Orion Poplawski wrote:
> 
> Just started testing with using software compression on the server 
> (trying not to impact the clients too much), and got the following result:

Advantageto doing some compression on the clients is that it saves you
network bandwidth.

> A lot of file systems were not backed up that could have been because 
> the planner rejected them.  I'd like to be able to operate in a mode 
> where it kept dumping until the tape was full, but then threw away 
> whatever was left (i.e. - no amflush -> inefficient use of another tape).

If you crank down dumpcycle in amanda.conf the program will do its best
to fit more on each tape.  If you crank it down too far you'll get daily
complaints about it having to delay backups but it'll still do what it can.
That's what I've done to maximize tape usage in my setup:
single 50Gb AIT tape/day, 300Gb to back up.  Tell it to manage full backups
of everything over 4 days of backups.
-- 
  Chris_Marble AT hmc DOT edu - HMC UNIX Systems Manager