Jim,
Well actually this message should have probably went to the list amanda-users@amanda.org, but since I am on both this list and that one, I will try to respond. I am by no means and "expert" on amanda, but we do use it. So here goes.
Amanda uses the no rewind device to write several files to one tape. It compresses the files from a file system using dump or tar or gtar or whatever YOU define that you want to use. With gtar you can define incremental dumps, that is what amanda does with gtar. Amanda creates a single file for each filesystem that you define. Amanda does NOT use tar, or gtar to write to the tape device. It only uses the tar or dump programs to bundle the filesystem into a single file that is then written to the tape devices. That is what allows amanda to use a holding disk for spooling or temporary storage if there is a problem with the tape device.
Regards
Steveb
According to Jim Sanford : :-) :-) I've just downloaded amanda in an effort to help me with a problem on an :-) HP. First off, I'm impressed with the product. However, my particular :-) problem is that HPUX wont recognize the norewind tape device for fbackup :-) (it's local backup utility) altho tar likes it just fine. :-) :-) My question then is, how does amanda use the HP norewind device? Am I :-) correct in presuming it just dumps tars/gtar to the device? How does it :-) handle incrementals? If I did a find . -mtime -1 | tar ..... I'd pick :-) up all the files created/modified within the last day but some of these :-) files would have the same names (eg .dt/... files) altho they'd reside :-) in different directories. Unless the path was hardcoded to each, they'd :-) overwrite each other on the tape, right? And if they path is hardcoded, :-) how could tey be restored to different directories? :-) :-) So is amanda just a client/server package layered onto gtar? :-) :-) Thanks :-) ********************************* :-) Jim Sanford :-) IS Department :-) Research Systems, Inc. :-) ********************************* :-)