Hello,
> i'm sorry as this is definitely a newbie question, however, i don't have
> much experience with backup devices.
I understand. I recommend you pick up the book "unix backup and
restore". this book also has a HUGE section on amanda. This is the
same section online whose link can be found at http://www.amanda.org.
>
> i was recently appointed as UNIX admin here (no previous admins) and i began
> using my workstation with a 20/40 GB DAT drive as an amanda server to do
> simple network backups for a few of the mission-critical boxes (just to get
> something going).
Soooo, Thinking about giving that dat drive away? I probably can manage
with one... :)
>
> however, now i'd like to get serious and plug in the PowerStor L200 drive (8
> DLT Tapes) someone here bought over a year ago that's just been sitting
> around and start doing some "real" backup stuff. my question is, however,
> what would be the device name for the multi-tape changer under linux. will
> it remain /dev/[n]st0 or will it change to something else?
Seriously, it depends. I assume both the new and old drives are scsi.
if you plug in the new drive onto the scsi chain with the old one,
/dev/[n]st0 will point to the drive with the lowest scsi id number.
/dev/[n]st1 will point the higher scsi device id.
If you replace the old drive entirely with the new one, (same id
perhaps), then /dev/[n]st0 will point for certain at the new drive.
the bootup messages, messages logfile, and "dmesg" will show you what
device the kernel has assigned to your tape drives. Here's the output
from my dmesg command:
st: bufsize 32768, wrt 30720, max buffers 5, s/g segs 16.
Detected scsi tape st0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 4, lun 0
I would be tempted to put the new drive on the chain with the old one
and set its scsi device id higher than the old one. this way you can
still run backups on the old drive without changing your current
configuration. After that, build an entirely new amanda configuration
for the new drive.
Remember the value of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
> again, sorry this is so basic.
This is not basic. it is a relatively painless process, however.
After you install the new drive, spend some time testing it, including
scripts to change to different tapes, what device settings turn off and
on compression etc.
>
> does anyone else have an L200 that would possibly be willing to post their
> chg-multi settings (or not)?
the tapetype settings for your particular tape cartridges should be
pretty easy to find on the tapetype list in the faq-o-matic. I do hope
someone here has that tape drive type for controlling the more advanced
features of your drive.
> thanks in advance for any assistance.
You are welcome. I hope this helps...
>
> Highest Regards,
>
> Edwin R. Rivera
> UNIX Administrator
> Tel: +1 305 894 4609
> Fax: +1 305 894 4799
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jason Brooks ~ (503) 641-3440 x1861
Direct ~ (503) 924-1861
System / Network Administrator
Wind River Systems
8905 SW Nimbus ~ Suite 255
Beaverton, Or 97008
