(tar) Media

Info Catalog

(tar) Formats

(tar) Top

(tar) Free Software Needs Free Documentation

 
 Tapes and Other Archive Media
 *****************************
 
      _(This message will disappear, once this node revised.)_
 
    A few special cases about tape handling warrant more detailed
 description.  These special cases are discussed below.
 
    Many complexities surround the use of `tar' on tape drives.  Since
 the creation and manipulation of archives located on magnetic tape was
 the original purpose of `tar', it contains many features making such
 manipulation easier.
 
    Archives are usually written on dismountable media--tape cartridges,
 mag tapes, or floppy disks.
 
    The amount of data a tape or disk holds depends not only on its size,
 but also on how it is formatted.  A 2400 foot long reel of mag tape
 holds 40 megabytes of data when formatted at 1600 bits per inch.  The
 physically smaller EXABYTE tape cartridge holds 2.3 gigabytes.
 
    Magnetic media are re-usable--once the archive on a tape is no longer
 needed, the archive can be erased and the tape or disk used over.
 Media quality does deteriorate with use, however.  Most tapes or disks
 should be discarded when they begin to produce data errors.  EXABYTE
 tape cartridges should be discarded when they generate an "error count"
 (number of non-usable bits) of more than 10k.
 
    Magnetic media are written and erased using magnetic fields, and
 should be protected from such fields to avoid damage to stored data.
 Sticking a floppy disk to a filing cabinet using a magnet is probably
 not a good idea.
 

Menu

 
* Device                      Device selection and switching
* Remote Tape Server
* Common Problems and Solutions
* Blocking                    Blocking
* Many                        Many archives on one tape
* Using Multiple Tapes        Using Multiple Tapes
* label                       Including a Label in the Archive
* verify
* Write Protection
 

Info Catalog

(tar) Formats

(tar) Top

(tar) Free Software Needs Free Documentation