autotape.sh

INTRODUCTION

This is a small script to automate tape backups. More specifically, check for
the presence of a tape drive and a tape before running the actual backup.
If the tape or tapedrive is not found on the system, the script will recheck
in a predefind period of time.
This is particualary useful for systems wich runs periodic backups through cron
but dosen't have a fixed tape drive (for example a USB tape drive which gets
moved along other systems as well). It's also useful for checking the presence
of a tape before beginning the actual backup. This way you don't have to 
remember to put a tape in the drive at an exact time. If you forget it, the 
script will retry until a tape (or tape drive) is inserted. Then it will run 
the backup.


HISTORY

This solution came to mind when I bought a used tape drive of eBay to backup
my server. The downside was it was really noisy and since I keep that server
in my appartment I had to turn it off between backups. And then of course I
forgot to turn it on in time for the cron job. But with this script it dosen't
matter, I can turn on the tape drive hours later, and the backup will run.


FEATURES

The script can handle both full backups aswell as incremental backup.
NOTE: When using incremental backups you have to run the first full backup
(tar) maunally to create the snapshot file. But after the first full backup and
snapshot file is done, the script can run the incremental backups.
See the tar manual for more information on incremental backups.


CONTRIBUTING

Bug reports, feature requests, code etc is always welcome. All contributions
will be thanked in a THANKS file.


Jack-Benny Persson
jack-benny@cyberinfo.se