Using Tape Device From a Remote HP System

[Louis A. Lopez]

I know i've done this before but could someone shed some light on this matter.
I want to backup a subdirectory on SYSA but i have to use the tape device on SYSB.
Customer wants a tar file backup onto LTO tape.

I'm thinking of this from SYSB,

remsh SYSA {DirA} | tar cvf

Any information would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!!

[Robert-Jan Goossens · Accepted solution]

Hi Louis,

Check this thread.

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=88175

Hope this helps,
Robert-Jan

[Steven E. Protter]

With the base os and any of the HP operating environments, tape devices can not be shared from one machine to another.

Add in third party products like Veritas Netbackup do provide this ability though I can not speak to the reliability. I can say its expensive from the licensing standpoint.

When I run into these issues I generally follow the following general guidelines.

1) I use openssh instead of remsh because I don't like my root password flying across the network unencrypted.
2) I copy the files to system b
3) I ssh to the the system with a tape drive and make the tape while essentially logged onto the system with a tape drive.

SEP

[TwoProc]

OK, let's just say you've get ssh (preferred) or remote shell configured...

givens:
box1 (first hpux system)
box2 (second hpux system).
box2 has your tape drive at /dev/rmt/3m
want to read tape in box2 from box1 (let's say tar)...

login to box1...

remsh box2 "cat /dev/rmt/3m" | tar xvf -
or...
remsh box2 "dd if=/dev/rmt/3m " | tar xvf -

let's say you want to the same as above, but you want to write to the tape drive instead...

login to box1...
cd to the dir you want to tar up...

tar cvf - . | remsh box2 "cat > /dev/rmt/3m"
or
tar cvf - . | remsh box2 "dd of=/dev/rmt/3m"

Make sure that you play around with this, and make sure that you get back (file compare) what you put in, etc. In other words, get comfortable with this first.

Keep in mind that if you're using ssh instead of remote shell , just substitute the command "ssh" above everywhere you see "remsh".