tape label identification

[aruns_s]

we are doing remote support for our global customer.I would like to know how can we identify for a particlar day, which tape in a slot for tape library is used to take the backup.Also is there any way to identify the label used in the tape media

[Bharat Katkar · Accepted solution]

HI,
It can be indentified with the help of OmniBack Database information and going through the backup specification configuration.
Tape label's are Bard codes and can be decoded and understood by Robotic Arm easily. It is very difficult for us to identify the tapes with Barcode Information.

Regards,

[RAC_1]

You can get this information through gui and with omnimm,omnidb commands.

[aruns_s]

but I am using fbackup/ufsdump for backup

[RAC_1]

frecover -V
man frecover for details.

ufsdump is specific to sun as I understand, so I do not know much about it.

[Bill Hassell]

For fbackup, frecover -v - -f /dev/rmt/ Note the -V - to write the volume or tape header to stdout. You can also get a listing of all the files in an fbackup archive with frecover -I - -f /dev/rmt/... but this will usually be quite long, so redirect the result to a file as in: frecover -I /var/tmp/my_backup_list -f /dev/rmt/...

Managing a tape libtrary does require some detailed thought, especially with the backup scripts. If operators choose the tapes at random, you *will* lose data. Backup scripts should be driven by a defined set of steps to pick a tape, run the backup and then put the tape back in the correct location. Part of the inventory script should be a verificattion that the expected tape is in the correct slot. Backup (and inventory and audit) scripts should never leave a tape in a drive, whether the backup was successful or not. This is to minimize mistakes caused by writing to the wrong drive.

[Cem Tugrul]

Hi Aruns,

FBACKUP/FRECOVER

Things to remember about fbackup:

* fbackup MUST rewind the tape before beginning the backup and after
completing.
* a tape created with fbackup is only recoverable with frecover.
* a file listed in the index file (from option -rvNf) is not guaranteed
to be on the tape; this simply means that fbackup intended to back the
file up when it began the backup session.

Command Description

fbackup -vf /dev/rmt/0m -i / full system backup

fbackup -vf /dev/rmt/0m -i specifically include file/directory
/etc/hosts preceded by -i

fbackup -vf /dev/rmt/0m -i specifically include multiple
/etc/hosts -i /usr files/directories preceded by -i

fbackup -vf /dev/rmt/0m -e specifically exclude file/directory
/etc/hosts preceded by -e

fbackup -vf /dev/rmt/0m -g
graph_file_name backup from a graph file

frecover -xvf /dev/rmt/0m restore entire tape to originating
directory structure

restore entire tape to originating
frecover -xovf /dev/rmt/0m directory structure and overwrite any
existing files

cd /tmp restore entire tape to /tmp
frecover -xXvf /dev/rmt/0m (originating directory structure will
not be overwritten)

frecover -vf /dev/rmt/0m -I verify backup and read the index file
/tmp/index from the tape into a file called
/tmp/index

fbackup -vf /dev/rmt/0m 2>&1 log what is backed up, along with any
|tee /tmp/backup.log errors that occur

frecover -rNv -f /dev/rmt/0m 2>
/tmp/listing list of what is really on the tape

frecover -V /tmp/volume_headers
-f /dev/rmt/0m show volume headers on the tape

Good Luck,