[OpenAFS] Backup using Tape Library

[Steve Devine]

A reply to my own question so I can offer a summary.

Ok here is what I did to use Library Pro on Solaris 8 (Thanks to Lester
Barrows and FBO for the tip on mtx)
	download and install mtx from sourceforge.
	edit /kernel/drv/sgen.conf as such :
        device-type-config-list="changer";
	uncomment every line like this one:
        name="sgen" class="scsi"  ..... ;
	then boot -r
	give correct group permissions to /dev/changer or 	(/dev/scsi/changer )
so the backup user can read the
	changer device 
	Set up tape coordinator as described in CFG_devine_name man page
	Here I spent some wasted time trying to set it up to use the 	changer
device, rather than /dev/rmt/Xc. The only time I 
	had to reference the changer was in the script called by
	CFG_device_name. I used the mtx next command to swap tapes as 	needed.
There is much more it can do I am sure. The idea of 
	bar codes is interesting.
  
Thanks again to all who responded.
/sd



All
> We currently backup our servers via Sun boxes with individual AIT tape
> drives. I am converting one of our systems over to use a Overland Data
> Library Pro. Has any one out there had any experience with these? I am
> particularly interested in a script to mount and unmount tapes as
> needed. I am going to try it with the sample script in the man page
for
> CFG_device_name but I expect there may be someone with a better idea.
> Thanks in advance for the help.
> 
> > Library Pro. Has any one out there had any experience with these? I am
> > particularly interested in a script to mount and unmount tapes as
> > needed. I am going to try it with the sample script in the man page for
> > CFG_device_name but I expect there may be someone with a better idea.
> > Thanks in advance for the help.
> 
> Hi Steve,
> 
> I haven't tried this particular library, however the mtx package at
> http://mtx.sourceforge.net works great with an Exabyte EZ17 autoloader under 
> Linux ia32. They mention "at least Solaris 8" support on their page, and 
> claim to support large media libraries with multiple drives. A Solaris admin 
> here has used it successfully on (I believe) an Ultra 2. He's also using an 
> Exabyte EZ17, however it can't hurt to try.
> 
> The useage is fairly simple and self-explanatory, commands such as "mtx next", 
> "mtx inventory" and "mtx load 4" do pretty much what you would expect. I 
> personally use a script which keeps track of the drive number instead of 
> next, but if that information isn't useful to you then the "mtx next" command 
> should suffice with the example scripts.
> 
> One thing I've noticed with this software however, is that at least with the 
> EZ17 drives I need to do an "mt offline" before I unload the drive. This is 
> the case under both Solaris and Linux.
> 
> --
> Regards,
> 
> Lester Barrows
> Asani Solutions, LLC
> Code IC Systems Group
> NASA Ames Research Center
> 
> "Jura rapelcgvba vf bhgynjrq, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl."
> 
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> 
-- 
Steve Devine
Core Systems
Michigan State University