[SunRescue] External case w/4MM tape unit

[Daniel Debow Southwick]

If you really have time to waste, and your just dying to 'format' those
tapes type "mt erase". Then while the tape drive is chewing for a few
hours you can do anything you want on your SSLX. I just do a "mt rewind"
and run my backups. If you really want to get a the best backups take your
system down to single user mode and make sure the non essental slices are
unmounted. Then dump the slices to tape with the verify switch ( man your 
version of DUMP/UFSDUMP ). Have fun!

Dan


On Fri, 19 May 2000, Sheldon T. Hall wrote:

> On Friday, May 19, 2000 1:48 AM, Eric Ozrelic wrote:
> 
> > I recently aquired a Sun 411 case with a 4MM tape backup drive. I hooked
> > it up to my trusty SSLX running the newest install of NetBSD.
> 
> [snip]
> 
> > What I need to know is how do I check to see what size this tape drive is 
> ...
> 
> I'd open the case and see what make/model the actual drive is, then check a 
> website or two.
> 
> > ... how do I format new tapes ...
> 
> I haven't had to format mine, so I suspect that DDS tapes don't need 
> formatting at all.  Mine's an HP SureStore Tape 5000, which writes 2 gigs 
> on DDS2 90 meter tapes.
> 
> > how do I read/write to this tape, etc... Do I need some specialized tape 
> backup
> > software or can I just mount the device and pretend it's a disk?
> 
> I just use dump, or the Solaris equivalent.  Here's my little backup 
> script:
> 
> 
> #!/bin/sh
> 
> # A script using UFSDUMP to backup the filesystems specified on the command 
> line
> #
> # Basic script by Logan Shaw, "enhancements" by Sheldon T. Hall (8-18-99)
> 
> PATH="/usr/bin:/usr/sbin"
> 
> case $# in
> 0) echo "Usage: `basename $0` filesystem [filesystem ...]"
>    echo "       Backs up to the DDS tape the filesystem(s) specified, 
> using"
>    echo "       ufsdump at the dump level specified in the environment 
> variable"
>    echo "       LEVEL.  Defaults to dump level 0, i.e. complete backup."
>    echo "       Other environment variables used are:"
>    echo "           TAPE   - Tape drive, defaults to /dev/rmt/0n"
>    exit 1 ;;
> *)        ;;    # OK
> esac
> 
> # A Logging function so we can look like the big boys.
> 
> log ()
> {
>         /bin/logger -p user.err -t "`/bin/basename $0`" $1
> }
> 
> TAPE=${TAPE:-/dev/rmt/0n} ; export TAPE
> LEVEL=${LEVEL:-0} ; export LEVEL
> 
> msg1="System backup starting; save your work and log out now."
> msg2="System backup in progress; logins prohibited.  Try again later."
> 
> log "Starting level $LEVEL backup of $@"
> 
> # Disable non-console logins, alert the users.
> 
> echo "$msg2" > /etc/nologin
> if who
>    then
>         echo "$msg1" | wall -a
>         sleep 60
> fi
> 
> # Actually do the work
> 
> for fs in "$@"
> do
>         mt status
>         sync ; ufsdump "$LEVEL"acuf /etc/dump.TOC "$TAPE" "$fs"
>         echo
> done
> 
> # Re-enable non-console logins
> 
> rm -f /etc/nologin
> 
> # Check the tape and spit it out
> 
> mt status
> mt offline
> 
> # Do some clever logging
> 
> sed 's/               / level /g' < /etc/dumpdates > /tmp/dumpdates # 15 
> spaces
> log "Level $LEVEL dump complete:"
> log "-f /tmp/dumpdates"
> rm -f /tmp/dumpdates
> 
> # Done
> 
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