Copy files from Disk To Tape

[Henry_86]

Hello,

I need to copy some files fron disk to tape in order to save some space in the disk and not to lose data.

My files reside in path:

DSA12:[SMSC_FILES.TRAFFIC_LOG.ARCHIVE_2005]

My tape is not mounted is online:
$1$MKA200:

How can I list the files in the tape in order to be sure that files are copied successfully.


OpenVMS Version V7.3-1, Server DSA15

Thank you

[Uwe Zessin · Accepted solution]

I would put the files in a BACKUP saveset so they keep their date&time and record formats.

Assuming that there is no data on the tape you want to keep:
$ initialize $1$MKA200: A2005
$ mount /foreign $1$MK200:
$ backup DSA12:[SMSC_FILES.TRAFFIC_LOG.ARCHIVE_2005]*.*;* -
$1$MKA200:A2005.BCK /label=A2005 /verify
$ dismount /nounload $1$MKA200:

To list the contents:
$ mount /foreign /nowrite $1$MKA200:
$ backup /log /list $1$MKA200:*.BCK
$ dismount /unload $1$MKA200:

You can enhance the save operation with qualifiers like:
/BLOCK_SIZE=32256 /MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION

If you want the tape drive to compress your data, I think you need to tell it from the first command:
$ initialize /MEDIA_FORMAT=COMPACTION $1$MKA200: A2005

[Karl Rohwedder]

Henry,

normally you would use the BACKUP utility to create a so-called saveset on the tape containing your files.

The command would look like:
$ BACKUP/LOG/VERIFY/LIST=listfile DSA12:[SMSC_FILES.TRAFFIC_LOG.ARCHIVE_2005]*.* $1$MKA200:savesetname.BCK/SAVE [...]

[...] means additional qualifier to specify tape density, compressionmode...

I would strongly recommend a look in the appropriate manuals.

To list the contents of the tape you can mount it privately:

$ mount $1$MKA200: /Over=ID
$ DIR $1$MKA200:*.*

If you used BACKUP to create the tape, you check the contents of the savesets with:
$ MOUNT/FOREIGN $1$MKA200:
$ BACKUP/LIST $1$MKA200:*.*

If you very new to VMS you can also use the Backupmanager, which is a menu driven interface to BACKUP:

$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:BACKUP$MANAGER

regards Kalle

[Antoniov.]

Henry,
Uwe & Karl help you with best practise.
You can type
$ HELP BACKUP
for furthermore information.
Just for talking, 1.st example of Uwe (he forget /SAVE after .BCK) has /VERIFY qualifier; this means backup check for written data.
Don't forget, when you backup, nobody has to write on files of
DSA12:[SMSC_FILES.TRAFFIC_LOG.ARCHIVE_2005]

Antonio Vigliotti

[Uwe Zessin]

No, I did not forget it. A filespecification to a local tape drive is implicitly treated as a save-set - see
$ HELP BACKUP /SAVE_SET

[Henry_86]

Thank you.