Re: Direct Unload to Tape Drives

jkwajee@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (James A. Kolodziej) writes - > we need to unload large database tables to perform various system admin > functions. We usually can go to disk then reload from the disk file later. > > However, some of our tables are too big to dump to the available disk space > in the file system. We'd like to be able to dump to a tape (reel to reel) > and seem able to do this if the file can fit on a single reel. However, > we have not been able to figure out how to dump to a multi-reel tape. How 'bout making a pipe device and doing the dump to the pipe ? Then read off the other end of the pipe using cpio(1) and have cpio write to the (several) tapes required ? You have to indicate that the pipe is a tape of very large size in the setup info. To do the reload, have the restore process read off the pipe. Write into the other end of the pipe by using cpio to read the (several) tapes. Alternatively (much cleaner but more expensive), slap the stuff straight on to a 2GB Exabyte or one of the 10+ GByte tapes that are out there - or does "too big" really mean TOO BIG, as in >> 10GB ? I know this isn't the answer to your question, but after spending ages backing systems to multiple magtapes I'd go for one big one if at all possible. > Reply by email. CC'd to the list in case anyone gives me any useful info/abuse. Happy Christmas folks. Cheers - Tony. __________________________________________________________________________ Tony Heskett th@bnr.co.uk Voice: (+44) 279 429531 x 2637 BNR, London Road, Harlow, Essex, CM17 9NA Fax: (+44) 279 454187