Re: Backups

[stick@richnet.net]

Stephen J. Carpenter said
> On Tue, Aug 04, 1998 at 11:22:29AM +0100, C.J.LAWSON wrote:
> > Hi,
> >    This is a bit off topic (and sorry I cannae answer any of your
> > questions) ... Is tar ever used for backing up and if not why not .. if it
> > is why is it not the defacto standard 
> > 
> > --Jonathan
> 
> Well...I use tar...
> 
[snipped testimonial]
> 
> I love tar it works great...
> 
I think that last phrase should be qualified.
I've had two instances where a physical error on the disk was not caught
by tar.  On both of those scenarios tar kept witting even though it was
not possible to restore past that point.

I had a client several years ago using tar on an Altos 15000 (?) (SCO UNIX)
this system was considered state-of-the-art for Altos at the time.  Image
how stupid everyone felt when the client came-up with over a months' worth
of backups that where half filled with nulls thanks to tar not catching
an error on the disk.

I don't use tar for backups anymore.  I use BRU2000 almost exclusively.
Though I do *some* backups using alternative technologies just to keep
my data safe...I don't think that all of our backups should rely on any
one technology - use magnetic and optical, tape and disk, IDE and SCSI,
etc.

> -Steve
> 
> -- 
> /* -- Stephen Carpenter <sjc@delphi.com> --- <sjc@debian.org>------------ */

Chuck

-- 
Chuck Stickelman, Owner			E-Mail:	<stick@richnet.net>
Practical Network Design		Voice:	+1-419-529-3841
9 Chambers Road				FAX:	+1-419-529-3625
Mansfield, OH 44906-1301 USA