>   I'm curious about the way amanda backs up.  If I'm reading 
> the docs, 
> list and other resources correctly, AMANDA requires at least 
> 1 disklist 
> entry per partition being backed up.  It requires that you 

You generally only need more than one entry if you're dividing a disk into
small chunks to fit on your tape. 

> have a tape 
> per partition (not clear on this point as it would seem to 
> obliviate the 
> need for a non-rewinding device).

You need to change tapes between 'amdump' calls, or oftener if you set
runtapes > 1. 

> 
> Another part of my embattled mind is saying "no, don't be stupid! It 
> requires 1 entry per partition (or directory) in the disklist 
> file but 
> will append the backups as needed to the tape device until it 
> can't put 
> a particilar dump on it.  It will then go to the next tape 
> and start the 
> failed dump from the beginning."  

That is exactly what happens with runtapes > 1. Note that even if an amdump
uses only 1% of a tape, the next amdump will not append to it. This is a
feature to keep your backups from getting trashed. 

> 
> Also,  I currently am using a 7 tape changer (which I think I 
> have mtx 
> talking to nicely but with some small eccentricities).   I currently 
> have it setup as follows:
> 
> dumpcycle 1 week
> runspercycle 6
> tapecycle 7 tapes
> runtapes 1  #I'm thinking of upping this to 2 or 3
> tpchanger "chg-scsi"    # not sure about this yet

I had to write my own glue, but if you have mtx working, is there some
reason not to use chg-mtx? 

> tapedev "/dev/nst0"
> rawtapedev "/dev/null"
> changerdev "/dev/sg0"
> tapetype EXB-EZ17
> 
> where EXB-EZ17 is defined by:
> 
> define tapetype EXB-EZ17 {
>    comment "just produced by tapetype program"
>    length 18600 mbytes
>    filemark 623 kbytes
>    speed 2137 kps
> }
> 
> 
> The current plan is to set up the backups to run 1 full per week with 
> incrementals (yes, I know amanda does her own thing).  There are 

This doesn't make any sense, or is incomplete. Are you forcing fulls and
incrementals with multiple configurations, amadmin force, or just letting
AMANDA pick the backup levels as she is wont to do? It really makes sense to
trust AMANDA if at all possible. 

> currently three 7-tape containers available which I plan to 
> use to allow 
> off-site store for 1 container in rotation.  
>