Help... Need Unix advice....

We are running HP-UX 9.04 and need to be able to do "hot" backups of
database files.  The solution that had been recommended to us is as
follows:

From inside of SQLDBA (database administrator's tool) we shell out and
execute tar initially creating and then adding to the tape device.

     alter tablespace SYSTEM begin backup;
     !tar -cvf /dev/rmt/2hcb /disk6/oradata/prod/system_01.dbf
     alter tablespace SYSTEM end backup;

     alter tablespace RBS begin backup;
     !tar -rvf /dev/rmt/2hcb /disk8/oradata/prod/rbs_01.dbf
     alter tablespace RBS end backup;

     alter tablespace AP_TBS begin backup;
     !tar -rvf /dev/rmt/2hcb /disk5/oradata/prod/ap_01.dbf
     alter tablespace AP_TABS end backup;

     alter tablespace API_TBS begin backup;
     !tar -rvf /dev/rmt/2hcb /disk9/oradata/prod/api_01.dbf
     alter tablespace API_TBS end backup;

etc....

My problem is that this process of successively calling "tar" much to
slow.  I think, but I am not sure (please comment), that each successive
call causes the tape device to be read from the beginning, rather than
immediately appending the next file after the last.

When I use "fbackup" I can store 20Gb of data to the same DDS2 device in
about 4 hours, whereas "tar" of only my database (about 9Gb) has taken
over 16 hours.

Does anyone know of a way to call "fbackup" (or other command to do
backups) in a repetitive manner where an "append" action can be
performed?

TIA

\rjh

--
Robert Hilverth, I.S.P.        \ Tel: 905/575-1212 x3052
Database Administrator          \ Fax: 905/575-2302 or 905/575-2378
Mohawk College, PO Box 2034      \ Mailto:[log in to unmask]

Hamilton, Ontario Canada, L8R 3T2 \ http://www.mohawkc.on.ca