>-- Is the contributed GZIP reliable?
 
I use it on a daily basis to do just what you're describing. I've not yet found
any problems with gzip in any transfers that I've made between various Un*x
boxes and the 3000. I'm not sure which of the two ports is on the CSL tape. I
believe Steve Elmer did one of the ports for HP concurrently with my doing
another port in support of the g++ port. I don't know which one made it to the
CSL as a standalone package. Since g++ also appears on the CSL, there should be
my port of gzip in that package as well.
 
I also find that a combination of mover/gzip works best for transfers between
3000s using ftp instead of dscopy. gzip compression is superior to
compress/decompress. In combination with mover for 3000 transfers, it can't be
beat.
 
>-- Are we going about this in the right way?
 
That has to be your decision, but I don't see why not.
 
Regards,
 
M.