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By James E. Powell
Two is the magic number for the Iomega Ditto 2GB tape backup drive: This $200 drive backs up 2GB of compressed data, using proprietary $20 cartridges.
The Ditto 2GB sports the same maroon/dark brown case as Iomega's entries into the tape backup market, the Ditto Easy 800 and Easy 3200. The 2GB also has equivalent dimensions (1.5 by 5.25 by 7.5 inches). It comes with a parallel port connection-either standard or enhanced ports are supported, with a pass-through provided to your printer. Unfortunately, it lacks a power switch. A tape cartridge is not included with the drive.
You can copy everything from your local hard drives to the tape with a single mouse click using Iomega's rich backup program. The backup program's full-fledged version offers many features, from choosing which files (including the Registry) will be archived to scheduling unattended backups.
Backup speeds will vary. Iomega says the Ditto can handle speeds as great as 9MB per minute. For testing, I chose the Safety backup option, which emphasizes safety (and less compression) over speed. The unit backed up 535MB-a mix of applications and data-at 7.3MB per minute, with an average compression ratio of 1.5:1. I achieved a 1.8:1 ratio when backing up only data files.
The Ditto can also read QIC 80 and QIC 80W, -3010, -3010W and -3020, and Travan 1, 2 and 3 tape formats.
As 2GB hard drives quickly become the standard, Iomega is right up there with backup cartridges to match-at a good price, and with a simple setup utility and easy-to-use backup software to go with it. The addition of a power switch to Iomega's units would make things close to perfect.
--Info File--
Iomega Ditto 2GB
Price: $199, external; $149.99, internal;
tape $20 additional
Pros: Speed; installation; backup software
Cons: Proprietary tape cartridges; no power switch
Platforms: 3x, 95
Iomega Corp.
1-800-MYSTUFF, 801-778-1000
WinMag Box Score 4.0
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