Scott: /* Moving data directly from a tape drive to a remote host */

2011-02-02T23:32:39Z

Moving data directly from a tape drive to a remote host

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== Setup ==
On Red Hat systems, install the <code>mt-st</code> package to get the <code>mt</code> command.

== Usage ==
If you refer to the tape drive as /dev/st0, it will automatically rewind after the command has finished. Refer to it as /dev/nst0 if you don't want it to rewind.

To see where you are on the tape:
<pre>
mt -f /dev/nst0 status
</pre>

To explicitly rewind the tape:
<pre>
mt -f /dev/st0 rewind
</pre>

To skip ahead to the next record:
<pre>
mt -f /dev/nst0 fsf
</pre>

To copy data to the tape:
<pre>
tar cf /dev/st0 /etc
</pre>

To read data from the tape (and write to disk):
<pre>
tar xf /dev/st0
</pre>

To erase the tape:
<pre>
mt -f /dev/st0 erase
</pre>

To eject the tape:
<pre>
mt -f /dev/st0 eject
</pre>

Other <code>mt</code> options that may or may not work:
* <code>fsf</code> - Forward space count files. The tape is positioned on the first block of the next file.
* <code>fsfm</code> - Forward space count files. The tape is positioned on the last block of the previous file.
* <code>bsf</code> - Backward space count files. The tape is positioned on the last block of the previous file.
* <code>bsfm</code> - Backward space count files. The tape is positioned on the first block of the next file.

== Moving data directly from a tape drive to a remote host ==
On the remote host (assuming barney can access the tape drive on koala):
<pre>
tar --rsh-command=/usr/bin/ssh -xf barney@koala:/dev/st0
</pre>
(or xzf if the tape is compressed)

How to use a tape drive - Revision history

Scott: /* Moving data directly from a tape drive to a remote host */