Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!umich!vela!srodawa From: srodawa@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Ron Srodawa) Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix.sco Subject: Re: Best way to backup SCO Xenix/UNIX Keywords: backup unix xenix sco Message-ID: <5664@vela.acs.oakland.edu> Date: 6 Apr 91 02:43:52 GMT References: <3599@sixhub.UUCP> <1991Apr3.121959.627@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca> Reply-To: srodawa@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Ron Srodawa) Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI Lines: 44 In article <1991Apr3.121959.627@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca> curt@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca (Curt J. Sampson) writes: >I think that cpio is the best of the standard utilities for backup for >the following reasons: > > - you can store all of your files on one tape (if they fit) > - your backups are completely independent of your partitioning > scheme > - you can easily choose which files you want to back up > - you can easily restore single files (which is good when you have > users who are a little trigger-happy with the delete command and > come whining to you afterwards :-)) I wholeheartedly agree! I just went through the grief of restructuring my system and ended up rebuilding it from scratch because I learned from the tough teacher--experience--some of these same points. cpio is indeed the best way to go. The 2.3.3 version even has the K option to stop at the end of each tape. Be sure to add cpio (and lots of other things) to the bootable floppy you of course will remember to build. It isn't there by default. Build two floppies while you're at it..they are indispensible. Be sure to do the suggested find . rather than find / trick. I didn't and couldn't process the cpio tapes I had which is one reason I had to start all over from scratch. Cpio is extremely flexible. If you use the -c option, systems other than Xenix can process the files. This is especially useful when your Xenix box has big brothers down the hall. I am backing up to a tapedrive on a machine down the hall with something like.. cpio -oBcK | rcmd "dd obs=10 > /dev/rmt0" This even allows reel changes during the backup. Because my "real" backups are taken over the network, I plan to, "any day now", take one set of root backups on floppies just so I can restore without the grief or rebuilding from the distribution diskettes. Ron. -- | Ronald J. Srodawa | Internet: srodawa@vela.oakland.edu | | School of Engineering and CS | UUCP: srodawa@vela.UUCP | | Oakland University | Voice: (313) 370-2247 | | Rochester, Michigan 48309-4401 | |