How to use LTO Tape to do backups ?

[yyghp]

I have a MSL6030(LTO) Tape Library, want to use make_tape_recovery to do system backup.
Can I use this tape library like using DDS tape drive ?
Do I need to format the LTO tape before backups? If yes, how to format LTO tape without Omniback ?
What's the difference between using tape library and using DDS tape for backup purpose ?
Thanks !

[Michael Tully]

Yes you could conceivably use an LTO drive for an ignite tape. Only precaution you would need is to turn off omniback whilst you do the tape. The two programs running may not work well together whilst the drive is in use, unless the cell manager driving the library is also the system being used for the ignite tape.
You could manually move the tape into the drive using the 'mc' command, cut the tape, tale the drive off line on completion, eject the tape and restart omniback. There is no need to format a tape.

[yyghp]

Thanks a lot for your reply !
But what do you mean "two programs" ? How can I turn off omniback(data protector) ?
As I know that make_tape_recovery is a program inside ignite-ux, i am going to install it on that host.
And I am going to connect the tape library to the host using SCSI cable, do I need to turn off the tape library while doing the cabling ? and do i need to reboot that Host to which the library connects? Or all HOT-PLUG ?
After I connect the SCSI cable, do i need to run 'insf' to create new device file ? or just run 'ioscan' ? No drivers for LTO device wanted to install ?
If I am going to use a LTO tape with data(can delete) inside, and use make_tape_recovery to do a full system backup, how can I format the tape before i run 'make_tape_recovery' ?
Does LTO device support bootable tape ? because it will be a system backup.
Before I run 'make_tape_recovery', what else should I do ?
After backup using 'make_tape_recovery', how can I verify the data inside the LTO tape ?

Please give me some detail instructions, thanks once again !

[yyghp]

and do you think 'make_tape_recovery' is the best way to make system backup ?
Thanks !

[Michael Tully]

The basic problem you have is that the LTO drive is basically driven first by omniback and secondly from the OS. It is quite easy to turn off omniback as long as there are no backups running it does not harm anything except if you have backups scheduled for the time you bring it down, i.e. those backups will not run. You are better off using a DDS drive if you have one to run the ignite tape backup, even better set up an ignite server. With any SCSI device it is better to have the hardware turned off whilset cables are being moved etc. You would need to install the appropriate device drivers into the kernel for your unit, most likely sctl, schgr and stape. You don't need to format a tape for make_tape_recovery, but you do for omniback if the tape has been used before. Yes LTO does support bootable. You can easily read the tape back by using:
# mt -t /dev/rmt/?m rew
# mt -t /dev/rmt/?mn fsf 1
# tar tvf /dev/rmt/?mn

make_tape_recovery is by far the best way if you don't have an ignite server in which to store it to disk on another system.

e.g.
# /opt/ignite/bin/make_tape_recovery -x inc_entire=vg00 -I -v -a /dev/rmt/?mn

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi,
There is no problem with using make_tape_recovery and OmniBack together (if there is no OmniBack backup running. OmniBack don't lock any drives or librarys (in difference to some other backup programs). If you want you can reserve some slots in the library for Ignite medias.

The problem is more media management, you have to load and unload the medias manualy (with mc command or the library web tool). make_tape_recovery don't "understand" librarys.