Backup for BSD 4.3 system managers

BSD 4.3 system managers can back up data.

The tar and cpio commands can move data between systems. The tar command for AIX® is not fully compatible with the 4.3 BSD tar command. The tar command for AIX requires the -B flag (blocking input) if it is reading from a pipe. The AT&T cpio command is compatible with this version.

AIX can read and write in dump and restore command format. For example, the backup command for AIX with the syntax:

backup -0uf Device Filesystemname

is the same as the 4.3 BSD dump command with the syntax:

dump 0uf Device Filesystemname

Similarly, the restore command for AIX with the syntax:

restore -mivf Device

is the same as the 4.3 BSD restore command with the syntax:

restore ivf Device

AIX also has the 4.3 BSD rdump and rrestore commands. The only difference in the two versions is that for AIX, each argument must be preceded by a - (dash). For example, the following command:

rdump -0 -f orca:/dev/rmt0 /dev/hd2

is equivalent to the 4.3 BSD command:

rdump 0f orca:/dev/rmt0 /dev/hd2

The backup command for AIX with the following syntax:

backup -0f /dev/rmt0 /dev/hd2

is equivalent to the 4.3 BSD dump command with this syntax:

dump 0f /dev/rmt0 /dev/hd2

Non-IBM® SCSI tape support

AIX does not directly support non-IBM SCSI tape drives. However, you can add your own header and interface that use the IBM SCSI driver.