Copying Files to a Remote Tape Device

How to Copy Files to a Remote Tape Device (tar and dd)

1. Configure ssh on the remote system so that you can access the tape drive. See Configuring Secure Shell (Tasks) in Oracle Solaris 11.1 Administration: Security Services.
2. Change to the directory where you want to put the files.
3. Insert the tape into the tape drive.
4. Copy the files to a remote tape drive.

   $ tar cvf - filenames | ssh remote-host dd of=/dev/rmt/n obs=block-size

   tar cf

   Creates a tape archive, lists the files as they are archived, and specifies the tape device.

   v

   Provides additional information about the tar file entries.

   - (Hyphen)

   Represents a placeholder for the tape device.

   filenames

   Identifies the files to be copied. Separate multiple files with spaces.

   ssh | remote-host

   Pipes the tar command's output to a remote system.

   dd of= /dev/rmt/n

   Represents the output device.

   obs=block-size

   Represents the blocking factor.

5. Remove the tape from the drive. Write the names of the files on the tape label.

Example 17-10 Copying Files to a Remote Tape Drive (tar and dd)

# tar cvf - * | ssh mercury dd of=/dev/rmt/0 obs=126b
password:
a answers/ 0 tape blocks
a answers/test129 1 tape blocks
a sc.directives/ 0 tape blocks
a sc.directives/sc.190089 1 tape blocks
a tests/ 0 tape blocks
a tests/test131 1 tape blocks
6+9 records in
0+1 records out

How to Extract Files From a Remote Tape Device

1. Insert the tape into the tape drive.
2. Change to a temporary directory.

   $ cd /var/tmp

3. Extract the files from a remote tape device.

   $ ssh remote-host dd if=/dev/rmt/n | tar xvBpf -

   ssh remote-host

   Indicates a secure shell that is started to extract the files from the tape device by using the dd command.

   dd if=/dev/rmt/n

   Indicates the input device.

   | tar xvBpf -

   Pipes the output of the dd command to the tar command, which is used to restore the files.

4. Verify that the files have been extracted.

   $ ls -l

Example 17-11 Extracting Files From a Remote Tape Drive

$ cd /var/tmp
$ ssh mercury dd if=/dev/rmt/0 | tar xvBpf -
password:
x answers/, 0 bytes, 0 tape blocks
x answers/test129, 48 bytes, 1 tape blocks
20+0 records in
20+0 records out
x sc.directives/, 0 bytes, 0 tape blocks
x sc.directives/sc.190089, 77 bytes, 1 tape blocks
x tests/, 0 bytes, 0 tape blocks
x tests/test131, 84 bytes, 1 tape blocks
$ ls -l