Re: Onstream ADR50 Block Size

Hi Dick, we are using the Onstream AD50 with amanda without problems, we use 32k blocks.
We always let the backup runs go to the holding disk and after a few days we issue an amflush,
this works well for us.

I think that people are right about the pause problem, when we first tried to do "live" backup runs,
the backups were unreliable.

Here snippets from my configs:

stinit.def

manufacturer=OnStream model="ADR50 Drive" {
scsi2logical=1
can-bsr can-partitions auto-lock
mode1 blocksize=32768 compression=0
}

amanda.conf

tapedev "/dev/nst1" # LOWER DRIVE
##OnStream ADR50 Tape specification (50/25 GB Tape)
define tapetype ADR50 {
comment "Tape type generated"
length 21056 mbytes
filemark 0 kbytes
speed 1579 kps
#lbl-templ "/etc/amanda/labels/DIN-A4-XIC.ps"
}

Roger Grant

owner-amanda-users AT amanda DOT org wrote on 04/11/2003 04:33:12 AM: > Gene, > > Based on your "guess" (which was very good!) I did a little Google > searching and found that the osst driver is indeed a special driver for > Onstream drives. Regretably, it is Onstream SC drives, not ADR drives. > > I also found a site which says ADR50 drives will only read/write in 32k > blocks *period*. > > I must assume this is sdaly the case unless anyone can dispute this. > > I would just like to know if anyone else out there is using an ADR50 on > Linux and if so, what you did (or why it works for you). > > Thanks again, > Dick > > > >Gene, > > > > > >Thank you for your reply, but I don't fully understand... > > > > > >What do you mean "use the device intended, not /dev/nst0"? > > > > > >On my machine /dev/nst0 is major device 9, minor 128: > > > > > >ls -l /dev/nst0 > > >crw-rw---- 1 root disk 9, 128 Aug 30 2002 /dev/nst0 > > > > > >Are you suggesting that /dev/st0 is the device and /dev/nst0 is > > > not? > > > > > >Thanks, > > >Dick > > > > > >> >On Fri, Apr 11, 2003 at 01:15:26AM -0000, rwk AT americom DOT com > > >> > > >> enlightened us: > > >> >> I am trying to run amanda 2.4.2 on Linux RH8.0 using an > > >> >> Onstream ADR50 drive. > > >> >> > > >> >> I am having problems and I have tracked it down to a variable > > >> >> block size issue. for example, if I do the following: > > >> >> > > >> >> mt -f /dev/nst0 setblk 0 > > >> > > > >> >My device for this drive is /dev/nosst0, not /dev/nst0. Could > > >> > that be the problem? > > > > I was referring to the above line wherein you used "/dev/nosst0", > > and the extra 'os' in the middle of the name triggered my memory > > about all the problems OnStream drives were about a year or more > > ago. At one point we were recommending they be returned for > > credit. We didn't have that device then, but do now, and I assumed > > the os meant they were specially coded to deal with those drives. > > > > If thats not the case, then please ignore me as thats my best shot. > > Ah, I understand now! I do have a device on on my system named nosst0 > but it is not attached to a driver. If you are correct (and you may > very well be) then I would need to understand how to get Linux to > associate the special Onstream driver with this device. > > Anyone able to suggest how I might do this (or confirm that this is a > productive path)? > > Thanks again for your help! > > > I'm reminded of one wags definition of an expert, as being "someone > > more than 50 miles from home and carrying a briefcase". I'm > > neither, just a user. :) > > > > >> I'd not think so Matt. While I have no first hand knowledge > > >> about that /dev/nosst0 device, but my *SWAG says that devices > > >> useage will call in some code to deal with the OnStream drives, > > >> some of which have been what we could call 'problem children' in > > >> the past. Thats based on the added 'os' for OnStream in the > > >> devices english language nameing. > > >> > > >> Besides if I was going to do a setblk 0, to me it would makes > > >> ense to use the device intended, not /dev/nst0. > > >> > > >> However, this is all just a *Scientific Wild Assed Guess, and I > > >> could well be full of it... Ymmv in other words :) > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Cheers, Gene > > >> AMD K6-III@500mhz 320M > > >> Athlon1600XP@1400mhz 512M > > >> 99.26% setiathome rank, not too shabby for a WV hillbilly > > >> Yahoo.com attornies please note, additions to this message > > >> by Gene Heskett are: > > >> Copyright 2003 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved. > > > > -- > > Cheers, Gene > > AMD K6-III@500mhz 320M > > Athlon1600XP@1400mhz 512M > > 99.26% setiathome rank, not too shabby for a WV hillbilly > > Yahoo.com attornies please note, additions to this message > > by Gene Heskett are: > > Copyright 2003 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved. > >