Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!gatech!psuvax1!psuvm!kjb6
From: KJB6@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: MULTIPLE TAPE BACKUPS
Message-ID: <91078.083040KJB6@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 19 Mar 91 13:30:40 GMT
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 20

I have to do multiple backups to a tape.     Being in a university environment,
 some of the students files are growing quit large. I have done the following
commands and they seem to be working fine most of the time:

    mt -t /dev/nrtape  rewind
    mt -t /dev/nrtape  feom   --- go to the end of data on the tape
    mt -t /dev/nrtape  status --- mark where to start archiving
    bru -cvf /dev/nrtape  $filename

I have a few questions: 1). How to tell when running out of space on the tape.
I am using blank tapes but I do not the exact size of them. Does bru know enoug
h when it needs a new tape? 2). What is the difference between /dev/nrtape and
/dev/tape? nrtape stands for "no rewind" I think, but what does that mean?

Has anyone else ever done this type of backups before, and if so, does this
script of mine look OK?

 Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

 Ken