Simon,

This is a good suggestion, and I may implement it if no other solution
presents itself. However, I think the problem still remains in that I
still have to create a separate policy with the new volume pool defined;
I don't see any flags for choosing the volume pool from bparchive. And
then I still have the problem of different systems having different
files/directories to back up. 

Also, until I were sure of the needed capacity (which may vary wildly),
I would not know how many tapes to initially and subsequently put into
the volume pool; too many and I run into the wasted space problem as the
system may scatter-gun the archives over as many tapes as are available,
too few and I don't have enough room for the backups (but I suppose that
problem still exists with any pool). 

Thanks for the the idea, tho. I still might be able to work with it.

....k
-=-=-=-
   

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Simon Tetelbaum [mailto:simont AT mitre DOT org] 
> Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 1:01 PM
> To: Kevin Freels
> Cc: veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
> Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] Specifying tapes for archives, 
> multiple systems, and multiple archives
> 
> Rather than try to write to one tape, why not create another 
> volume pool. You can add however many tapes you think are 
> necessary to that pool (i guess 1, in your case), and create 
> an archive schedule that writes to that pool for each of the 
> relevant policies. Then you can simply use the -p and -s 
> flags in bparchive to have the same effect.
> 
> -Simon Tetelbaum
> 
> >Greetings!
> >
> >I have a question, but actually in three parts.
> >
> >We would like to set up permanent off-site archives from multiple 
> >systems/policies executed from the command line, but only a 
> few of the 
> >policies would actually fill a tape to a capacity worth actually 
> >removing it from on-site. Most of the archives are only a 
> few gig, not 
> >even coming close to the capacity of the LTO-1 tapes. I've 
> checked the 
> >NB SysAdmin guide, but bparchive does not seem to have a 
> flag for this.
> >It would be a shame, not to mention expensive, to send tapes out 
> >forever with empty space. So, with that in mind....
> >
> >1) Is there a way to specify a particular media to back up to? Can I 
> >pick a tape to media archives to?
> >
> >2) If so, is there a way to specify multiple policies on a single 
> >archive media? 'yes' to #1 would really answer that.
> >
> >3) Is there a way to ensure that a single archive will be 
> written to a 
> >single tape, assuming the capacity of the media allows that 
> (i.e., not 
> >starting the archive on a media that already has another archive or 
> >possibly even normal backup on it? Again, 'yes' above on #1 would 
> >really answer that, as well.
> >
> >I considered a creating a policy-zilla where all my archives were in 
> >one big fat policy, but a) there are a multitude of different 
> >files/directories between the systems to archive, and b) 
> it's just not 
> >sexy. Plus, I'm not sure it guarantees my archives are still on one 
> >tape, even without the multiple streams checked.
> >
> >Thanks to all for any info (and for previous help on other topics!).
> >
> >....k
> >-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-==-
> >Kevin Freels                         kfreels AT askjeeves DOT com
> >Senior UNIX SysAdmin                          510.985.7444
> >Ask Jeeves                                         ask.com
> >"We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well and live."
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Veritas-bu maillist  -  Veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu 
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> >  
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
>