On Tue, May 08, 2007 at 11:48:52AM -0700, Dan Lund wrote: > The problem I'm running into is the app that does the tape backup > (commvault) is backing up the hardlinks as files. (which is correct to do) Hardlinks are what you have all the time. The only difference is that normally there's only one of them. They are not a different type of beast, in the way that symlinks are. > I need to somehow prune down all hardlinks back to the earliest file so > I can back the whole tree up to tape finally. > > What would be the best way to do this? I've been thinking about this > for a couple days now and I can't come up with a viable solution. > > any help is much appreciated.... Two options that come to mind... 1. Write a script to prune. You'll want to be examining the actual directory entries and comparing vnode/inode stuff to see if a given file is the same actual file. Start with oldest subtree, read in all dir info into "A". Read dir info for next oldest subtree into "B". Unlink duplicates on disk indicated by "B", but leave the info in the program. Set "A" equal to "B". Read next oldest "B". Loop at compare. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. This is not rocket science, but it involves actual coding, and it's not something you want to get wrong with your real backup data. If you go this route, make some fake stuff and test thoroughly! 2. Use software such as dump, which backs up the actual filesystem structure, and as such, will not use any more space. Then you can put your dump on tape. (ok, *maybe* 3 options. maybe) 3. If there's a pax wizard here, do you know if pax is smart enough to deal with this? -- Darrin Chandler | Phoenix BSD User Group | MetaBUG dwchandler@stilyagin.com | http://phxbug.org/ | http://metabug.org/ http://www.stilyagin.com/ | Daemons in the Desert | Global BUG Federation --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss