Append to informacion on the tape

[Isaac_4]

Hi

We have a Ultrium Tape for backup system.

We need append information on tape during the week, but what is the correct syntax for write o read this backup using fbackup, when use multiple backup in the same tape.
Thank you for the sopport

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Sorry, there is no such option for fbackup because of the very complex way in which fbackup writes data on the tape. Moreover, it always rewinds the tape so that even trying to pre-position the taoe using mt commands before running fbackup is doomed to failure.

You can use tar or cpio to backup and these will allow you to append or choose the better answer OmniBack (now called DataProtector) but it's not free.

[S.K. Chan]

In addition ..
You can't append to a fbackup tape since fbackup always rewinds the tape after opening the device. So that makes it difficult to append any additional files onto the tape. The only "close" append operation that may work is ..if you had an interrupted fbackup which you can then continue with where you stopped. Tar on the other hand allow append (ie with the "-r" option).

[Isaac_4]

we use the fbackup because the file that put on the tape are more that 2GB.

[Darren Prior]

Just to add to Mr Stephenson's wise words, don't try using fbackup with the no rewind device to get round the tape being rewound as fbackup really doesn't like the no-rewind device!

regards,

Darren.

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Okay, since you are using large files then probably the least evil answer (if you are not willing to spend money for OB2/DP) is to download and install the Gnu version of tar. It will handle large files and is a superset of the traditional tar.
http://gatekeep.cs.utah.edu/hppd/hpux/Gnu/tar-1.13.25/

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

While the 'gnu' tar will certainly offer archive of largefiles, an alternative for HP-UX 11.11 is to apply 'tar' patch PHCO_26423. This patch gives 'tar' the ability to handle files up to 8GB in size.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Frank Slootweg]

tar, also the GNU version, is inappropriate for a high speed/capacity/value(of your data) device like a Ultrium/LTO, or even DLT, drive.

At a minimum you should use fbackup, but preferably a matching/supported backup product like HP's OmniBack/DataProtector, etc..