Date: Wed, 10 Jan 1996 21:15:37 -0800 (PST) From: Donald Burr <d_burr@ix.netcom.com> To: FreeBSD Questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: External tape drives and FreeBSD? Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.91.960110210951.724A-100000@ncc-1701-d.starfleet.gov>
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I do a lot of computer work, that involves having to backup and restore data for clients (i.e. storing a backup of their files off-site at my office, or backing up stuff temporarily before an software install, in case it screws up). So, to that end, I've been looking at portable tape drives. Because I want to get a "least common denominator" drive that can work in any system without any additional hardware, and for ease of installation, removal, and transporting it, I have chosen a parallel port drive. This is because I *KNOW* that my clients will have a parallel port, whereas I DON'T know if they'll have a SCSI card, and I don't want to lug my (very expensive) SCSI card around with me. The particular drive I'm looking at is the Iomega Ditto Universal Travan. This is because it can read and write the standard formats, including QIC-80 (i.e. DC2120), which a lot of my clients (and a lot of my friends) have. And it's small, lightweight, and the software is good. Oh yeah, and most importantly, it's the cheapest -- around $150 or so, whereas the Colorado and Conner portable units are still around $300 -- whoa! What I'm trying to ask is: Are these drives compatible with FreeBSD? My first thought was "no", because I remember (in my Linux days) that they were saying that the parallel port drives use some proprietary protocol that the vendors aren't about to release to the public. But I dunno if that has changed or not, and besides, that was Linux. Maybe FreeBSD has a working driver? Failing that, is there a way I can backup and restore to/from a FILE in UNIX -- preferably using dump, but other systems are OK)? That way, I can do my FreeBSD backups to a file on DOS partition, then run DOS and use the backup software to back it up onto tape. What's the command line to use? Your answers will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Donald Burr [d_burr@ix.netcom.com], PO Box 91212, Santa Barbara CA 93190-1212 TEL (805)564-1871 / FAX 564-2315 / WWW http://www.geopages.com/WallStreet/2072 PGP Public Key available by request (send e-mail) or on Public Key Servers. ** Uphold your right to privacy - Use PGP. **
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