You specify a tape or diskette to use for backup by supplying a logical device name. This name points to the subdirectory that contains the “raw” device file and includes the logical unit number of the drive. Tape drive naming conventions use a logical, not a physical, device name. The following table shows this naming convention.
Table 52–2 Basic Device Names for Backup Devices
Device Type |
Name |
---|---|
Tape |
/dev/rmt/n |
Diskette |
/vol/dev/rdiskette0/unlabeled |
In general, you specify a tape device as shown in the following figure.
If you don't specify the density, a tape drive typically writes at its “preferred” density. The preferred density usually means the highest density the tape drive supports. Most SCSI drives can automatically detect the density or format on the tape and read it accordingly. To determine the different densities that are supported for a drive, look at the /dev/rmt subdirectory. This subdirectory includes the set of tape device files that support different output densities for each tape.
Also, a SCSI controller can have a maximum of seven SCSI tape drives.
Normally, you specify a tape drive by its logical unit number, which can run from 0 to n. The following table describes how to specify tape device names with a rewind or a no rewind option.
Table 52–3 Specifying Rewind or No-Rewind for a Tape Drive
Drive and Rewind Value |
Use This Option |
---|---|
First drive, rewind |
/dev/rmt/0 |
First drive, no rewind |
/dev/rmt/0n |
Second drive, rewind |
/dev/rmt/1 |
Second drive, no rewind |
/dev/rmt/1n |
By default, the drive writes at its “preferred” density, which is usually the highest density the tape drive supports. If you do not specify a tape device, the command writes to drive number 0 at the default density the device supports.
To transport a tape to a system whose tape drive supports only a certain density, specify a device name that writes at the desired density. The following table describes how to specify different densities for a tape drive.
Table 52–4 Specifying Different Densities for a Tape Drive
Drive, Density, and Rewind Value |
Use This Option |
---|---|
First drive, low density, rewind |
/dev/rmt/0l |
First drive, low density, no rewind |
/dev/rmt/0ln |
Second drive, medium density, rewind |
/dev/rmt/1m |
Second drive, medium density, no rewind |
/dev/rmt/1mn |
The additional density values are shown in Backup Device Names.