To Read the backup content through dd command

[vijay_56]

Hi,

We are taking SAP/R3 backup using dd command. Is there any way to view the contents of the backup tape in unix without restoring.
The server used is RX4640. OS version 11.23
The backup drive is Ultrium215.

[Ivan Ferreira]

I think that you cannot see the contents of a dd backup wihtout restoring. It would be advisable to change your backup command to fbackup unless you where using raw devices.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

You could do something like:

# dd if=/dev/rmt/0m | strings

Regards!

...JRF...

[Devender Khatana]

Hi,

There is no way of viewing the contents without restoring. But what is the reason of stucking to backup using dd. I do not think it is a best option to use.

HTH,
Devender

[Sivakumar TS]

Dear Vijay,

Though i havent tried, here is a small piece of information which got from web, (http://www.ahinc.com/aix/backup.htm)


dd if=/dev/rmt0.1 of=/tmp/data1 cbs=147 ibs=2940 conv=ascii

==> Will read a record size of 147 bytes, a block size of 2940 bytes, and convert the output to an ASCII file

May be you can try with a TEST tape/backup.

With Regards,

Siva.

[Peter Godron]

Vijay,
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=797380 seems to indicate no view of contents as dd is not a file based backup method.

[karan_3]

hi vijay
see dd does not copy file by file, but sector by sector. So sorry, no list.dd knows nothing about files. It is a sector by sector copy of the disk!.

regards
karan

[Bill Hassell]

As mentioned, dd is a raw copy of the data, so it is a picture of the phyysical disk including the inodes, directories, files, freespace and so on. In other words, unless you are a filesystem guru, the data will be meaningless. Files can neither be listed nor restored--it is just a raw copy of the sectors. If the SAP/R3 volume is raw then there are no files or directories at all--only SAP knows what the sectors mean. This is one of the (many) problems with a dd backup: no identification or verification.