Configuring Backup Devices

Set the appropriate parameters to set backup devices.

AIX lets you configure tape devices for either fixed or variable length block mode. Sybase IQ BACKUP only supports variable-length devices.

Use the following command to display the block mode for a tape device:

% mt -f <tape device> status

For example:

mt -f /dev/rmt0.1 status

rmt0 Available 00-07-A1-1,0 5.0 GB 8mm Tape Drive
attribute     value description                      user_settable
mode          yes   Use DEVICE BUFFERS during writes True
block_size    0     BLOCK size (0=variable length)   True
extfm         no    Use EXTENDED file marks          True
density_set_1 140   DENSITY setting #1               True
density_set_2 20    DENSITY setting #2               True
compress      yes   Use data COMPRESSION             True

The value for block_size is 0. This tape drive is in variable-length block mode. A non-zero value indicates fixed length block mode, which IQ backup does not support.

See System Administration Guide Volume: 1 > Data Backup, Recovery, and Archiving for more information.