append using cpio

[99mel]

Can u append to a tape with using cpio command?

 

[KenCunningham]

Do you mean append to an existing cpio save, or start an entirely new one? If the latter use mt -f <norewind device> fsf 1 to move to the end of the existing save (this assumes there is only one on the tape so far, if more replace 1 with the number of saves). HTH.

 

[KenCunningham]

Sorry this is sco isn't it! Use tape eod instead, to go to the end of written data. Cheers.

 

[99mel]

i have loads of files to backup which wont all fit on the system at once... So i need to backup half of them onto the tape... then delete them off the system and copy the other half on and appending these to the SAME tape?

 

[KenCunningham]

Sounds quite a dangerous strategy, but this is from the man page for dat:

The following example archives /dir_A onto partition 0, and /dir_B onto partition 1 of the tape in the first SCSI drive:

tape -a 0 setpart /dev/nrStp0
find /dir_A -print | cpio -oB > /dev/nrStp0
tape -a 1 setpart /dev/nrStp0
find /dir_B -print | cpio -oB > /dev/nrStp0

Is this the kind of thing you need? Are you sure you wouldn't be safer using two tapes for the two halves? HTH.

 

[99mel]

why do u say this can be a dangerous strategy?

I was just looking into whether i can simply do an append to a tape... but I have to partition the tape into 2 parts?

all the data can easily fit on one tape so was just thinking what was involved!

 

[KenCunningham]

My only reason for thinking this was a somewhat dangerous strategy was your use of the word 'delete' above, and the possibility (believe me, it has happened!) of overwriting your first save with your second, without the fall-back of having the first set of files available, having deleted them. IF you know that you have a secure and verified copy of these files elsewhere, this scenario shouldn't apply as you can start again. Cheers.

 

[99mel]

ohhh right

the files are on a different machine all together! i'm copying them onto the SCO server which has the backup tape drive u c! so no problem with the deleting aspect.

So this is the only possible way to do an append to a tape?
think ill just use 2 tapes!! hehehe.

Cheers again for ur help!

 

[stanhubble]

FYI you don't have to partition a tape to have multiple sessions on it. As long as you use the no-rewind device &quot;/dev/nrct0 &quot; you can put as many sessions on the tape as space allows for and they don't all have to be the same type of session.

For example:
find /u -print | cpio -ocvB > /dev/nrct0
find /tmp -print | cpio -ocvB > /dev/nrct0
probackup master.db /dev/nrct0
find /etc -print | cpio -ocvB > /dev/rct0

This would give you a tape with 4 sessions on it:
<cpio1>fm<cpio2>fm<progress database>fm<cpio3>

The drawback is that you have to restore things in order or position the tape using
tape rfm /dev/nrct0