Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!auspex!guy
From: guy@auspex.auspex.com (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: A couple of questions about HP-UX DAT drive usage
Message-ID: <4135@auspex.auspex.com>
Date: 3 Oct 90 01:42:30 GMT
Organization: Auspex Systems, Santa Clara
Lines: 16

1) DAT has the notion of a "setmark" as well as a file mark, probably
   introduced by folks who think tapes are composed of file sets, with
   file marks between the files and setmarks between the sets.  (UNIX
   doesn't play the game that way.)

   Does HP-UX write filemarks between files (e.g., between "tar" or
   "cpio" archives), or setmarks?

   Is there a consensus among UNIX vendors as to which to use, or is it
   every vendor for itself?

2) Does HP-UX run DAT drives in fixed-block mode or variable-block mode
   (i.e., does it turn on the Fixed Size bit in SCSI Read and Write
   commands)?  If it's fixed-block mode, is there a default blocksize?

   Is there any consensus amoung UNIX vendors here?