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We liked Iomega’s approach with the REV drive, which was initially launched in 2004. Iomega also continues to offer different drive and interface options with its current generation devices. We looked at the external USB 2.0 drive that certainly is the most versatile backup solution, but you can also get an internal variant that is based on a SATA/150 interface. UltraATA is no longer available. However, both USB 2.0 and SATA can be used on PCs and on MACs.
Performance
The REV 120 GB can read 70 GB REV media, but it cannot handle the first-generation device with 35 GB of capacity. We did like its performance — as long as you don’t install the drivers, the REV is like an optical drive (read only). But even with installed drivers we could not run any of the benchmarking tools that require unpartitioned disk space required to run tests. The data sheet takes about a 12/13 ms average read/write seek time, which is certainly fast enough for a backup device.
Iomega utilizes EPRML recording (Extended Partial Response/Maximum Likelihood), but not state-of-the-art perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR). Iomega claims media transfer rates of up to 35 MB/s, although we measured a maximum of 24 MB/s. However, we measured lower power consumption numbers than those communicated on the Iomega website. Our sample required only 1.0 W idle power and 4.5 W peak power, while Iomega lists 1.9 W idle power and up to 6.35 W peak power. Our Voltcraft VC940 is capable of tracking power requirements over time, but it did not track such a peak. Eventually, power consumption of this device is low enough to be negligible.
Reliability
While the drive only comes with a one-year warranty, the media is covered by a five-year factory warranty. Iomega specifies 15,000 insertion cycles for the drives and 2,000 insertion cycles for the media. Even if you were to use four different media on every day of the year, robustness should suffice for more than 10 years. We believe that the average life span for such a product is more likely to be anywhere between two and five years maximum. The reliability will largely depend on the drive and the media‘s wear and tear during use.
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over 50 cents a gigabyte?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817392022
sata hard drive dock, with usb2.0 and esata
then purchase any hard drive of your choice. I think you can get 500 gigs for under 75 now. Thats around 15 cents a gig.
and you don't need to worry about the back up drive breaking when you need to restore given how easy it is to plug a sata hard drive in.
just keep the hard drives where you would the tape back ups and remember, don't put all your eggs in one basket. have a live copy, a back up or two, and an offsite back up for critical data.
heck, buy two 500 gigs hdd and mirror the data across them, so if one goes, you have a second.
I just want to chime in about Iomega. I have ten of their external USB2 hard drives, ranging from 320GB to 1TB. I've used several of them very hard - almost like internal drives - for about 18 months. I have never had a single problem. My experience with one drive from another maker (Buffalo) was a disaster. So... Iomega knows how to make good stuff.
I would also like to chime in about Iomega. I used to install 35GB REV drives to backup the SMB servers that I build and sell, and have about a 30% failure rate on the drives in the 12 to 24 month timeframe. Needless to say, Iomega will not make good on the drive, but they will replace the media (the 35GB REV disks). After many disappointing phone calls to them throughout all these drive failures, they finally told me (on this last failure) that I could buy a 3 year extended warranty on the drive! This left such a negative impression on me that I will never buy another Iomega product again.
It's all about the software. Hardware is just a commodity.
Just get the EMC Retrospect Express for $40 and an internal 750GB SATA drive from NewEgg for $100 and you all the power and features of the Iomega product, faster performance, double the storage for less than half the price. If you need it to be external get a $30 enclosure.
If you want it to be 2.5" portable buy same EMC Retrospect Express software and a $175 500GB Acomdata PD500USE-BL 500GB
I sorry but these companies are in the market to sell their propitiatory media. A much better option for critical data backup management, would be a raid 6 redundant backup and a monthly dual layer DVD of that.
Iomega does not make reliable hardware, nor do they support their unreliable hardware.
I got suckered in by the Jazz in the 90's... I will never be suckered in by that poor excuse for a company again.
The idea behind both products is removable backup. Storing to an external hdd or raid is fine but is at risk due to disaster or a virus. Offline and offsite is a key component.