How to set tape parameters on freebsd?

[Trond Endrestøl]

On Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:50-0000, Attila Bogár wrote:

> Dear FreeBSD list,
> 
> I'm currently using FreeBSD on my backup server (w/ Amanda).
> 
> I'm wondering if exists out there a utility for setting tape 
> parameters (during boot).
> 
> Linux had /sbin/stinit and /etc/stinit.def.
> Is there something similar for FreeBSD?
> 
> Another problem I'm experiencing is:
> During power cycling, the controller resets the tape drives the 
> drives eject the tape.
> If I use 'mt -f /dev/nsa0 comp off' in a boot script it fails with 
> an error tape drive not configured.
> Is there a pretty solution for this or you just put mt into a loop 
> until it succeeds?

Have you tried using /dev/sa0.ctl? E.g.: mt -f /dev/sa0.ctl comp off

I run AMANDA using a shell script from cron, and one of the things my 
shell script does before running amdump is to turn off compression. 
By the time the shell script runs, a tape cartridge is already loaded 
in the drive. With the tape cartridge loaded, it's OK to use 
/dev/nsa0.

> Is there a way pushing compression and block size parameters to the 
> sa driver? I've already RTFM sa(8) and checked sysctl settings and I 
> couldn't find the answer.
> 
> Thanks for your constructive comments in advance,
> 
>    Attila

Trond.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Trond Endrestøl                  | Trond.Endrestol at fagskolen.gjovik.no
ACM, NAS, NUUG, SAGE, USENIX     |    FreeBSD 8.1-STABLE & Alpine 2.00