Thanks in advance Jon.   
... Jon replied....(snip)

Done  --> get your library installed according to manufacturer's and Sun's 
instructions
          on the system you plan to use as the backup server (tapehost)
         (if on installed on a newer Solaris system, some prefer to use the

         sgen driver for the changer instead of the mt driver - see docs.sun.com
         btw - amanda doesn't need the newest and fastest system you have)
UGH. -->  get your drive(s) functioning with commands like mt, dd, tar, ufsdump

Now on list --> get a copy of mtx, and get it functioning to control your 
changer
 on my list-> get a copy of gnutar (not Sun's tar, not the Companion CD gnutar),
              but version 1.13.19 or 1.13.25

done ---> visit amanda.org
done ---> read the online chapter of Backup and Recovery pointed to there.
done --->  get the software from the pointer on amanda.org
a) -----> build a complete version on your tapehost, install it there and get it
          backing up the tapehost alone -- one or two file systems to start
b) -----> build and install client versions on your other systems
c) -----> add them 1 or 2 file systems from 1 or 2 clients at a time to the 
total backup
d) -----> test that you can do restores and recoveries
e) -----> sit back and enjoy your new maintenance-free software system


a) Thought THIS was next step

b,c,d,e  were what I thought next steps were.

You mean I really have to dump stuff to tape. Ugh.  (oh well...)

Mitch