On Wed, Oct 23, 2002 at 11:53:08AM -0400, Chad Morland wrote: > > > > I find that very strange considering that tar, dump and several > other > > > backup utilities support this. Amanda developers don't want to add > this > > > > Err, *can* dump/tar span a single *file* across tapes? I'm not sure. > A > > single filesystem -- sure. But a file? > > > > From the GNU tar manpage: > "Use --multi-volume (-M) on the command line, and then tar will, when it > reaches the end of the tape, prompt for another tape, and continue the > archive. Each tape will have an independent archive, and can be read > without needing the other. (As an exception to this, the *file* that tar > was archiving when it ran out of tape will usually be split between the > two archives.."
In a discussion of whether tar/dump/... can handle multiple volumes you forget one thing, generally those programs are not handling the tape themselves in an amanda backup. The dump has been made to a file with an amanda header and then transfered to the tape. Even when going "directly to the tape", the dumps are generally going through other programs like gzip and the indexer and ??? They are not writing to the tape itself. >From long ago discussion I recall that one of the biggest problems those that looked into multi-volume dumps was determining just exactly what part of the dump file actually made it successfully onto the tape. -- Jon H. LaBadie [EMAIL PROTECTED] JG Computing 4455 Province Line Road (609) 252-0159 Princeton, NJ 08540-4322 (609) 683-7220 (fax)
