How to put more than one tar file on a tape

kaplan71 · 05-01-2009, 12:12 PM

Hi there --

I have two directories that I would like to back up to tape using tar. I need to keep them as separate files. What would be the correct command syntax to use in order to have two separate tar files on a single tape? Thanks.

miedward · 05-01-2009, 02:24 PM

There are two tape devices (possibly more?) one of which rewinds first and the other doesn't.

tar czvf /dev/st0 *

This rewinds before executing

tar czvf /dev/nst0 *

This does not rewind.

Now, in either case, if you put multiple files in they will stay multiple files on the tape. At least they will become multiple files again when untared...

jlinkels · 05-01-2009, 07:25 PM

They are two separate files on tape as well. You can read them back separately. In order to do this you have to proceed to the second dataset using the mt command on /dev/nst0.

jlinkels