Picking the Editors Choice for single-drive tape backup units was difficult. The HP Ultrium 460e was hands-down the fastest unit on our 52GB backup test. But backup tests dont tell the whole story; restore operations are almost as important, though less frequently performed in the real world. Since LTO-based systems were slower at restoring data, we awarded a second Editors Choice to the Quantum SDLT 320. Although it didnt turn in the fastest timings on either backup or restore tests, the units respectable overall performance makes the drive very versatile for administrators concerned with both keeping their backup window small and being able to restore files quickly.
Honorable mention goes to the Sony SDX-D700C, which was fastest by far on our restore test. If you need to restore files often and quickly, take a close look at this AIT-3 device.