[comp.os.vms] BACKUP

jeh@crash.CTS.COM (Jamie Hanrahan) (09/15/87)

In article <885*kenw@noah.arc.cdn> kenw@noah.arc.CDN (Ken Wallewein) writes:
> ... (several lines omitted) ...
>   Backup can be frustrating :-)

Hey, it's a lot batter than DSC2, not to mention Standalone DSC2!  
(Those of you who don't know what I'm talking about must have started 
to use VMS after V2.2, or was it 2.3 when BACKUP was first shipped?  
Anyway, be *grateful* you don't know...)

thornton@topo.UUCP (Ron Thornton) (03/09/88)

In article <262@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU> fsimmons@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Frank Simmons) writes:
> Is it possible with the BACKUP command and its qualifiers to obtain a 
> listing of ALL save sets on a volume? Heretofore I have been re-issuing
> the $ BACKUP/LIST MUA0: command for every save set.

BACKUP creates a labeled format tape.  Do a normal mount of the tape (i.e.
leave off the /FOREIGN and supply the volume label) and get a directory listing
of the tape using your standard DCL directory command.  Just like disk based
save sets, you will find the file names are your save set names.

	-Ron-

nagy%warner.hepnet@LBL.GOV (Frank J. Nagy, VAX Wizard & Guru) (03/14/88)

In article <262@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU> fsimmons@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Frank Simmons)
 writes:
> Is it possible with the BACKUP command and its qualifiers to obtain a
> listing of ALL save sets on a volume? Heretofore I have been re-issuing
> the $ BACKUP/LIST MUA0: command for every save set.
     
Yes, just do

	$ BACKUP /LIST	MUA0:*

Another hint:

	$ BACKUP /LIST=NLA0:	MUA0:*

is a good way to test if your backup tape is readable (at least) without
having to do a /VERIFY due to time constraints.  However, even BACKUP
/LIST isn't terribly fast.

= Frank J. Nagy   "VAX Guru & Wizard"
= Fermilab Research Division EED/Controls
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fsimmons@UB.D.UMN.EDU (Frank Simmons) (03/18/88)

I appreciate your remarks concerning BACKUP. Indeed, due to all the replies
I have received, I have learned a good deal about the parameters associated
with BACKUP. This has led me to a broader question: Is it possible to manage
tapes sensibly on VMS?  I used a CDC Cyber for many years and I cannot find
anything under VMS to approach the LABEL command under NOS.  In general, I
am concerned about the issue of security and device allocation and deallocation.
Have you addressed these issues in your shop, or do you know of anything
on the DECUS tapes or commercially available that addresses this issue?

Thanks for your help

Frank Simmons

I7100501@DBSTU1.BITNET (Eckart Meyer) (03/21/88)

In article <262@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU> fsimmons@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Frank Simmons)
 writes:
> Is it possible with the BACKUP command and its qualifiers to obtain a
> listing of ALL save sets on a volume? Heretofore I have been re-issuing
> the $ BACKUP/LIST MUA0: command for every save set.

Did you try $ BACKUP/LIST MUA0:*.* ?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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IMHW400@INDYVAX.BITNET (03/23/88)

Frank Simmons writes:

>             This has led me to a broader question: Is it possible to manage
>tapes sensibly on VMS?  I used a CDC Cyber for many years and I cannot find
>anything under VMS to approach the LABEL command under NOS.

The answer to your question is "no".  MTAACP seems to be designed for a
shop consisting of four or five guys who are friendly and cooperative, and
have offices or workbenches in the same room with the machine.  Cyber gurus
aren't the only ones who find VMS lacking in this area:  our site also runs
a DECSYSTEM20 whose labelled-tape subsystem is five to ten years ahead of
VMS'.

>                                                             In general, I am
>concerned about the issue of security and device allocation and deallocation.

You should be:  anybody can override tape label "security" at any time.
We take the approach used by a certain other vendor:  we just don't tell
our users how to do it.

>Have you addressed these issues in your shop, or do you know of anything
>on the DECUS tapes or commercially available that addresses this issue?

I wish I did.  The extent of our efforts here has been to build a (rather
hokey) tape staging system that feeds our backup jobs.  (It would be
interesting to know why BACKUP seems purposely designed *not* to be able
to run reliably in batch.  System backup is *not* an interactive task.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The good news is that there are believable rumors of significant improvement
in tape handling for a future unmentionable release.  I have heard that
a tape management system will be available as a layered product, and our
site is waiting impatiently to see what it turns out to be.  The rumors
also speak of improvements in the base system, including BACKUP.
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