Alternative tape storage management
I'd like to know if there is any non-tape hardware storage management solution, one that would be able to store data automatically.

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I'm not sure I understand your question. If what you mean is using disk to archive data automatically then what you need is an HSM product. HSM stands for "Hierarchical Storage Management." Using HSM you can set policies for how old data is allowed to become on your disks before the data is moved off to secondary or tertiary storage. This process is normally accomplished via software solutions that have knowledge agents for your particular application.

I know there is HSM software around for applications like Exchange and Lotus Notes. If mail messages become stale according to policy, the software will place a stub on your hard drive so you can still locate the message. The message itself is then pushed out to disk or tape for archiving. This is all done automatically. When someone tries to access the information, it is pulled back from where it was sent and made available again. This is transparent to the user trying to access the information.

Chris

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This was first published in September 2002