobs' accesses
2. Even if a tape is to be read once, but job reruns necessitate multiple reads, then do (1) above as proactive design
3. If you receive multiple tapes from the same source, have them send multiple files per tape, then do (1) above
4. Does your shop charge less off-peak, e.g., overnight? If so, reschedule your tape jobs
5. For multiple file tapes read by the same job, are you using the VOL=RETAIN parameter?