[plug] Backup + 2 gig file limit = error

[Kim Covil]

> Gday, 
> 
> I am having a problem backing up large directories. 
> 
> The backup is run through a script that just runs tar/gz over the
> directores and stores the backup files on a hard disk that is in a
> removeable caddy.
> 
> Now my problem that some user directories push the backup size way over
> the kernel (2 gig file limit) resulting in tar dying in mid flight,
> giving me incomplete backups.
> 
> I am really after a simple hack that would work around this file limit
> problem. 
> Eg. Something that tar is piped through tar so when the file reaches a
> certain size it will create a new file eg backup.tgz.1 and then
> backup.tgz.2 and so on.
> 
> Ive looked at a few other solutions, but they are either not suited for
> my situation or there is bit to much messing around/time wasting.
> 
> If anybody has some simple ideas around this, or know of any
> sciprts/programs that do this with little fuss I would love to hear
> them.
> 
> cheers.
> russ

To backup:

tar cf - directory | bzip2 | split --bytes=2000m - /pathtobackupstorage/directory.tar.bz2.

To restore:

cat /pathtobackupstorage/directory.tar.bz2.* | bunzip2 | tar xf -

Cheers

Kim

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Kim Covil - CSIRO Exploration & Mining  E-mail: kim.covil at dem.csiro.au
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