[CLUE-Tech] tape backups

[Mike Staver]

Wow, 5-6 hours?  I didn't realize tape was that slow.  I knew it was
slow, but not that slow!  I'll try it again with the verbose option
then, thanks.

Jim Ockers wrote:
> 
> Try doing a "tar -tvf" so that you can watch the output go by as time
> goes by.  I find that "tar -tf" is only useful for exposing whether or
> not there is a problem with the tape; if you want to actually see
> what's on the tape, tar -tvf is what you want.
> 
> You could read the man pages for tar as well and see what you can
> find there.
> 
> On a 24GB tape, say DDS4, it could take as long as 5-6 hours if you
> filled it up.  It depends how much data you wrote to it.
> 
> Jim
> 
> > So, how long should the -tf command take? I have a 24 gig tape:
> 
> > root      1370  0.0  0.0  1752  540 pts/0    D    16:45   0:00 tar -tf
> > /dev/st0
> 
> > The process doesn't appear to be doing anything, and the drive doesn't
> > look like it's working....
> 
> > Ed Hill wrote:
> > >
> > > On Wed, 2002-08-14 at 15:02, Mike Staver wrote:
> > > > So, if the tape already had data on it, it would automagically just
> > > > overwrite it?
> > >
> > > It depends.  If you run:
> > >
> > >   tar -rf /dev/st0  /path/to/backup
> > >
> > > then it will append the files.  If you use:
> > >
> > >   tar -cf /dev/st0  /path/to/backup
> > >
> > > then it will overwrite.  And you can see what (if anything) is on a tape
> > > using:
> > >
> > >   tar -tf /dev/st0
> > >
> > > Note that on some older tape drive systems, you may have to re-wind the
> > > tape using something like "mt rewind".  On most newer tape drives, the
> > > unit will automatically rewind (and re-tension) for you.
> > >
> > > I suggest that you:
> > >
> > >   (1) browse the man and/or info pages for tar, and
> > >
> > >   (2) put a tape in your unit and try out the commands above
> > >         for a few small (test) directories before writing a
> > >         backup script and adding a crontab entry for it.
> > >
> > > Ed
> > >
> > > --
> > > Edward H. Hill III, PhD
> > > Post-Doctoral Researcher   |  Email:  ed at eh3.com,  ehill at mines.edu
> > > Division of ESE            |  URLs:   http://www.eh3.com
> > > Colorado School of Mines   |    http://cesep.mines.edu/people/edhill.php
> > > Golden, CO  80401          |  Phone:  303-273-3483    Fax: 303-273-3311
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > CLUE-Tech at clue.denver.co.us
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> 
> --
> Jim Ockers (ockers at ockers.net)
> Contact info: please see http://www.ockers.net/
> 
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-- 

                                -Mike Staver
                                 staver at fimble.com
                                 mstaver at globaltaxnetwork.com