Re: CatDV Re-archive footage with Cache-A

Hey All,

I just wanted to post an update after we did more tests today.

Here's what we did:

1) With CatDV Cache-A plugin wrote a catalog of 91 files (30 GB) to an LTO tape. No logged errors or other problems.

2) We ejected this tape and cleared the vtape.

3) Re-inserted the tape and then restored the files with the CatDV Cache-A plugin. PROBLEM. Six files were 1/2 or less of their original size. CatDV could not play them. Couldn't play them in the OS. They are incomplete and / or corrupt. BLARG.

4) We compared the problem files (now on our SAN) against the files on the vtape. THE FILES ON THE VTAPE WERE FINE... wow. So the problem came when CatDV Cache-A plugin copied them from the vtape back to the SAN... WHY?? That seems like a relatively simple operation.

5) We deleted the problematic files from the SAN and the vtape and then called for a restore of just these files through the CatDV Cache-A plugin. They came back from the LTO to the vtape to the SAN without any issue. We are perplexed.

6) We started over... we deleted all the files from this catalog on the SAN and the Vtape. With the CatDV Cache-A plugin we called for a restore of all the files. They were all pulled from the LTO tape to the vtape to the SAN without any issue... HEAD SCRATCHING ENSUES. Why did this not work the first time and now it was flawless?

We move on to seeing if we can write multiple sessions to the SAME tape (NOT spanning tapes). It works only if you NEVER EJECT THE TAPE. If you do eject the tape and then try to write more files to tape in a later session it will overwrite whatever is on the tape... so that means you have to fill the tape (if you want your money's worth) without ever ejecting it.

My question is, is that normal operation or is this some sort of problem with CatDV Cache-A plugin? Any thoughts Tom?