Sys V and 8mm Tape Units

[Calvin Hayden]

Well, here goes again.  I have a Vax 8600 running AT&T Sys V,
Release 2 Version 2 (actually a port done by Uniq Digital).  I
just got in two 8mm tape drives for the system - for evaluation.
The drives emulate a tu81, and I have all drivers, etc...  If the
8mm's work ok, I will purchase, and use them for unattende
backups.  I have file systems ranging in size from 100,000 blocks
in size to 1,900,000 blocks.  Now, we have a 3rd shift man who
does all backups onto 2400ft, 6250bpi, 9track reels.

	1.  We do a nightly backup on certain file systems using
           find and cpio.  We do a weekly backup of certain ones
           using find and cpio.  Once a month, we do a monthly
	      of all using volcopy.  Each file system is backed up
           to a different set of tape reels - 1 fs per set.  We
           have had problems on tapes done with cpio when the 
           tape was unreadable(lost everything beyond that point).
           We have also had problems if volcopy could not recover
           from a tape error.  If we go 8mm, and continue to backup
           everything we do now - we will - I will have to 'stack'
           the backups on an 8mm tape (one fs after another).  If
           I do so, and the start of the tape is bad, everything
           beyond could be lost.  Question - based on the tools I
           have mentioned above, how would you do backups.  Is there
           a better way with the tools I have?

If you have suggestions as to how you would do backups with my
system, please email these to me.  Yes, I know I have quite a beast
here :^)  The file systems are backed up at a rate of 5/daily,
7/weekly, and 9/monthly.  Any suggestions appreciated, especially if
you have a configuration like mine!!!

Thanks in advance,

Calvin Hayden
Texas Instruments, Johnson City, Tn.    
Voice (615)461-2254
UUCP:  ...mcnc!rti!tijc02!{root,cgh018}