I need a tape backup solution...

["Jurupari" <jurupari@geocities.com>]

I am looking for a tape backup for a couple RedHat 6.2 file servers 
that I will soon be building. Can someone suggest some 
hardware/software combinations that would work for me??

I will most likely be buying some low end Compaq desktop PC's to do 
the job (~400MHz Celeron). They will most likely have a single 6.4GB 
IDE HDD and no SCSI equipment. These 'servers' will need to store a 
bunch of files for about 5 Windows users at each location. Also, all 
that can be expected from anyone on site is that someone could change 
a tape each day. Nobody in the office will even log into these 
machines. Samba will be used to map drives in Network Neighborhood.

I am needing something that is inexpensive more than anything else I 
suppose. Unfotunately I will not necessarily be looking for the best 
equipment to do get the job done. $$$ is most likely going to be the 
biggest factor. For that reason I thought that an ATAPI 'TRAVAN' 
drive may be a wise choice, but I have no experience with them.

I went to the RedHat hardware compatability list and couldn't find 
any information on tape drives. I also went to www.linux.org to 
search for some HOWTO's but didn't find anything usefel. Next I 
stopped at www.linuxtapecert.org and found reference to a Tandberg 
model NS20 and some HP Colorado 5GB and 8GB (??? HP model #'s). 
Something like that may fit the bill. Does anyone have any experience 
with those drives?? Do they perform reliably? Are they difficult to 
install? If I had to get a SCSI card and go that route it could be 
done.

Then what about software??? Would I need something like BRU? could 
some scripts be written to use CPIO (something else I have not used 
yet).

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank-you,
Mike Glaser