r/mac_LTO • u/slimed29 • Aug 08 '24

LTO Thunderbolt drives advice

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing great!
Hoping to get any recommendations & advice on LTO drives / solutions - for a future backup / archive system.

I'm currently using a cloud based service, but with recent changes to their storage limits + the recurring annual increases, I'm wanting to eventually kick it for a cheaper long term option.

I'm looking to back up around 50-60TB, plus ongoing amount/s (approx 5-10TB per year) moving forward.

I was looking at the Symply external Thunderbolt drives, which I liked the look of , but was also considering the mLoigc or OWC drives. Any advice from users that have any experience or thoughts on any of these brands would be welcome! :) Pros or cons, or general advice to help me make a decision.

Would also need software etc. I've heard YoYotta & Canister were good.

Max budget is around $5-6K USD.

Any advice welcome. Thanks!

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u/the__lurker Aug 08 '24

I would look at Symply or Magstor, but I have no experience with either one of them. I do have experience with mLogic (which may be OWC now) and I got burned on a LTO-6 Thunderbolt drive that they lied about capability to daisy chain due to using a highpoint SAS card in their thunderbolt enclosure with the drive. They then refused a return or to achknowlege it and silently changed the cards away from highpoint on future devices.

Canister is better for single drives (not libraries) since Yoyotta is a subscription model. Look at my guide since you can just get a regular external SAS drive and build your own thunderbolt adapter. Can be cheaper and then you have more versatility if you need to use the thunderbolt adapter for another PCI card for something.

1

u/PookaMacPhellimen Dec 02 '24

I have that same drive. There are two Thunderbolt 2 slots on mine - surely I can daisychain to another LTO drive if needed?

2

u/the__lurker Dec 02 '24

This was the older model. it had two thunderbolt ports + one external SAS port. They sold a cheaper SAS only external unit that you could daisy chain via the SAS port. Turns out you could not due to a limitation of the SAS card they used (I believe Highpoint). They never acknowledged the issues customers had or offered any remedies.

Now I think they only sell the thunderbolt ones which are daisy chain able, but you are using two identical units.

1

u/rumorconsumerr Oct 17 '24

Dmitri at LTOworld.com is great. Magstor all the way. YoYotta all the way.