According to the HP reseller, no configuration changes were needed, just power down the system, install the DDS- 3 drive, bring the system up, and the system would recognize the new drive. Well, the backup did work, but it didn't take any less time. We only have 120-meter DDS-2 tapes. Is this the problem? Will they work in this drive?

If you want to write in DDS-3 format on a DDS-3 drive, you MUST use 125-meter DDS-3 tapes. If you want to write in DDS-2 format on a DDS-2 drive, you MUST use 120-meter DDS-2 tapes. The DDS-3 drives are able to read and write DDS-2 and DDS-1 format. The reverse is not true.

With a DDS-2 drive and 120-meter tape, you can get 512 KB/s to 1 MB/s in transfer rate. You get the same with a DDS-3 drive and 120-meter tapes. If you use 125-meter tapes in your DDS-3, you should get a transfer rate between 1 MB/s and 2MB/s, depending on the compression.

Also the capacity on DDS-2 tapes is 4-8GB depending on compression, versus 12/24GB on 125-meter tapes. If you use 90- or 60-meter tapes, you are using DDS-1 format, which on a 90-meter tape will store 2-4GB.