label_tape - write label to tape for use by afbackup or display it

label_tape <label-number> [ -rfF ] [ -c <configfile> ] [ -S <sec-label-number ] [ -n <comment> ] [ -d <devicename> ] [ -b <blocksize> ] [ -s <set-file-cmd> ] [ -C <num-cartridges> ]

label_tape -q [ -c <configfile> ] [ -d <devicename> ] [ -b <blocksize> ] [ -s <set-file-cmd> ]

The first form writes a label to the tape, the second form shows the label on the tape, that is currently loaded. The tape-label must be an integer number. This number is written to the tape currently in the drive and identifies it uniquely. It must be in the range from 1 to the number of cartridges given in the configuration file. This label is written at the beginning of the tape, so all data on tape will be lost. Due to that fact the user is always prompted, if he really wants to do this. <config-file> can be a different configuration file than the one the server process is started with. Normally it makes no sense to use this option, but in extremely pathological cases the program might not be able to find out the full path to the configuration file. Then is has to be supplied at the command line.

The normal case is to use this command without options, but the settings in the serverside configuration file can be overridden, if necessary.

If it is intended to label a tape, while a server is waiting for another cartridge being put into the drive, the -F option must be used to override the lock, that is held by the server process. The server will be kept from probing, whether a tape is in the drive, while the label_tape program is running. label_tape should be started, before the tape to be labeled is put into the drive. Otherwise the server might eject it at once after probing. label_tape will prompt for confirmation before performing any tape access (if started without -f option). Thus the tape should be loaded after starting the command and before confirming.

-b <blocksize>

The blocksize of the device to use

-C <num-carts>

The total number of handled cartridges

-c <configfile>

A different configuration file to use

-d <devicename>

The device to use

-F

Continue regardless of a lock, probably set by other running applications, especially the server. This option may be used to label a tape, while the server is waiting for a cartridge to be put into the streamer device.

-f

Force operation without further asking

-n <comment>

A comment to include into the tape label (256 characters max)

-r

Remove the cartridge in the drive from the cartridge handling database without further asking

-S <sec-label>

The secondary label number, the server will accept, if the primary label number does not match

-s <setf-cmd>

The command to reel the tape to a given file position

/usr/server/lib/server.conf

Server configuration file

/var/log/afbackup

The directory for logging the server actions

/var/lib/afbackup

Some internal state information of the server.

afclientconfig(8), xafclientconfig(8), full_backup(8), incr_backup(8), afverify(8), afrestore(8), xafrestore(8), update_indexes(8), copy_tape(8), afclient.conf(8), afserver(8), afmserver(8), afserver.conf(8), tar(1)

afbackup was written by Albert Fluegel (af@muc.de). This manpage was extracted from the text docs by Christian Meder (meder@isr.uni-stuttgart.de).