Automating a tar -M... Looking for ideas

From: cyber0ne (ddonahue_at_ccs.neu.edu)
Date: 12/30/04 

Date: 30 Dec 2004 08:25:49 -0800

I've written a number of very small and simple shell scripts to handle
my tape archiving needs and now I'm looking to extend the automation a
step further. As it stands, I invoke a script which contains several
tar -M commands for various filesystems and directs the verbose output
to a log file. To use the space on the tapes thoroughly (important,
not many tapes) I just put the tar commands one after another and let
the -M flag prompt me when it's time for the next tape, I just insert
the next one and press return.

Now, the problem lies in the fact that I have to remain logged into
that machine in order to do this. This isn't critical, as the room has
a certain amount of physical security, but I just hate to leave a
console logged in 24x7.

Does anyone have any ideas for a way of pausing between the tapes in a
script (-M includes an option for running a script instead of
displaying its default message and requesting user input) that doesn't
require me being logged in? Ideally, if I could cron the entire backup
job and just put in the next tape whenever I notice the previous one is
done (I can tail the aforementioned log file for the backup's current
status) that would be perfect.

I'm sure there are other applications which can accomodate me, but I
have certain limitations. The machine in question is quite old and
slow and what little disk space it has is left open so that log files
don't fill the filesystem. Also, my budget for this is approximately
$0. Given all this, writing a simple script to handle this is the
ideal solution.

Regards,
David P. Donahue
ddonahue@ccs.neu.edu

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