Hi! Jon

> > define tapetype DDS-4-40{
> >  comment "DDS-4 PowerVault with compression"
> 
> Is this hardware compression?  If using software compression,
> the capacity is still to be listed as ~20GB.
> 

Yes! it is.  I think my PowerVault is configured to compress by hardware in a 
ratio of 2:1 (by default). I this case do you think  can I make use of these 
values? are these right?

> > DDS-4-20
> 
> I know dumptypes can include other dumptypes, but can tapetypes do so also.
> Besides, the speed would differ for HW compression on and off.  Then again,
> the speed value is unused, so what's it matter :)  I don't know if filemark
> size would change.

I saw something like these in my debian-amanda docs ... I will review it,
 
> > Do I suppose this will work properly?  Have anyone experience with DDS-4 
> > tapes and amanda?
> 
> Lots of people.

;-))

> > dumpcycle 0
> > runspercycle 2
> 
> Can you fit two runs into a zero size cycle?

I saw in the documentation that a dumpcycle value of 0 indicates to amanda run 
a full backup with every amdump. So I've tried to indicate to amanda " by 
rotating my 2 tapes you must to do a full backup every amdump".

I want that amanda warns by mail ... "needed tape Backup01 .... needed tape 
Backup02"  (rotated) and it does a full backup every amdump with every tape... 
how to accomplish this? 

> That is going to take a long time to convince your boss that amanda is 
> working.
> One run/week?   For testing/demo, why not run it nightly or business nightly?

while I haven't the rest of tapes I must to do backups not only for testing but 
"operative". I thinked that at least doing a weekly full backup are ok ... at 
the moment.

Best regards,