Hello everyone,

I recognize that this isn't really related to Amanda, but I thought
I'd see if anyone has a good trick...

A number of DLEs in my Amanda configuration have a huge number of
small files (sometimes hardlinks and symlinks, sometimes just copies)
- often times in the millions.  Of course this is a class corner case and
these DLEs can take a very long time to backup/restore.

Currently, they are mostly using dump (which will usually report
1-3MiB/s throughput).  Is there a possible performance advantage to using
tar instead?

On some of our installations I have bumped up the data timeouts.  I've
got one as high as 5400 seconds.  I suspect a reasonable maximum is
very installation dependant, but if anyone has thoughts, I'd love to
hear them.

Thanks for any ideas!

-- 
Ross Vandegrift
ross AT kallisti DOT us

"The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who
make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians
have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine
man in the bonds of Hell."
        --St. Augustine, De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37