Add New Backup To Tape

[Tranbo]

We use tar to backup to tape on SCO Open Server 6. Is there away to tell tar to use the remaining free space on the tape? seem like my tape being written the same place every time tar is run.

#tar c8Atv /u1/rw6

I tried the r option and get the error below

# tar r8Atv /u1/rw6
tar: Blocked tapes cannot be updated


Thanks for all your help

 

[PHV]

What about this ?
dd if=/dev/nrct0 of=/dev/null;tar c8Atv /u1/rw6

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[patw]

Why do you want to introduce complexity to your backup? If you have a crash you do not want to fiddle around finding the right backup, not to mention dealing with full and continued tapes.

Just replace the tape when they start taking longer to backup. You are doing basic things like rotating 5 or more tapes or tape sets, right?

Better yet, forget regular tar and get BackupEdge (

http://www.microlite.com)

and get full scheduled, bit level verified backups with full status reports and bare metal disaster recovery far superior to the standard SCO utilities.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Pat Welch, UBB Computer Services, a WCS Affiliate
SCO Authorized Partner
Microlite BackupEdge Certified Reseller
Unix/Linux/Windows/Hardware Sales/Support
(209) 745-1401 Cell: (209) 251-9120
E-mail: patubb@inreach.com

 

[lorel]

I agree with patw, I have used Microlite for a very long time. It is simple to use, it is very reliable, has a good recovery option and recovering single files is easy.

Best of all, once it is setup the only thing you need to do is to change your tapes EVERY day.

Joe

 

[Tranbo]

I had 2 set of tape it working good as it is. I just want to write to the un-written part of the tape to extend its life ...having a guilty conscience

 

[lorel]

I do not know what type of tape you are using, if they are the dds type they cost about $8.00 each. They need to be replaced every year, and, based on some one with lots of experience in backups 2 tapes is not sufficient, you should have one for every day of the week that you do backups.

My preferred set up is 9 tapes, one for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, plus 5 Fridays. Why 5? to cover the months with 5 weeks.

But if you feel that 2 tapes is sufficient for you, fine, let us hope you never have to regret such a decision. Believe me, I have.

Joe

 

[edfair]

Also a mention for LoneTar as being comparable to backupedge except for the more extensive documentation of files accessed.

Took all my customers off tape years ago because of the reliability issues that were getting worse. Had them automated to do an uncompressed backup to a dedicated hard drive then burn that to CD. Kept a rolling 6 day backup on the hard drive.

I could add a few TAR war stories.



Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.