TapeTrack Documentation

Because there is more to tape management than you ever realized

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general:evaluating-tapetrack

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general:evaluating-tapetrack [2017/12/22 15:34] – [Sample Evaluation Checklist] Gerard Nicolgeneral:evaluating-tapetrack [2025/01/21 22:07] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 The evaluation phase is a critical part of any software procurement process as it allows the user to test the software in their own environment to ensure that the product is the right fit. The evaluation phase is a critical part of any software procurement process as it allows the user to test the software in their own environment to ensure that the product is the right fit.
-Evaluation allow you to:+Evaluation allows you to:
   - See what is involved in installing, configuring and supporting the product.   - See what is involved in installing, configuring and supporting the product.
   - Ensure the product features meet all of your requirements.   - Ensure the product features meet all of your requirements.
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   - Ensure that the product integrates with other software products you use.   - Ensure that the product integrates with other software products you use.
   - See that your staff are able to understand and use the product.   - See that your staff are able to understand and use the product.
 +
 ===== The TapeTrack Suite ===== ===== The TapeTrack Suite =====
  
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 TapeTrack is a Client-Server architecture software product, and has a Server component (The TapeTrack Framework Server) and a number of Client components, which include command line and Windows programs. TapeTrack is a Client-Server architecture software product, and has a Server component (The TapeTrack Framework Server) and a number of Client components, which include command line and Windows programs.
 The TapeTrack Framework Server is available for Windows, Linux and Solaris. The TapeTrack Framework Server is available for Windows, Linux and Solaris.
-The TapeTrack Windows software is only available for Microsoft Windows and will run on Windows Vista and above.+The TapeTrack Windows software is only available for Microsoft Windows and will run on Windows XP and above.
 The TapeTrack Command Line programs are available for Windows, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris, AIX, z/OS and IBMi. The TapeTrack Command Line programs are available for Windows, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris, AIX, z/OS and IBMi.
 For evaluation purposes, a modest server or Virtual Machine be provisioned with the following configuration of above: For evaluation purposes, a modest server or Virtual Machine be provisioned with the following configuration of above:
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   - 10 GB of additional hard disk.   - 10 GB of additional hard disk.
 ==== Staff availability ==== ==== Staff availability ====
 + 
 +
  
 There are usually three types of employees who have some involvement in a TapeTrack evaluation, in some instances these people may be the one person, in others, they may be discrete teams of people: There are usually three types of employees who have some involvement in a TapeTrack evaluation, in some instances these people may be the one person, in others, they may be discrete teams of people:
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   - Backup Administrators: These people maintain the backup environment and may be needed to assist in defining tape management criteria and with integrating TapeTrack with the backup software.   - Backup Administrators: These people maintain the backup environment and may be needed to assist in defining tape management criteria and with integrating TapeTrack with the backup software.
   - Operational Staff: These people will usually have the most day to day interaction with TapeTrack and must be trained to perform functions such as scanning tapes in and out of the software.   - Operational Staff: These people will usually have the most day to day interaction with TapeTrack and must be trained to perform functions such as scanning tapes in and out of the software.
-Evaluation Criteria+=== Evaluation Criteria ===
 When it comes to evaluation TapeTrack, the evaluation criteria will vary from one enterprise to the next, but in general, the high level criteria will always be: When it comes to evaluation TapeTrack, the evaluation criteria will vary from one enterprise to the next, but in general, the high level criteria will always be:
   - That the software is easy to install, maintain and support.   - That the software is easy to install, maintain and support.
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   - That the product is stable, performs as expected and can be scaled to meet future workloads.   - That the product is stable, performs as expected and can be scaled to meet future workloads.
   - That the product has the features required to achieve the required tape management objectives.   - That the product has the features required to achieve the required tape management objectives.
-==== Tape Management Objectives ====+=== Tape Management Objectives ===
    
 There are usually five high level objectives when evaluating the features of TapeTrack, these are: There are usually five high level objectives when evaluating the features of TapeTrack, these are:
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   - Disaster Recovery: that the product is aware of which tapes are required for disaster recovery, and that it is able to issue alerts when critical tapes are not offsite.   - Disaster Recovery: that the product is aware of which tapes are required for disaster recovery, and that it is able to issue alerts when critical tapes are not offsite.
   - Quality Control: that the product has features that ensure users do not make tape handling mistakes, and in the event that they do, alerts administrators so that they can take action to remedy the situation.   - Quality Control: that the product has features that ensure users do not make tape handling mistakes, and in the event that they do, alerts administrators so that they can take action to remedy the situation.
-=== Sample Evaluation Checklist === +===== Sample Evaluation Checklist ===== 
 + 
 To assist in the evaluation process, the following checklist can be used as a template. To assist in the evaluation process, the following checklist can be used as a template.
 This template may contain items that you are not relevant to your own specific requirements, and in rare instances may not include requirements that are unique to your own expectations. The list does however serve as a starting point for you to create your own evaluation checklist. This template may contain items that you are not relevant to your own specific requirements, and in rare instances may not include requirements that are unique to your own expectations. The list does however serve as a starting point for you to create your own evaluation checklist.
  
  
general/evaluating-tapetrack.1513956876.txt.gz · Last modified: 2025/01/21 22:07 (external edit)